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Posted on 09/16/2004 10:02:15 AM PDT by nikos1121
Critics are calling the media scandal over the Jerry Killian forgeries "Rathergate." But to thousands of Vietnam veterans, the real Rathergate took place 16 years ago when Dan Rather successfully foisted a fraud onto the American people. Then, unlike now, there was no blogosphere to expose him.
On June 2, 1988, CBS aired an hour-long special titled CBS Reports: The Wall Within, which CBS trumpeted as the "rebirth of the TV documentary." It purported to tell the true story of Vietnam through the eyes of six of the men who fought there. And what terrible stories they had to tell.
"I think I was one of the highest trained, underpaid, eighteen-cent-an-hour assassins ever put together by a team of people who knew exactly what they were looking for," said Steve Southards, a Navy SEAL who told Rather he had escaped society to live in the forests of Washington state. Under Rather's gentle coaxing, Southards described slaughtering Vietnamese civilians, making his work appear to be that of the North Vietnamese.
(Excerpt) Read more at nationalreview.com ...
I suggest that he step down now before he further mocks the legacy of Morrow, Cronkite …
On the contrary – at least in the case of Walter Cronkite who was chief spokesman for the Hanoi Government while delivering their version of the news for CBS.
Morrow was a competent news reporter. Starting with Cronkite “truth” and “integrity” became foreign to CBS.
The boundaries of ethical journalism have never been a very high fence as far as Dan Blather was concerned.
Nor is he alone in his cavalier disregard for the truth when there is "greater good" in sight;
Remember NBC and the rocket motors they hid under a Chevy pickup to make it appear they exploded on impact?
Dan Rather is no stranger to lying. For years he has bragged that he was a marine. The truth is that he did enlist in the Marines...twice...but he couldn't pass the basic training and was sent home. (Source: B.K. Burchett, STOLEN VALOR)
I agree that since leaving television Cronkite has turned a bit senile, a bit Andy Rooney...but as a newscaster esp the work he did during WWII, he leaves a gold standard. I cannot believe, and will not believe that he or others who were bestowed the gift of being allowed into our homes every night, would do what Rather is doing now or has done in the past to discredit sitting presidents. AT a time of war, I don't think Cronkite would be running shameful stories about a president; using questionable sources. Cronkite would give his opinion...and that's fine... but Rather is in a class by himself.
Speak for yourself, Danny boy...
Cronkite started out as a fine news reporter. He gradually went sour. Part of the Vietnam-era syndrome, Woodstock, and all the rest of that swinish time.
True...but RAther is hands down the worst. I don't think that the American viewer should have to put up with him any longer. I personally stopped watching him years ago. I watch CBS only if it is carrying the Chicago Bears game, and even then I'll turn the sound down and listen to the play by play on radio. I make an effort not, I repeat NOT, to buy any products advertised on CBS.
The only way to get him off the air for good is for us to not let up on criticsm of what he has been doing.
I well remember the assassination job that the MSM did on Vietnam Vets in the 70's and 80's. Lurid tales of vets cracking up made headlines. Of the millions of men who served over there only a handful caused trouble as civilians later. Yet the Black PR campaign run on the Vets by the scumbag draft dodgers and liberals in the media created an atmosphere where many Americans were frightened of anyone who had served.
The media created an atmosphere where many people believed that all Vietnam Vets were time bombs, ready to explode. I remember occasionally having people move away from me at a party, for example, if they learned I had been in Nam.
Damm these lying propagandists to hell.
I agree. The VietNam war really affected everyone...He gave his commentary... but I don't recall Cronkite ever doing yellow journalism. We know now that Cronkite was partisan too, but Rather is a traitor. The story he did on the Viet Nam Vets reported in this article is disgraceful...
I disagree strongly about any congressional hearings on this. That will nothing but validate Rather has a Kerry supporter and in fact might help Kerry. Let Kerry latch his candidacy to Rather. Let's ignore Rather and let his peers deal with him for now.
Yes, and it turns out that the story was phony to begin with, as were those who testified with Kerry. Same pattern here.
nick
At a time of war, I don't think Cronkite would be running shameful stories about a president; using questionable sources.
You must not be familiar with Cronkite’s coverage of the Viet Nam War.
He was extremely intent on portraying the US as losing, even after the 1968 Tet counteroffensive when our biggest difficulty was in finding any VC/NVA to fight Cronkite kept up the charade of Communist victory.
I encountered one of his “news” crews in Hue during the fighting there. I had been hit by a mortar. I wasn’t that seriously wounded – I could still walk – but I had to push my way through his mob of “reporters” clustered at the entrance to the Battalion aid station. They were so intent on getting footage of dead and wounded Americans that they were actually blocking the entrance. They could easily have walked around the building and got great pictures of NVA dead and dying – but that isn’t what they wanted.
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