CBS News Concludes It Was Misled on National Guard Memos, Network Officials Say

New York Times ^ | 9/20/04 | Jim Rutenberg

[petercooper]

CBS News: Fake, But Accurate

[js1138]

Maybe CBS got the documents for $5.00 on Canal Street in NYC.

[sully777]

This is essentially the equivalent of someone buying a "Rolex" watch out of the back of a truck in a WalMart parking lot, being told that the watch is "GenUWine" and insisiting that it is despite the fact that all your friends are laughing at you and the word "Rolex" is misspelled.

---

Actually, the DNC and CBS are playing three card monty in the back of the Wal-mart with Rather, Mapes, the TFT/DNC-Texas standing in the front of the store selling greening ROREX watches made in Hong Kong on a cardboard box.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

How foolish and bitter Dan Rather looks now, for insulting FOXNEws at the airport today, asking that local FOXNews reporter if he didn't feel duped by working for FOX.

OH MAN!!! I hadn't heard about that one! Do you have a link.

[Newton]

Pardon me for my confusion....but some things are so obvious that it perplexes me - like I'm missing something....

seeBS has said that they have worked on this story for 5 years.
That means that they started before President Bush was elected in 2000. They clearly had nothing since in the course of 5 years they only thing they have come up with are some forged documents - that did not appear until 5 or six days before they decided to "run with it". Everyone who was easily available for interview and could have provided info for the past 5 years - says these documents are fake and that the sentiment contained in them does not reflect the sentiment of Lt col Killian (his wife, his son and Col Staudt). This information was gleaned in a weeks time. The Determination that these documents were fake was made within 60 minutes (pun intended) of the airing of the segment. The only 2 people who "verify" their story is a secretary who clearly is partisan and a guy with an ax to grind.

Here is where I am perplexed:
1. What the h*11 were they "researching for 5 freakin years?

2. How could they NOT think they would get caught with these documents? (I'm am starting to believe that CBS knew more than just a simple failure to verify the docs - I now believe they were in fact a willing participant - stalling does them no good)

3. How far does this really go and will there be serious consequences - or will they just get the old slap on the wrist?

To me there is only one conclusion that I can come to. The obvious - this was a deliberate attempt to affect the presidency and the outcome of the election. What other conclusion can there be? Just ask - who would have benefited from this story airing, had it not been questioned? What was the intended result of this story being aired? If this was just 15-20 yrs ago - before web forums and alternate news sources - they most likely could have gotten away with it.

[rushfreedom]

Add this one.
Why didn't CBS interview Col. Walter (Buck) Staudt and ask him if he put pressure on Killian?

[Dengar01]

CBS News Concludes It Was Misled on National Guard Memos, Network Officials Say

Ya think? < /sarcasm >

Obviously the big story here is the national attention that Free Republic got during this story along with Dan Rather being exposed as the complete partisan retard that he is.

And hopefully this will be tracked down to DNC headquarters and right on John Kerry's doorstep. I believe I heard on the radio that Max Cleeland was deeply involved in this scandal, so we know Kerry/Edwards is not far removed.

[Raven281]

e "sentiment in the memos accurately reflected Mr. Killian's feelings, but that the documents' authenticity is now in grave doubt."

"Does this reporter have any idea how ridiculous this sounds?"

What they talked to him beyond the grave? Even though his wife said he liked Bush, the exact opposite of what those memos show?

[Akerber]

Sounds like the producer (Mapes) is being set up as the fall guy.

[GOP_Proud]

I just made a trip over to DU (yeah, I need a shower) and it says it's down for maintenance. How much ya wanna bet they don't want us to see them drinking the Kool-Aid.

[YaYa123]

It's hard to get in right now....but go to

ratherbiased.com

They have the video of Dan, having the nerve and the stupidity to insult FOXNews after CBS' collosal screw up!!!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Thanks!

[JudgemAll]

THe news that is not news, the communication outlet that does not communicate.

[Miss Marple]

Major Garrett says that Burkett wa posted on DU a month ago and that anyone should have been able to find this with a cursory search. Now CBS defenders are saying "Bush's role in this is murky." Oh, the Karl Rove theory!

Now some shill for the media is on efending Rather.

These people are infuriating me.

[Howlin]

Exactly. Richard Cohen is already on Fox, saying they were duped, they're a fine agency, blah blah blah.

[Miss Marple]

Oh, that's Richard Cohen. Well, he is lying through his teeth.

[KavMan]

this is bs
they are trying to cover up something BIGGER
like DNC involvement!!!

we need to keep on pushing!

[Marak]

It is clear that anyone who called Burkett an 'unimpeachable source' was indeed trying to mislead the viewers. This isn't over yet. Mapes hid the fact that some analysts questioned the validity of the documents. Rather knew the source was a discredited Democrat loonie. CBS clearly tried to mislead the viewers and his apology is NOT accepted.

[SunkenCiv]

"Where was everybody's judgment on that last day?''

We haven't seen the last day yet... on that last day, Rather will be fired.

George W. Bush will be reelected by a margin of at least ten per cent