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Chronology of Rather's '60 Minutes' Controversy
CNSNews.com ^ | 11/23/2004 | Randy Hall

Posted on 11/23/2004 1:33:57 PM PST by bigsoxfan

CNSNews.com) - It began on the evening of Sept. 8, when CBS News anchorman Dan Rather used documents obtained from an anonymous source to produce a "60 Minutes" segment that disparaged President Bush's National Guard service. The story caused a near immediate firestorm, more for the way the story was produced than for what it said.

Wed., Sept. 8

"60 Minutes" airs a report narrated by Dan Rather, alleging that George W. Bush received preferential treatment during his service in the Texas Air National Guard in the 1970s. Before the evening is over, members of various web logs begin detailing their skepticism about the documents used in the "60 Minutes" story.

Thurs., Sept. 9

Major news organizations across America repeat the details of the CBS News "60 Minutes" story, without authenticating the documents underlying the story.

CNSNews.com is the first news organization to report the possibility that the CBS documents are forgeries. The CNSNews.com story quotes three independent typography experts, all of whom suspect that the documents purporting to date back to 1972 were in fact produced on current computer word processing equipment.

Fri., Sept. 10

CNSNews.com reports on more problems surrounding the authenticity of the documents used in the "60 Minutes" report.

In a statement on its website, CBS News stands by the documents from the "60 Minutes" report. Rather also defends the authenticity of the documents. "I know that this story is true. I believe that the witnesses and the documents are authentic. We wouldn't have gone to air if they would not have been. There isn't going to be - there's no - what you're saying, apology?"

The liberal media watchdog group Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR) defends the authenticity of the "60 Minutes" documents.

U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) indicates he won't back down from his criticism of Bush's National Guard service despite suspicions that the military records used in the "60 Minutes" story and central to Harkin's criticism of Bush, might be fake.

Tues., Sept. 14

The source of the "60 Minutes" documents is identified as retired Texas National Guard Lt. Col. Bill Burkett, who has spent the past six years accusing Bush and his aides of allegedly tampering with military records.

Former CBS News correspondent Bernard Goldberg calls the "60 Minutes" report "disgraceful" and says it is ironic that Dan Rather, a journalist who helped bring down the presidency of Richard Nixon, is now behaving like Nixon did during Watergate.

Wed., Sept. 15

Rep. Christopher Cox (R-Calif.) asks his fellow lawmakers to investigate Rather's "60 Minutes" report to find out who gave the network documents of questionable authenticity pertaining to President Bush's National Guard service. Also, House Majority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) calls on CBS News to issue a complete retraction of the "60 Minutes" story.

Thurs., Sept. 16

Despite the growing controversy over the documents, CNSNews.com reports that advertisers and CBS affiliates feel no compulsion to abandon the network.

Brent Bozell, president and founder of the Media Research Center, the parent organization of CNSNews.com , criticizes Rather for "employing old Bill Clinton tactics of denying the obvious, muddying the issue with irrelevant information, and attacking critics."

Fri., Sept. 17

CNSNews.com reports that Bill Burkett wrote a commentary in August for a left wing online journal in which he bragged that he had "reassembled" President Bush's National Guard files.

Mon., Sept. 20

CBS News issues a statement admitting that it was "misled" by Burkett regarding the authenticity of the National Guard documents used in the "60 Minutes" segment. The network promises to launch an "independent review of the process by which the report was prepared and broadcast to help determine what actions need to be taken."

Dan Rather acknowledges: "We made a mistake in judgment, and for that I am sorry. It was an error that was made, however, in good faith and in the spirit of trying to carry on a CBS News tradition of investigative reporting without fear or favoritism."

Hours after CBS News executives apologize for using faulty National Guard memos in the "60 Minutes" segment criticizing President Bush's military service, the Democratic National Committee continues to cite the documents on its website.

Wed., Sept. 22

CBS News announces that Dick Thornburgh, former governor of Pennsylvania and United States attorney general under Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, and Louis D. Boccardi, retired president and chief executive officer of the Associated Press, will comprise the independent review panel that will examine the process by which the "60 Minutes" report was prepared and broadcast.

Thurs., Sept. 23

Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie suggests that John Kerry's presidential campaign and CBS News were in cahoots to derail President Bush's re-election effort prior to the network's "60 Minutes" broadcast of the National Guard memo story.

Fri., Sept. 24

The Center for Individual Freedom files a complaint with the Federal Election Commission, accusing CBS and the Kerry campaign of colluding in a calculated attack on President Bush.

Mon., Oct. 1

The recent controversy surrounding CBS News' use of apparently forged memos and the reaction to the flap prompts a Newsweek editor to demand that conservatives stop trying to "intimidate" the media.

Mon., Oct. 26

A CBS News/New York Times story about 380 tons of missing explosives in Iraq, considered potentially damaging to the Bush re-election effort, is reportedly placed on hold at the network, with plans to air the segment on Halloween, two days before Election Day.

Tues., Nov. 2

President Bush is re-elected, defeating Democrat John Kerry.

Tues., Nov. 23

Dan Rather announces plans to step down as anchor of the CBS Evening News in March of 2005, but indicates that he will stay on as a correspondent for both the Sunday and Wednesday editions of "60 Minutes."


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: cbsnews; rathergate

1 posted on 11/23/2004 1:33:57 PM PST by bigsoxfan
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Comment #2 Removed by Moderator

To: bigsoxfan; Howlin; Buckhead; Nick Danger; NYC Republican
"Bernard Goldberg calls the "60 Minutes" report "disgraceful" and says it is ironic that Dan Rather, a journalist who helped bring down the presidency of Richard Nixon..."

It's worth remembering that CBS ran a "memo" from the Nixon White House that detailed every step of the Ellsberg burglary.

Was that memo "reassembled," too?!

3 posted on 11/23/2004 1:41:13 PM PST by Southack (Media Bias means that Castro won't be punished for Cuban war crimes against Black Angolans in Africa)
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To: bigsoxfan

And still NOTHING from the "Independent Panel."


4 posted on 11/23/2004 1:44:58 PM PST by Roccus
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To: Southack

Makes one wonder, doesn't it?!!! Also the very mention of FBI and CIA equals bad!!


5 posted on 11/23/2004 1:51:19 PM PST by malia
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To: Southack

Maybe files should be reopened and looked over. Rather's Midas Touch might still be seen


6 posted on 11/23/2004 1:54:39 PM PST by 26lemoncharlie (Defending America)
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To: Southack

Here is the OFFICIAL Free Republic chronology regarding these memos:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1220090/posts

FOR THE RECORD


7 posted on 11/23/2004 2:02:37 PM PST by Howlin (What's the font size, Kenneth?)
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To: bigsoxfan
Wed., Sept. 8 "60 Minutes" airs a report narrated by Dan Rather, alleging that George W. Bush received preferential treatment during his service in the Texas Air National Guard in the 1970s. Before the evening is over, members of various web logs begin detailing their skepticism about the documents used in the "60 Minutes" story.

Don't forget Thur, Sept. 9

The Kerry Campaign releases their "Fortunate Son" attack ad against George Bush. Something that would be next to impossible to put together in such a short time period. They HAD to have prior knowledge of this story from CBS...

8 posted on 11/23/2004 2:07:29 PM PST by Dubya-M-Dees
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To: Dubya-M-Dees
WHERE IS THE INDIPENDANT INVESTIGATION THAT WAS DUE OUT SHORTLY AFTER THE ELECTION???

CBS NEEDS TO HAVE THEIR LICENSE PULLED BY THE FCC FOR INTERFERRING WITH A FEDERAL ELECTION!

9 posted on 11/23/2004 2:10:40 PM PST by Viet-Boat-Rider (SLAP a Liberal verbally today! We MUST keep them down where they belong!)
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To: Viet-Boat-Rider

Wow, guy ..... (pulling cotton from ears) .... tell us how you REALLY feel .... lol


10 posted on 11/23/2004 2:14:13 PM PST by RightField (The older you get ... the older "old" is !)
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To: Viet-Boat-Rider

You are right Pull the Dam* License of these lying CBS/Disney scumbags!


11 posted on 11/23/2004 3:39:40 PM PST by iopscusa (El Vaquero)
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To: Viet-Boat-Rider
CBS NEEDS TO HAVE THEIR LICENSE PULLED BY THE FCC FOR INTERFERRING WITH A FEDERAL ELECTION!
Absolutely. But that would require courageous action in the FCC or in the judiciary.

The FCC obviously isn't going to act voluntarily. So the FCC must be sued, right along with CBS.

The Republican Party obviously isn't going to sue the FCC or CBS. Any more than Bush was going to take on the Swift Boat controversy. So we-the-people will do it, or it will not be done. I doubt if the SBVT is going to sue to have its story covered in broadcast journalism. What's needed is the sort of advocacy lawyer who would sue to disbar Bill Clinton. Someone like that needs to sue the FCC and its licensees over the tendentious coverage of this election, and the "Gore Wins Florida" reporting of exit polling in 2000.

Why Broadcast Journalism is
Unnecessary and Illegitimate

12 posted on 11/23/2004 3:43:43 PM PST by conservatism_IS_compassion (The idea around which liberalism coheres is that NOTHING actually matters but PR.)
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To: Viet-Boat-Rider

time to start writing again,,, thanks


13 posted on 11/23/2004 3:47:26 PM PST by lunarbicep ("I'm proud to say I've never been anybody's lapdog..." --Dan Rather)
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To: bigsoxfan

BTTT


14 posted on 11/23/2004 8:47:21 PM PST by Stultis
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To: Viet-Boat-Rider
...DUE OUT SHORTLY AFTER THE ELECTION???

Is that "shortly after" measured in comparison to days, weeks, or centuries? How about geologic ages?

It's all about definition. "Depends on what the meaning of 'is' is."

15 posted on 11/23/2004 9:23:36 PM PST by Swordmaker (Tagline now open, please ring bell.)
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