Rather's Ruin (FreeRepublic Credited)

The American Enterprise Online ^ | November 30, 2004 | Chris Weinkopf

[HighWheeler]

Seldom in the course of a Presidential campaign does a media drama upstage the election itself, but for a short while in September, Americans tuned out politics and tuned in to "The Decline and Fall of Dan Rather."

The drama began when CBS posted forged National Guard documents on its Web site and, that same evening, an attentive "Freeper" (a regular at the conservative FreeRepublic.com Internet site) named Buckhead raised suspicions of fraud.

From there, intrepid bloggers Powerlineblog.com and Little Green Footballs, the Woodward and Bernstein of Rathergate, began to document the mounting signs of forgery.

By the next afternoon, the country was abuzz. Rather and his supporters denounced those who questioned the credibility of the anti-Bush memos as "partisan political ideological forces." Former CBS News executive Jonathan Klein infamously dismissed the truth-telling bloggers as "a guy sitting in his living room in his pajamas writing what he thinks." But thanks to the cyber sleuths, it was soon obvious that the memos were phony.

Rather then found himself under siege from the most unlikely of sources--other members of the mainstream media. ABC News and the Washington Post catalogued the anchor's duplicity: CBS had ignored warnings from its own experts, failed to interview relevant sources, and discarded any evidence that contradicted its preconceived anti-Bush version of events.

At one point, CBS attempted an our-evidence-is-false-but-our-attack-is-accurate defense. Rather suggested it was not he, but the President, who should answer tough questions. Eventually, CBS offered a half-hearted apology. But the damage was done. Rather's credibility was destroyed.

None of this would have happened just a few years earlier. As Glenn Reynolds, blogging host of Instapundit.com and law professor at the University of Tennessee, told one reporter, "CBS would have flashed the documents on TV for a few seconds and no one would have seen them again. Even the people with doubts would have assumed that CBS had done its legwork, as we did for years."

In the days when the establishment media had an iron grip on public discourse, it was almost impossible to challenge their biases. Dan Rather and company insisted they were simply objective observers, exemplary public servants untainted by political agenda or shoddy research. Now the public knows otherwise.

Are many bloggers politically motivated? Of course. But, unlike CBS, they are honest about it. And they must defend their opinions in a fiercely competitive marketplace of ideas.

That was rarely the case with the elite media, a closed and intellectually homogeneous priesthood whose members came to believe their opinions were Gospel truth.

This was not a complicated case: Within hours of CBS's airing of the story, some gifted amateurs in Middle-western suburbs had proven that the documents could not be genuine. CBS had enthusiastically embraced the flimsy claims that Bush had failed to live up to his National Guard duties simply because most everyone in the elite-media circle wanted to believe them.

Or, as the Los Angeles Times' editorial page pontificated: "CBS's real error was trying to prove a point that didn't need to be proved."

But as "The Decline and Fall of Dan Rather" showed, reporters who derive evidence from their political conclusions, instead of the other way around, won't have free rein anymore. Thanks to blogs and other "new" media, the prejudices of the old media princes will no longer go unquestioned.

It's about time.

[HighWheeler]

"Thanks to blogs and other "new" media, the prejudices of the old media princes will no longer go unquestioned."

And the sooner these old media losers learn this the better.

[Prime Choice]

PING! You're mentioned by name in bringing down Dan Blather.

[hispanarepublicana]

I love it when a plan comes together.

[Travis McGee]

GIve credit where credit is due.

[HarleyD]

Someone should send this to Bill O'Reilly.

[Prime Choice]

The old media isn't going to learn any lessons from this matter. Instead, they'll squeeze their political bedmates to start regulating the Internet.

Mark my words.

[anniegetyourgun]

Going out on a limb there, PC?

[TrueKnightGalahad]

Buh-BYE, Dan.

[HighWheeler]

Compare this write-up to Bill OReilly's load of crap featured here:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1290333/posts

[jim macomber]

The unkindest cut of all?
A media consultant on Fox and Friends the other morning pointed out that Rather made his bones on Nixon and Watergate and it is so ironic that when confronted with this debacle of his own making, Rather's reaction was downright "Nixonesque".

[Prime Choice]

Going out on a limb there, PC?

Experience has taught me to never underestimate the treachery of the Leftists. And considering their track record of burgeoning bureaucracy, over-regulation and general interference with freedom in the name of "fairness," I'd say my concerns are valid and will come to pass unless we cut the legs out from underneath those bastards.

Sure, I could be wrong...but I doubt it.

[CDHart]

Actually I'm afraid Prime Choice is right. The MSM would love to be able to regulate the internet and I have no doubt that between them and their politician buddies, they'll be looking for a way to do it.

Carolyn

[Americanwolf]

The once was a freeper named Buckhead,
Who with vigilance the news he read,
He saw a report by Rather,
and said that's a lie I gather,
He spread the news far and wide!
That was the day Rather's Career died.

[kellynla]

Congratulations, Buckhead!

Semper Fi,
Kelly

[OldFriend]

The media upstaged the 2000 election. How COULD we forget!

[cynicom]

"Rather's credibility was destroyed."....

Destroyed???? Not possible. Any thinking American had long ago dismissed Blather as just another partisan hack making the news to suit his agenda.

[elbucko]

Instead, they'll squeeze their political bedmates to start regulating the Internet.

I agree. At least they're going to try to get the Internet under the FCC or something similar. The "net" simply has too much freedom for the liberals to tolerate it.

[N. Theknow]

From there, intrepid bloggers Powerlineblog.com and Little Green Footballs, the Woodward and Bernstein of Rathergate, began to document the mounting signs of forgery.

Unlike Woodward and Bernstein, the bloggers did not make up a fictitious being and ascribe innuendo and gossip to him as facts.

[tirednvirginia]

Does Buckhead still post on FR under this screen name or has he had to go undercover?

Hope Buckhead comes to the FR inaugural ball - it would be fabulous to meet him. He is such an important and famous person these days and we owe Buckhead so much.

[anniegetyourgun]

I'm kidding....I'm a kidder....OF COURSE PC IS RIGHT!

You two need to spend more time around me.....

[beckett]

...some gifted amateurs in Middle-western suburbs had proven that the documents could not be genuine

IIRC Buckhead is a southeasterner from Atlanta, Ga.

[Grampa Dave]

[Grampa Dave]

[shield]

Thank the LORD....the commie news networks are history. ;o)

They can fool some of the people some of the time but not all the time.

[F.J. Mitchell]

As Jackie Gleason used to say:

" How SWEET IT IS!!!!!!"

[Grampa Dave]

Note to the left wing maggots in charge of CBS phoney news. We have our eye on your eye!

[Mr. K]

and THEN the G$%DA#$ BASTIGE had THE NERVE to say to the president [nevermnind whether the documents were forged....]"with respect, answer the questions"


IN A FARGIN FORGED DOCUMENT?????????

[Libertina]

Americans tuned out politics and tuned in to "The Decline and Fall of Dan Rather.
A lie in the first sentence? Dan Rather IS politics - his POLIICAL BIAS was the very reason for the attack on the President.

[dead]

My favorite DU quote from those heady days:

[Buck W.]

We can celebrate Rather's demise in part because the forgeries were so ineptly done. However, what if they were not so obviously phonies? The scam might have worked, despite the bloggers.

[valleygal]

I asked the same thing about a month or more ago. Buckhead is still here.

[TASMANIANRED]

The MSM will resent the schlit out of it , but the Pajama Patrool will drag them kicking and screaming into more responsible reporting.

Competition and scrutiny improves all products.

[F.J. Mitchell]

A double BUMP! on that, Travis.

Jim Robinson, what hast thou wrought???

Thanks Jim, thanks John, Sa-a-a-alute!!!!

[Prime Choice]

I'm kidding....I'm a kidder....

Hee! :o)

OF COURSE PC IS RIGHT!

Woohoo! I'm saving that one to show the wife! Look, honey! I was actually right! Take a picture!

;o)

[maica]

We Freepers all know how Howlin, Buckhead, etc began to question the documents, but do we know who or how CBS decided to post them in .pdf so that they were accessible for this examination?

I have to believe either in angels, or in a mole within the CBS/60 Minutes organization, miking that decision.

[johnny7]

RATher has not sufficiently been punished for ANYTHING... he just RETIRED. Where's the results of that so-called 'investigation'?

He's been getting tributes from all the kiss-a$$e$ like Brokjaw, O'Really and Maphews but nobody's condemning the motherf__ker!

[chronotrigger]

The MSM would love to be able to regulate the internet and I have no doubt that between them and their politician buddies, they'll be looking for a way to do it.

They'll probably try to tax it. Tax emails, membership in on-line clubs, organizations, blogg sites (like Free republic), etc.

[elbucko]

Well done.

[Grampa Dave]

Thanks!

The credit goes to the conservative political cartoonists and the Freeper Graphic Art Experts.

[maine-iac7]

they'll squeeze their political bedmates to start regulating the Internet.

And why do you think the UN plans to take charge of the Internet?

And who would've handed them that - along with the rest of their One World Government plans?

[anniegetyourgun]

I know....but we're not likely to be successful at having drawn and quartered, tarred and feathered, and boiled in oil.

Relax, J7 - it matters not what his cronies say about him. Just enjoy the fact that we had the last word!

[lonevoice]

Ping. I know we've read about all there is to say about Rathergate, but this one's good for the wrap up and pat on the back to the "New Media".

[anniegetyourgun]

Don't let it go to your head....you're still not Always Right.

[EdReform]

Ping

[wasp69]

Rather's credibility was destroyed.

To say this is to assume he had any before this incident.

[Texas Songwriter]

Is this a photo of the legendary Buckhead?

[wasp69]

Ping, DW.

[Jambe]

This is the guy that brought down Dan Rather!!!!

[viaveritasvita]

Cyber sleuths unite! hehehe Love it!

<><

[OSHA]

LOL

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