The Command Post - 2004 US Presidential Election - Rather Speaks Up/CBS Issues Statement [Updated, with video]

September 10, 2004

| Rather Speaks Up/CBS Issues Statement [Updated, with video]

From Drudge, transcripted from a CNN interview today:

CBSNEWS anchor and 60 MINUTES correspondent Dan Rather publicly defended his reporting Friday morning after questions were raised about the authenticity of newly unearthed memos aired on CBS which asserted that George W. Bush ignored a direct order from a superior officer in the Texas Air National Guard.
CNN TRANSCRIPT:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAN RATHER, CBS NEWS ANCHOR: 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?

QUESTION: Apology or any kind of retraction or…

RATHER: Not even discussed, nor should it be. I want to make clear to you, I want to make clear to you if I have not made clear to you, that this story is true, and that more important questions than how we got the story, which is where those who don’t like the story like to put the emphasis, the more important question is what are the answers to the questions raised in the story, which I just gave you earlier.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CBS NEWS executives on Thursday launched an internal investigation into whether its premiere news program 60 MINUTES aired fabricated documents relating to Bush’s National Guard service, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned. “The reputation and integrity of the entire news division is at stake, if we are in error, it will be corrected,” a top CBS source explained late Thursday

UPDATE:

[Via reader JGreen] CBS has issued this statement:

This report was not based solely on recovered documents, but rather on a preponderance of evidence, including documents that were provided by unimpeachable sources, interviews with former Texas National Guard officials and individuals who worked closely back in the early 1970s with Colonel Jerry Killian and were well acquainted with his procedures, his character and his thinking.
In addition, the documents are backed up not only by independent handwriting and forensic document experts but by sources familiar with their content. Contrary to some rumors, no internal investigation is underway at CBS News nor is one planned.

Daily Recycler once again comes through with the media: Video of Rather on CNN.

UPDATE”

[Via Allah Pundit] Rather is going to talk about the controversy on air tonight:

NEW YORK, Sept. 10 /PRNewswire/ — Later today, CBS News will address on the air and in detail the issues surrounding the documents broadcast in the 60 MINUTES report on President Bush’s service in the Texas Air National Guard. At this time, however, CBS News states with absolute certainty that the ability to produce the “th” superscript mentioned in reports about the documents did
exist on typewriters as early as 1968, and in fact is in President Bush’s official military records released by the White House. This and other issues surrounding the authenticity of the documents and more on this developing story will be reported on tonight on THE CBS EVENING NEWS WITH DAN RATHER.

Posted by Michele at September 10, 2004 01:06 PM | TrackBack

Comments

In an unrelated story, Dan reported that his “Magic 8Ball” was stuck on “Outlook not so good.”

Posted by: Brian at September 10, 2004 01:31 PM

This is why it’s so important to question these people immediately - so you can get them on record first thing before they figure out how they need to change their story to conform to the facts. They also need to get the Kerry campaign and the DNC on record ASAP.

Posted by: samuelv at September 10, 2004 01:45 PM

Wasn’t Rather the fellow who first, in those long ago Watergate daze, popularized the term: ‘STONEWALL’?

Posted by: Gerard Van der Leun at September 10, 2004 01:53 PM

For God’s sake, these people can’t even run a successful smear campaign. How the hell can they be expected to run the War on Terror? I think there’s a five year old on my block with a lemonade stand. Maybe they can get some pointers.

Posted by: Ebonic Plague at September 10, 2004 01:56 PM

I believe that the witnesses and the documents are authentic. We wouldn’t have gone to air if they would not have been.

What a bunch of non-sequiturs. First he says he’s qualified to gauge the authenticity of a document which so far has failed every attempt at authentication. Then he says they’re authentic because the report aired.

I’m looking forward to this guy’s pink slip now, more than ever before.

Posted by: gus3 at September 10, 2004 01:58 PM

Rather appears to be channeling Dick Nixon. The irony of that is almost too much to bear!

Posted by: Atlanta Lawyer at September 10, 2004 02:03 PM

Hello? Dan Rather? Hello? Are you down there Dan? Y’know Dan, when you’re in a hole it’s best to stop digging. Dan? Hello? Yo, Dan!

Posted by: old_timer at September 10, 2004 02:10 PM

This will be a turning point for MSM.

The Blogs fact checked the evidence, opened up the discussion on the internet and forced the investigation of a top-ranked “news” program that will result in the demise of their Golden Boy.

Mark my words.

Posted by: TexasGal at September 10, 2004 02:17 PM

TexasGal I sent the link to this page to my brother, who retired from the Army after 20 years in intelligence and now is a contractor doing not dissimilar work. His reply included this comment.

“Did you see the interview Dan Rather did of that former Lt. Governor of Texas who claimed that as Lt. Governor he manipulated the system to get Bush in the Guard? Unfortunately, and Rather did not address it, this Lt. Governor wasn’t the Lt. Governor when Bush joined the Guard. Sad.”

Comments?

Posted by: JRM at September 10, 2004 02:34 PM

Maybe Dan could take Larry Bud Melman’s role on the Late Show.

Posted by: Laurence Simon at September 10, 2004 02:35 PM

It would seem that Rather’s defense (is that too strong a term to use at this point?) sums up to I said it, therefore it is true.

Posted by: JRM at September 10, 2004 02:37 PM

is this a situation where truth doesn’t matter as long as some sort of story gets out? Is it possible that Rather believes that his reputation is so rock solid that he can participate in this and not suffer proffesionally?

Are the Democrats simply counting on the damage being done and screw the truth?

Posted by: skip at September 10, 2004 03:02 PM

“What’s the frequency, Kenneth?”

Rather just got in the car with Jessica Savitch and floored it.

Buh-bye.

Posted by: torpedo_eight at September 10, 2004 03:47 PM

JRM,

When did GW enter the TANG?

Ben Barnes was the Lt.Gov of Texas 1969-73 under Governor Preston Smith.

The Sharpstown scandal did in all the Democrats in the Texas 1974 elections.
http://sharpstown-scandal.wikiverse.org/

But George H W Bush as a staunch Republican at the time that Barnes says he helped GW get into the TANG even though Bush Sr. didn’t ask him to do it.

1963 George Bush is unanimously elected chairman of the Harris County Republican Party.
1966 George Bush is elected Congressman from the 7th District (in Houston).
1971 George Bush is appointed Ambassador to the United Nations. (Under Richard Nixon)
1973 George Bush is appointed Chairman of the Republican National Committee.

Posted by: TexasGal at September 10, 2004 03:59 PM

Ben Barnes is a well-know thief in Texas. I helped send several of his cohorts to prison, but missed on him (so far). He has double-crossed MANY, MANY former associates.

We are still working on putting Barnes away for life. We will succeed.

George W. Bush was already in the Texas Air National Guard BEFORE Barnes stole his way into the Lt. Govenor’s office.

Ben Barnes was a protege of LBJ who is NOW KNOWN to be one of the most crooked politicians in U.S. history (on a par with Boss Tweed in New York).

Barnes is especially slimy. NO decent humans will have anything to do with him.

Posted by: leaddog2 at September 10, 2004 04:14 PM

George W. Bush entered the Texas Air National Guard (TANG) in May 1968, over seven months BEFORE Ben Barnes became Lt. Govenor.

Posted by: leaddog2 at September 10, 2004 04:18 PM

” CBS News states with absolute certainty that the ability to produce the “th” superscript mentioned in reports about the documents did
exist on typewriters as early as 1968, and in fact is in President Bush’s official military records released by the White House.”

This is NOT TRUE. I saw a comment about this on Dumbocratic Underpants and looked at Bush’s records for myself. The supposed superscripted TH isn’t and a flawed reproduction at that spot makes it look like it might seem that way at first glance.

Posted by: Max Darkside at September 10, 2004 04:59 PM

Let me see if I’ve got this straight. Rather’s ‘rebuttal’ is, essentially, “We’re sure we’re right, so nyah?”

Posted by: Achillea at September 10, 2004 05:51 PM

Hah!

Compare to the exquisite journalism of Mount Oxycontin, Pretty Boy Sean, O’Really? Malkin and Coulter.

Holy cow! someone is going to blow a gasket right here on C-P.

All for journalism ethics, raise your SBVfW beer mugs!

Deeee lightful

Posted by: dubyus at September 10, 2004 06:58 PM

Hah!

Forget Iraq.
Forget boneheaded tax policy.
Forget OBL.
Especially forget Afghanistan and poppy season.
Forget allies.
Forget sliming of McCain.
Forget Boy Wonder history of moral cowardice.
Forget coke and booze.
Forget inaccountability and privilege.

What the hell about that kerning and the complete history of IBM typewriter technology? Can I get rabies by reading posts on C-P?

Posted by: dubyus at September 10, 2004 07:04 PM

Left gets caught lying. What to do?

Dump a bunch more lies around.

Address the issues or buzz off.

Posted by: jones at September 10, 2004 08:10 PM

jones: The issue at hand is just how hell-bent the MSM is to take down GWB, at any cost. Mr. Rather himself is exhibiting this behavior in spades.

Perhaps you missed Michele’s quote: “The problem is, the key questions of the overall story are moot if the evidence is false.”

Got that? If the evidence is false, there are no issues for GWB to address, at least regarding this particular smear attempt.

Posted by: gus3 at September 10, 2004 09:21 PM

If you’d like to know more about Ben Barnes, go here:

CB Exclusive: Barnes’ web of lies exposed

The website has excellent cover on Barnes’ story.

Posted by: Blog4Fun at September 10, 2004 09:28 PM

I got it Gus3. My comments were for Dubyas, who is desperatley trying to divert attention from CBS’s lying.

Posted by: jones at September 10, 2004 10:17 PM

Correction:

Dubyus , not Dubyas, is who is trying to fog.

Posted by: jones at September 10, 2004 10:19 PM

Oh. Woops.

Comment withdrawn, with apologies.

Posted by: gus3 at September 10, 2004 11:09 PM

No apology needed.

Posted by: jones at September 10, 2004 11:29 PM