Posted on 09/22/2004 10:58:59 AM PDT by NewMediaFan
Memo to Dan: It's time to go.
The unforced error served up by CBS News about President Bush's service in the National Guard is not the end of mainstream journalism as we know it. But it ought to spell the end of Dan Rather's career.
As mistakes go, this one was colossal. CBS and Rather rushed pell-mell to broadcast apparently bogus memos, which purported to show Bush had disobeyed a direct order to take a physical exam in the National Guard in the 1970s.
We now know the network aired the story despite warnings from documents analysts that the memos might be phony. The source of the documents, retired National Guard official Bill Burkett, finally admitted this week that he lied to CBS about where he obtained the memos. CBS News officials still cannot satisfy themselves about the documents' origins.
If CBS News is to salvage its credibility, Rather must go. Whether or not his producer did most of the prep work for this report, Rather put his weighty seal of approval on the story. Such carelessness by a veteran journalist, especially on a high-profile story about a sitting president in the heat of a campaign, has irreparably damaged Rather's credibility. His apology Monday night was overdue...
(Excerpt) Read more at philly.com ...
This, from a very liberal newspaper.
After reading the entire editorial (ie. the parts after the request of the Rather resignation) I would like to just tell this Rag's editorial board to go pi$$ up a rope.
I stopped reading the Inquirer 10 years ago because of their editorial positions, maybe they finally hired an editor with a grain of common sense.Or maybe this is just a fluke.
I clicked to read the rest of the story. Don't bother. Everything after the excerpt is apologia for sKerry.
Exactly how should the latest flap be a story at all? It was expected by industry professionals.
CBS is putting together a panel to see if they did anything wrong. Let's wait and see what they say. Besides, Dan says whether the memos are forgeries or not doesn't matter. That doesn't touch the 'thrust' of the central issue, which is where was President Bush when he was AWOL from the Alabama National Guard and not flying planes. This is so arrogant, so transparent, it's ridiculous. It just gives Rather another platform from which to attack GW.
Im assuming you lurk here, after all this site played a huge part in exposing you....so, I am also assuming that you know that CBS plans to make you the scapegoat and your partner in this charade will get off scott free...your so-called career in journalism is about to come to an abrupt halt...may I suggest you think really hard about who your friends are because you are about to find out you have none...you are now a leper and about to be thrown to the wolves.....think hard, do you want to go down alone?...are you willing to make this sacrifice?....think!
Yes, Ms. Mapes, if you're smart, you'll sing like a canary.
Did CBS attempt to build a coalition of experts before airing their "story"? No, they recklesly rushed to broadcast, with no thought as how to win public opinion in the ensuing quagmire. Now they are without allies and public opinion of their organization has never been at a lower ebb.
Take heed, Dan Rather - John F. Kerry would have done everything differently!
Seal of approval on the Hindenberg; the Titanic; Marion Barry; the Yugo; Martha Stewart stock.
Another thought on the surprising number of MSM knives out for Rather is that they want the story to go away quickly. This story exposes their own bias.
Begin noting the descriptive words and phrases used: "hoax" suggests a school kid prank, not the deliberate fraud Rather wanted to perpetrate on the American public.
Also note, no one in the MSM has called upon CBS to retract the story and individually apologize to everyone involved.
I just curious, but what is the source backing up your statements.
Conservatives really deserve 40 years+ to get equal time, at least this would be a start. It certainly couldn't hurt their ratings!
It was covered in detail by Rush Limbaugh last week. Remember Rather had a big "Revisit Vietnam" thrust a decade or so ago? Rather decided to make Westmoreland the Satan of the 60's. Well, CBS paid the price bigtime. I think it was Thursday or Friday last week on Rush's show.
Rather called Burkett "Unimpeachable."
If that alone isn't cause for this POS to resign, then I don't know what is.
Yes, Rather must go, and Dan, don't forget to flush......... twice ........ you know those new government toilet water restrictions!
I think that is a great idea and that CBS could stem the tide of viewer defection to Fox. That, of course, is why CBS will never do it.
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