RNC Chairman Ed Gillespie Statement on CBS

RNC ^ | 9/20/2004 | Christine Iverson

[rwilliam]

Washington, DC--Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie issued the following statement on CBS’s admission today that memos regarding the President’s National Guard service are not real.

“We accept CBS's apology for a breach of the journalistic standards that provide the American people confidence in news organizations, but some disturbing questions remain unanswered.

“CBS has now answered questions about the authenticity of the documents but questions remain surrounding who created the documents, who provided them to CBS and if Senator Kerry's supporters, Party committee, or campaign played any role.

“Did Bill Burkett, Democrat activist and Kerry campaign supporter, who passed information to the DNC, work with Kerry campaign surrogate Max Cleland? Did Bill Burkett's talks with ‘senior’ Kerry campaign officials include discussions of the now discredited documents? Was the launch of the Democrat National Committee's Operation Fortunate Son designed with knowledge of the faked forged memos? Terry McAuliffe said yesterday that no one at the DNC or Kerry campaign, ‘had anything to do with the preparations of the documents,’ but what about the distribution or dissemination?

“In an effort to regain the trust of the American people CBS should not only investigate the process that led to the use of these documents but they should identify immediately those engaged in possible criminal activity who attempted to use a news organization to affect the outcome of a Presidential election in its closing days.”

[rwilliam]

Both the White House and the RNC are quickly turning up the heat on the DNC and the Kerry campaign now that CBS has issued its "mistake" and "misled" statements.

[TheBigB]

Yes, yes, yes! Go Ed go!

[tioga]

Hot dang, they are standing up for themselves.

[Rutles4Ever]

The lid, she is off!

[dirtboy]

Both the White House and the RNC are quickly turning up the heat on the DNC and the Kerry campaign now that CBS has issued its "mistake" and "misled" statements.

And hashing out this phase of the scandal should chew up yet another week of the campaign. Meanwhile, the latest Kerry spin is to call Iraq another Vietnam - so they STILL are hugging the 'Nam tarbaby harder and harder...

[Janan Ganesh]

Twist the knife. They deserve it.

[rabidralph]

Terry McAuliffe said yesterday that no one at the DNC or Kerry campaign, ‘had anything to do with the preparations of the documents,’ but what about the distribution or dissemination?

Way to parse it out, Ed!!

[Spok]

I'd love to see the MSM totally pre-occuppied with Rathergate and the forgery source until the election. Wouldn't it be ironic if Dan Rather's partisanship helps GWB get re-elected?

[Ben Chad]

Dang, looks like the gop is about to play some hardball after rope-a-dope.

[Always Right]

Great job Ed! Right on top of these, hitting the key points.

[Captain Kirk]

Doubly ironic especially since Rather's interview with GHWB helped to get him elected.

[Inyokern]

Was the launch of the Democrat National Committee's Operation Fortunate Son designed with knowledge of the faked forged memos?

Is that a trick question?

[jmstein7]

RNC and WH must be 100% on this one; they don't take that kind of risk.

[GOPJ]

Ed's on the money...

“CBS has now answered questions about the authenticity of the documents but questions remain surrounding who created the documents, who provided them to CBS and if Senator Kerry's supporters, Party committee, or campaign played any role.

[OXENinFLA]

"Your move PUNK............"

[Eric in the Ozarks]

I didn't hear an apology.

[kjam22]

RNC and WH must be 100% on this one; they don't take that kind of risk.

Yep... I agree. And the fact that they waited a couple of weeks before issuing this statement tells us that they've checked it all out. It's not some Howard Dean type of kneejerk thing.

[narby]

"In an effort to regain the trust of the American people CBS should not only investigate the process that led to the use of these documents but they should identify immediately those engaged in possible criminal activity who attempted to use a news organization to affect the outcome of a Presidential election in its closing days."

Oh, YES!

YOU GO ED!

[Bonaparte]

Here comes the full court press. The RNC is finally making its move. That's got to mean they've got the goods on DNC/kerry campaign involvement. If they didn't, it would be reckless for Gillespie himself to come front and center like this.

Pass the popcorn, this is going to be good!

[Mobties]

Apology? Maybe I read the statement too quickly buy I don't recall reading that word.

I want a full Kerry-oki of the Brenda Lee hit!