White House Reaction to CBS Report, Firings

White House Press Briefing ^ | 1/10/2005 | White House press briefing

[ConservativeMajority]

JIM ANGLE, FOX NEWS: The other thing is, today CBS has fired four of its personnel who were involved in the story about the President's service in the National Guard. Any comment on that?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, we felt all along that it was important for CBS to get to the bottom of this. CBS has taken steps to hold people accountable, and we appreciate those steps. We also hope that CBS will take steps to prevent something like this from happening again. I think that the report by the panel that investigated the matter makes some recommendations it says CBS should consider. And that's what our position is.

(LATER)

JEFF GANNON, TALON NEWS: I want to go back to "Rathergate" for a minute. Four people have been fired. There's a 224-page report and an eight-page statement --

MR. McCLELLAN: I see you have it there in your hand.

JEFF GANNON, TALON NEWS: -- that's been released. Not a single word of apology to the President for this episode. Is the White House disappointed in that? Or is that --

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, in fairness, I think CBS has previously expressed regret about this story airing. In terms of the specific report, it's just been released this morning. I'm not sure if everybody has had a chance to fully review the report and look at what the recommendations are, and look at all the issues they looked at to come to their conclusions.

(LATER)

ED CHEN, LA TIMES: How did the President learn of the CBS development? And what was his direct reaction?

MR. McCLELLAN: His reaction is my reaction to the report. And he was reformed -- informed this morning right after reports hit the wires.

[mrsmith]

"Dan who?"

[pikachu]

C^bs keeps saying Rather is 'resigning' in March. Boy his arse must be chapped after being kissed so much.

[Loyal Buckeye]

But CBS is not being contrite, the standard that must be met before any screw-up by a Republican is considered by the MSM for forgiveness.

[uncbob]

How about this reaction "We are actively pursuing an investigation into the forging of federal documents that was done to influence a Presidential election and the full force of the DOJ will be brought to bear"

[Bigg Red]

I'd like to believe that Rather is getting the boot, but I have to say that there was talk a good while before Rathergate that he had planned to retire as anchor.

[OldFriend]

Rather is leaving with a well deserved cloud over his head.

How sweet it is.

[annyokie]

Be patient.

[samadams2000]

How about nutting up Bush and saying..."No it isnt enough..in fact I wonder who'se running that company. Rather should have been fired. To this day he believes the documents are real. SO..no I do not think weve heard the end of this.""

[MJY1288]

And what about Sandy Burger

[beyond the sea]

Hannity now basically acting as a 'pussy' to Schieffer......... what a surprise!

[Terabitten]

I'd like to believe that Rather is getting the boot, but I have to say that there was talk a good while before Rathergate that he had planned to retire as anchor.

Yeah, but it would be more expected for him to retire at the 25 year anniversary, instead of at 24 and some change like he is now. I think that he announced his retirement to pre-empt any further action against him.

[texasmountainman]

How long will it be before Mary Mapes is on the morning TV news and cable TV shows (like Chrissy Matthews) being portrayed as a victim of the VRWC?

[OldFriend]

AAAAACCCCCCKKKKKKKKK Sean has kneepads for Bob Scheifer.......

[BubbaJunebug]

Probably about 8pm this evening

[beyond the sea]

Sean is a whore! Oh yeh, I remember................ Bob Scheiffer is "my good old friend" ......... BULL!

Hannity is a media whore!

[dead]

ED CHEN, LA TIMES: How did the President learn of the CBS development? And what was his direct reaction?

MR. McCLELLAN: His reaction is my reaction to the report. And he was reformed

Reformed. LOL!

We can only wish the same for Dan Ra^ther and Mary Mapes!

[uncbob]

And what about Sandy Burger

Yep
Another one for DOJ

If this was the democrats in power they would be all over these two issues and so would the MSM

[John Lenin]

Dan Rather runs the whole show at CBS News and they fire four underlings ? Doesn't matter, he retires in shame.

[Marine_Uncle]

"And what about Sandy Burger". Speaking of. I bet since it is behind closed doors now, he will fly free as a bird.

[Truth29]

Rather's retirement is not complete. He will remain a contributor to 60 minutes and other, unspecified, activities.

[John Lenin]

And I will continue to never watch CBS. I used to watch the big 3 occasionally up until election 2000. Rather will be gone, Brokaw will be gone, they are basically starting over and who needs to wait until 6:00pm to get their news with the internet ?

[weegee]

Media Schadenfreude and Media Shenanigans PING

[beyond the sea]

Sean is acting as a loser con artist today trying to show America that he is grilling Bob Scheiffer of CBS. Yeh, right. A TOTAL coward................

Who isn't a coward in the media? Oh, I'll answer that question in a partial way............. Michelle Malkin, Annie Coulter, Bernard Goldberg...... etc.!

Sean Hannity is all about himself.

Sucking up to Sheiffer.

Hannity...............the song for Seannieboy is "The Great Pretender"!

[beyond the sea]

"Nothing is more important for the future of our children and the future of the world"..... than to get rid of con artists out of the media............. one side or the other!

[John Lenin]

What the heck are you talkiing about Hannity for on a Dan Rather thread ? Go start an "I hate Hannity website".

[ConservativeMajority]

Who isn't a coward in the media?

Jeff Gannon, Talon News!

[plain talk]

Nope. Sean is a great guy and great conservative.

[You Dirty Rats]

I think the Lefties may be right -- the 2004 Election needs a full investigation. Let's have a Congressional investigation to include the following:

CBS using a forged document to try and influence the election and then covering up the fraud.

Obvious manipulation of the exit polls to make it look like Kerry won.

The failure of the networks to call the election for GWB when they knew he'd won.

The failure of the State of Washington to protect the Constitutional Right of servicemen and servicewomen to vote.

[Doctor Stochastic]

At least we won't get pictures of Dubya playing bongos in the middle of the night. (I hope.)

[beyond the sea]

Yeh?

Well Sean just had the nuts to ask the questions of Bernie Goldberg that he was UNWILLING to ask of Bob Sheiffer moments earlier.

Get REAL!

[beyond the sea]

Well Sean just had the stomach to ask the questions of Bernie Goldberg that he was UNWILLING to ask of Bob Sheiffer moments earlier.

Get REAL!

Sean is a self serving weenie.

[beyond the sea]

never heard of him

[John Lenin]

Yea, real self serving, he devoted a whole year to traveling the country bashing democrats on every stop. You need to get some perspective on how much Hannity helped getting the GOP fired up to vote in November.

[ConservativeMajority]

Pay attention! He was one of the reporters who asked the White House about it. See above.

[sam_paine]

Ouch, bts! Did Sean-ninny pee in you cornflakes? LOL

[cyncooper]

Of course. Make the Bush WH responsible for this evil deed. Let's take the focus off of CBS and the dems and put it on the WH to pursue it so the media and dems can call it partisan and you can Bush bash all the live long day.

Good grief.

[cyncooper]

Um, the media and dems would say he's whining in the face of this "harsh" (I agree, the report and CBS' response is not enough) report being issued.

Bush is not a crybaby and he's certainly not going to say Rather should have been fired, making what you purport to desire an impossibility as the focus would then shift in a many-layered way I can easily envision.

[cyncooper]

Can someone give details of what Hannity and Schieffer are saying? He's time-delayed here and I'm not inclined to put him on anyway.

[cyncooper]

I'll bet you he doesn't.

[Tribune7]

ping

[oldbrowser]

But CBS is not being contrite, the standard that must be met before any screw-up by a Republican is considered by the MSM for forgiveness.

This organization has attempted to hijack the election of an American president. They used forgery, lies, colluded with the other side. This is not about being contrite.
This was an attempted "coup d'état", in many other countries they would be executed. Here we are saying "no harm no foul" and patting ourselves on the back because we embarrassed the MSM a little bit.

[beyond the sea]

Hannity helped getting the GOP fired up to vote in November.

Very CORRECT!

But, not time for him to stop now as he did today!

[beyond the sea]

Cheerios....... ;-)

[cyncooper]

What was the question Hannity asked of Goldberg he didn't and should have asked of Schieffer?

[John Lenin]

Go start a seperate thread for your rant. And take your followers with you.

[cyncooper]

He's a freeper and he's noted in the above transcript this very thread is based on as asking questions about the report released today!

[Liberty Valance]

I wonder of ol' Dan will report this news on SeeBS tonight...

[John Lenin]

Useful Idiots of the Left

[ladyinred]

And what about Sandy Burger

Exactly. This is one of the most important questions of our lifetimes I think! The implications are staggering!