It’s been suggested that I shouldn’t get caught up in the pettiness and minutiae of fonts and kerning and forgery. I’m urged to move on to more substantive and relevant issues. We all have better things to do than devote time and energy to this story.
There are many great and high-minded ideas and discussions we should be engaged in, but this moment in history, the eve of a presidential election, is very important. The memos matter (see Donald Sensing’s comment). But first, let’s talk about Dan Rather.
Long gone are the days when journalists refrained from publishing details about public figures’ private lives. Walter Winchell broke that taboo by writing a gossip column that made him famous.
But real journalists didn’t consider Winchell one of their own. Gossip by nature is based on rumor and innuendo. Even if true, unsubstantiated claims render them unpublishable. Times have changed.
Now in his fifth decade as a newsman, Dan Rather broke the story of John F. Kennedy’s death in 1963. After that, he became CBS’s White House Correspondent. His career was solidified.
Fast forward to 2004, and we see the veteran from the old school collapsing in a heap of his own making. His pride won’t let him admit he messed up. Get this: Rather claims that although the authenticity of the documents is questionable, the contents are true. How does he know? On what/whom is he basing this claim?
According to this story, Rather’s claim seems to be based on an assumption that President Bush is ignoring him and refusing to answer his questions. I think Rather is missing the point. He’s making the claim that Bush is a liar; the burden of proof is on him to prove it is true.
Rather’s boss attempts to back away from the whole mess. From the New York Post:
The president of CBS News last night vowed to “redouble our efforts” to determine if anchor Dan Rather’s controversial National Guard documents about President Bush are real or forgeries.It’s the first time that CBS has taken a step away from Rather, as a growing number of experts say the memos appear to be forgeries.
Rather also admitted for the first time last night that there are serious question about their authenticity.
“If the documents are not what we were led to believe, I’d like to break that story,” Rather told The Washington Post, adding if he is wrong, listeners will “learn it from me.”
The flap has put the network’s credibility on the line, with skeptics charging that Rather fell for a hoax because he’s out to get Bush.
And that’s exactly what he’s out to do. It’s common knowledge that most journalists are leftists, whether they think so or not. Rather’s own ideology and animus toward President Bush played a significant role in his decision to go on national television with questionable documents that purported to contradict the president. He knew he’d be under scrutiny by Bush supporters. Either he thought we were stupid, or he didn’t care. Rather will not acknowledge that he used poor judgment.
And he won’t acknowledge people like myself, either. Bloggers and Matt Drudge are mocked and laughed at by mainstream media, but a new day has dawned, and things will never be the same.
The broadcast is no longer in the hands of a few who decide what is and is not “news.” We live in a time unlike anything other in the history of the world. With the power of the Internet, regular folks like you and me can break and report stories long before they hit broadcast news.
Thanks to IBM , ordinary people now have the power and speed to expose corruption, journalistic or otherwise. (A commenter points out: “BTW, you should be thanking Apple for the Apple II the REAL start of the PC revolution and the university of Illinois for the original internet GUI browser.” I love this stuff.) The history of the personal computer is fascinating, and technology is still changing.
But forget PCs and bloggers for a moment. Congress has gotten involved, calling for an investigation. In the twilight of his career, Rather is going down ingloriously. I’m glad this misfortune has befallen him because he brought it on himself. But he didn’t start this fire; personal attacks against a sitting president, once taboo, are commonplace.
Rather’s shoddiness has so embarrassed the rest of mainstream media, they’re turning on him. Newspapers such as the Washington Post practically shouted, “He did it!” USAToday has launched an investigation. Can you believe it?
It’s a joy to watch liberal media eating their own.
I just hope they don’t burp too loudly.
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**Links: Read Michelle Malkin’s love letter to bloggers, and Power Line sends a shout out to readers.
See Rathergate, by Larry Elder and Malkin on Mary Mapes.
Dan Rather makes a “confession”, according to ScrappleFace.
Wizbang on the early years of the “60 Minutes” story, and Right Wing News takes a humorous look at the history of forged documents.
Update II: Protein Wisdom pulls a Johnny Cochran. Idler Yet’s prediction comes true.
Power Line ponders, “Is Memogate Hurting Kerry?”
Update III: JustOneMinute: CBS had six docs, but buried two?
Semi-related: Steve Verdon on Instapundits “demise.”
Update IV: Chrenkoff comments on the Casualties of the Media Civil War.
“Rather claims that although the authenticity of the documents is questionable, the contents are true. How does he know? On what/whom is he basing this claim?”
Maybe the non-denial from the white house? The fact their press secretary said he had no reason to believe they documents weren’t authentic — including, presumably, knowing that the contents weren’t true.
The fact that the secretary who said the documents were fake said they reflected real documents / goings on?
Comment by actus — 09.16.04 @ 9:06 am
I believed the documents before I didn’t believe them but then I thought no the documents are false but the information perhaps isn’t……….
Maybe I just need a cup of coffee? LOL!
Comment by Cabel — 09.16.04 @ 9:29 am
Let us not forget that a few months ago, Rather participated in a Democratic fundraiser. When he was found out, he apologized and said he shouldn’t have done it since it might give an impression that he was biased (huh…impression?).
He said he only participated at the behest of his daughter (a Dem fundraiser).
I find it all quite amusing since Rather was roughed up on the floor of the ‘68 Democratic Convention by thier security people while on camera! Of course, the enemy of my enemy…
Comment by Montie — 09.16.04 @ 10:20 am
Your comments on the Rathergate scandal are right on target. Keep up the pressure and maybe we can expose the real fraud, Dan Rather, for what he is; an illegal 527.
BTW, you should be thanking Apple for the Apple II the REAL start of the PC revolution and the university of Illinois for the original internet GUI browser.
Comment by You are the new News Revolution — 09.16.04 @ 10:29 am
Actus, just how exactly was the “nefarious” White House supposed to know what Killian wrote in a memo some thirty years ago? Oh, I forgot, they’re omnipotent and know everything on cue, but Hillary couldn’t remember a thing about FBI files found in her house.
La Shawn, I do believe that the source is Bill Burkett. LGF has made a very convincing argument towards that. Burkett supposedly has an account at the Kinko’s where the faxes were made to CBS. Need better things to talk about? How about how Muslims in Iraq are holding French people hostage until France capitulates on headscarves in public schools? When will it end?
Comment by RepJ — 09.16.04 @ 10:43 am
“Actus, just how exactly was the “nefarious” White House supposed to know what Killian wrote in a memo some thirty years ago? ”
Its not what he wrote, its what actually happened that they might know. Like, you’d think after 60 minutes came out with their story the press secretary would like to deny the veracity of the story if asked, and thus would know whether the things alleged to have happened did or did not happen. No nefariousness is needed.
Comment by actus — 09.16.04 @ 10:48 am
A couple of things.
To address Actus - when your political opponent is committing suicide, don’t help him. Why should the White House comment, when all the work is being done by the lefty media?
Rather has a history of antagonizing the Bush family - just scour old Texas news records, and you’ll see what I mean.
I think LaShawn is giving more credit to Rather than what is due. I think he’s a set-in-his-ways partisan hack, who will lie, cheat, and make up news to keep Bush from being elected. And I think he makes no bones about it.
Rather knows they’re forgeries. He knows how they were obtained. It’s his blind partisan rage, not pride, that keeps him from admitting guilt.
JMHO
TV (Harry)
Comment by Inspector Callahan — 09.16.04 @ 10:49 am
La Shawn, I know this is not related to Rather, but I wanted to show it to you. How to deal with Muslim Terrorists?
What do you think of this?
http://www.faithfreedom.org/Announcement/GeneralBlack.htm
Comment by John C James III — 09.16.04 @ 10:49 am
Let me tell you, LaShawn, I really believe that the blogsphere will become known as the catalyst that rocked “professional” journalism. For too long journalists have claimed they are without bias and agenda while writing about “the news.” Instead they have filled us with emotive content in attempt to sway our lazy minds into their lair of liberalism.
Your blog will be listed as one of those that brought about change, I am sure. I can guarantee that what we read here won’t be in the papers, on the radio, or broadcast by CBS, but it will be factual and, unlike what spews forth from the majority of the current, edifying (see second definition). And yes, I do believe that those who are in a position to do so have an obligation to stimulate others to moral excellence, not degradation.
Comment by Rae — 09.16.04 @ 10:52 am
I read on another blog this morning that 27% of some poll believe the documents to be real. I know one of them (though he wasn’t part of the polling). He is part of the hate Bush crowd though. If the hate bush crowd(how else could you believe the documents are real after the beating they’re taking) is only 27% of the population, how much trouble is the Kerry campaign really in? With a little more help from partisans like CBS, perhaps Bush’s coat tails will get a Senate that can hault a philibuster. Then we might get a Supreme Court justice or two more who will interpret the law instead of making it
Comment by Mike O — 09.16.04 @ 11:57 am
“To address Actus - when your political opponent is committing suicide, don’t help him. Why should the White House comment, when all the work is being done by the lefty media?”
We’re talking about CBS right?
Comment by actus — 09.16.04 @ 11:58 am
Nope, their just an agent.
Comment by Montie — 09.16.04 @ 12:04 pm
Oops, I’m getting too wound up here. Sorry Actus, that should be: “They’re just an agent”. I wouldn’t want to come off as some uneducated right-winger!
Comment by Montie — 09.16.04 @ 12:07 pm
Mike O; Have you seen the polls for NJ, Il and other supposed Dem States? Kerry is in a freefall and even if DNC had absolutely nothing to do with Rathergate, Kerry is twice hamstrung by Dan & Ivan in getting his new message out (See John Kerry’s OpinionJournal Essay: A new CEO in Washington would be good for American business (yeah, riiiight. The dude don’t know biz)
At this point, I’m wondering whether or not the Dems will try the Torcelli switcheroo. I don’t know, but is this possible? Or are they stuck to the bitter end?
Comment by Andy — 09.16.04 @ 12:19 pm
I thank you, I thank you & I thank you.
You hit the nail squarely on the head….if there’s no documentation you have nothing better than “once upon a time” — and that fairy tale diminishes in credibility if the “once upon a timer” is an admitted Bush-hater or is trying to get a tabloid-sensational book published….and especially if that one has already exposed as a liar by his own daughter.
I love people who know what God gave them brains for….keep using yours!
Comment by difrench — 09.16.04 @ 12:47 pm
And now it’s hitting CBS right where it hurts - the ratings. Their ratings have been taking a brutal beating over the past couple days. See Rating Freefall.
Here’s a cute tidbit: Executives fear many voters inclined to vote for Bush are now switching off Rather.
So why are the ratings dropping in areas projected to go to Kerry?
Comment by Lola — 09.16.04 @ 12:56 pm
Highly amusing and gratifiying to see the likes of Da*n Rather brought low by the “out of control” canterkerous internet blogosphere!! Seems the only things keeping this country from moving at high speed toward the Orwellian nightmare of Newspeak and the Democrats’ dream of thought police on every corner are places you can’t herd cats (yet?), like radio and the internet.
Comment by Cindy — 09.16.04 @ 1:05 pm
McClellan said the White house didn’t dispute the memos b/c they didn’t know they weren’t true. That’s how he knows.
Comment by Chrissy — 09.16.04 @ 4:10 pm
Chrissy, please see the comments section of CBS Will Make Admission for McClellan’s actual comments and for Andy’s insightful commentary on those comments.
Comment by LawWife — 09.16.04 @ 4:44 pm
Rather is only a part of the CBS whole. They’re the same folks who gave us Mike Wallace genuflecting to the Ayatollah Khomeini a hile back and Dan being ever so gracious to Saddam a little more than a year ago.
CBS’s problem now is that they no longer have a stranglehold on information flow and feedback. Bloggers now have the resources to ferret out their lies and make the public aware of them. I call them the “Digital Paul Reveres.”
Comment by Phil Dillon — 09.16.04 @ 8:49 pm
OK, let’s see here:
1. The charge was levelled that bush did not fulfill his duties: alas, even in his last year when he left (with permission) he had more than the required duty points. But the MSM is still bleating about this. The memos do not directly cover this, yet were used to substantiate the charge.
2. Another charge has been that Bush did not take a required physical. Alas, that physical is only required to remain an active flight-line pilot, which Bush was already dropping - it is otherwise optional. Ah, but one of the memos constituted a direct order, so Bush must have ignore a legal order! Except that it was a memo, not a standard order (and there surely is one) form, and apparently never (if real) went further than the personal (NOT official) files, typed personally by a LtC (Oh, sure…), not even requesting an acknowledgement (??), and even CBS is starting to admit the memos are faked. But even if they are fakes, they are supposed to lend credence to those main accusations because they agree with the accusations. And I suppose we must accept PTBarnum’s “Fiji Mermaid” despite it having shown as a fake because after all, people believe in mermaids and his just showed one and so what if it was a fake?
actus - The White House Press Corps did not call the memos fake, as such could well have been in an officer’s personal-dream files. And like me, the typography issues were probably evident. They did say, however, that Bush did not remember ever seeing any of them - especially the “order” - before. And all that was before the MSM started to notice the blogosphere.
Comment by John Anderson — 09.16.04 @ 8:55 pm
Oops - “typography issues were probably NOT evident”. I wouldn’t have noticed them.
Comment by John Anderson — 09.16.04 @ 8:57 pm
I’ll put out a ‘memo’ that states John Kerry kicks his dog. Then demand that he explain this behavior.
Comment by Lisa — 09.17.04 @ 1:02 am
Weekend prayer
Dear God, may CBS and Dan Rather finally give up on this memo farce so we can return to regular (pyjama) blogging (sans Rather) and get on with our lives. Please. The horse is dead. And there are far more important things going on….
Trackback by Simon World — 09.17.04 @ 2:38 am