Now, news about cbs news, and the questions surrounding documents we aired on this broadcast and on the wednesday edition of "60 minutes" on september 8. The documents purported to show that george W. Bush received preferential treatment during his years in the national guard. At the time, cbs news and this reporter fully believed the documents were genuine. Tonight, after further investigation, we can no longer say that. The documents were provided to cbs news by a former commander in the texas national guard, bill burkett. Burkett is well known in national guard circles for a long battle over his medical benefits, and for trying, for several years now, to discredit president bush's military service record. Burkett initially told cbs news he got the documents from a fellow guardsman. But when we interviewed burkett this past weekend, he changed his story, and told us he got the documents from a different source, one we cannot verify. Why did burkett tell cbs news something he now says is not true? We put the question to him. Why did you mislead us?
>> Well, I didn't totally mislead you. I misled you on the one individual. You know, your staff pressured me to a point to reveal that source.
>> Rather: Well, we were trying to get the chain of possession.
>> I understand that.
>> Rather: And you said that you had received them from someone.
>> I understand that.
>> Rather: We did pressure you to say, well, you received them from someone.
>> Yes.
>> Rather: And it's true, we pressured you. It was a very important point for us.
>> Yes. And I simply threw out a name. That was basically, I guess, to take a little pressure off for a moment.
>> Rather: Have you forged anything?
>> No, sir.
>> Rather: Have you faked anything?
>> No, sir.
>> Rather: But you did mislead us.
>> Yes, I misled.
>> Rather: You lied to us.
>> Yes, I did.
>> Rather: Now, if you would mislead us about that, which is critical, why would I or anyone believe that you wouldn't mislead us about something else?
>> I could understand that question. I can'T... that's going to have to be your judgment and anybody else'S.
>> Rather: Burkett still insists the documents are real, but now says he was in no position to verify them.
>> I also insisted when I sat down with your staff in the first face-to-face session, before I gave up any documents, I wanted to know what you were going to do with them, and i insisted that they be authenticated.
>> Rather: The failure of cbs news to do just that, to properly scrutinize the documents and their source, led to errors in our reporting. Cbs news deeply regrets it. Also I want to say personally and directly, I'm sorry. Cbs news president haywood has ordered an investigation to examine the process by which the report was prepared. It will be made public. This was an error made in good faith as we try to carry on the cbs news tradition of asking tough questions and investigating reports. But it was a mistake. Now, some reaction to our revelations today. It comes from a spokesman for president bush, scott mcclellan.
>> Obv
>> Obviously there are still a number of questions that need to be answered, and we look forward to seeing the results of the investigations that other media organizations have undertaken, and that cbs says that they are now undertaking. We appreciate the fact that they have said they deeply regret it, but we still want to see those questions answered.
>> Rather: And scott mcclellan repeated the the white house insistence that president bush fulfilled his obligation to the national guard and he was honorably discharged.
If CBS was given a name, why didn't CBS follow up with that name ? something stinks about this story. They asked him who gave him the doc's, he said Mr. X, they said okay then and went on the air ? Thats irresponsible.
This is the most leading interview I've ever heard.
"Now Bill, you just follow my lead. I'll steer you through this, just the way we agreed."
Not one second of this would be admitted in a court of law if this were a deposition transcript.
Watch and listen carefully to what these people are saying now. In 5-10 days this story will be beyond their control.
Excellent point, Dan, which is why we never trust you on anything!