According to Power Line, the two-person panel reviewing the Rathergate debacle will release its report today.
Back in September, a few days into the blogosphere buzz about Dan Rather’s forged memos (purporting to show that George Bush received preferential treatment while in the Texas Air National Guard), I spent a little time thinking about the computing revolution generally and Rather’s fall specifically. I came up with “Computing Dan Rather,” a take on a previous post called “Blogging Matt Drudge.”
Happy Friday! 
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Posted on September 17, 2004
Computing Dan Rather
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 to loudly.
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Unrelated linkfest!: Winfield Myers gets to the real root causes of crime.
Saintknowitall knows all about evolutionists.
The Commonwealth Conservative analyzes the Virginia governor’s race.
Mr. and Mrs. George H. W. Bush celebrate 60 years of marriage.
Got an interesting post? Send me an e-mail.
Update: Were you asleep during Rathergate? Here’s your chance to catch up. Michelle Malkin provides historical links. (Hat tip: David Limbaugh)
