November 24, 2004
'HARD NEWS' DAN STEPS DOWN
Dan Rather -- shown here shoving a pencil into his head -- is quitting the news anchor game:
"I have decided to leave the CBS Evening News on March 9, 2005," Rather said. "I have been lucky and blessed over these years to have what is, to me, the best job in the world and to have it at CBS News. Along the way, I've had the honor of working with some of the most talented, dedicated professionals in the world, and I'm appreciative of the opportunity to continue doing so in the years ahead."
"I have always said that I'd know when the time was right to step away from the anchor chair. This past summer, CBS and I began to discuss this matter in earnest -- and we decided that the close of the election cycle would be an appropriate time," Rather said. "I have always been and remain a 'hard news' investigative reporter at heart. I now look forward to pouring my heart into that kind of reporting full-time."
The Bush administration is trembling. Here’s CNN’s take:
On a September 8 segment of "60 Minutes II," Rather reported allegations that during the Vietnam era, Bush received special consideration to get into the Texas Air National Guard and subsequently did not fulfill his service obligations, including ignoring an order to get a required physical exam.
Among the evidence cited were four memos critical of the future president, purportedly written by Bush's then-squadron commander, Lt. Col. Jerry Killian, who died in 1984.
But immediately after the broadcast, the documents came under fire in media reports,with some document experts saying that they were produced with a computer word-processing program, not by a 1970s-era typewriter.
Writes contributor Alan R. M. Jones: "Uh, er, actually, no. They immediately came under fire in the blogosphere."
(via reader Jennifer Faneuff)
UPDATE. Rather-related links rounded up by Glenn Reynolds.
UPDATE II. Via AP:
"and I'm appreciative of the opportunity to continue doing so in the years ahead"
Unfortunately this isn't what a retiree says when he steps down.
"This past summer, CBS and I began to discuss this matter in earnest"
That what they all say when looking in hindsight.
"I now look forward to pouring my heart into that kind of reporting full-time"
Interesting but I thought that was what got him into trouble in the first place.
CBS is taking us for a bunch of idiots if they think this takes care of the weeks...not months investigation to get to the bottom of their fraud
Posted by: tej at November 24, 2004 at 09:56 AMSo, cB.S. figures that they can have Gunga Dan shuffle on off the stage and their credibility will be automatically restored?
Where are the results of the "investigation" that those bozos were supposed to be running? If they'd spent this much time vetting the Memogate story, maybe they would have decided not to run it.
But then again, probably not.
Posted by: DarthVAda at November 24, 2004 at 10:15 AM[The troll droppings have been cleaned up. The Management.]
Posted by: charlemagne at November 24, 2004 at 10:24 AMTim, you're a journalist, perhaps you could enlighten us. Why the hell is everyone in the media still pussy-footing around Rathergate?
CNN reports "... some document experts saying that they were produced with a computer word-processing program, not by a 1970s-era typewriter"... as if this is the current state of play. It's not "some" document experts who say that they're wordprocessor documents; it's ALL of them! The authenticity of the documents has not be "questioned"; it's been DISPROVEN! As many in the blogosphere have shown, it was PHYSICALLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE DOCUMENTS TO HAVE BEEN TYPED IN THE 1970S!
So why exactly is CNN and everyone else in the dinomedia so hesitant to say this? Is it because of lawyers? Desperate left-wing comraderie? Why, damn it, why?
Also, re:Get over it fellas, and smell the Repo conflict in the Congress. Actually, that's the smell of trolls. You get that on the internet. Someone light a scented candle.
Posted by: Andrew D. at November 24, 2004 at 10:43 AMHe's closer to the door! Keep pushing! Tell your local CBS affiliate it isn't enough!
Posted by: richard mcenroe at November 24, 2004 at 10:54 AMGuys, could you not respond to trolls like charlemagne? I will be banning their IPs and deleting and editing their comments as fast as they appear.
Posted by: Andrea Harris at November 24, 2004 at 11:02 AMLOL! What's next Andrea?
[Troll spoor bagged and tagged for forensic examination]Posted by: Spiny Norman at November 24, 2004 at 12:28 PM
I already fired off an unhappy email to CBS's online feedback. Dan Blather may be gone from the evening news, but he will still be spewing on 60 Minutes, and as far as I'm concerned, the whole kit and caboodle can be shoved out the door.
Posted by: Rebecca at November 24, 2004 at 12:44 PMHmmm...Intelligence Overhaul...just what Drather needs!
Posted by: rinardman at November 24, 2004 at 12:51 PMIn the photo above, why is Dan Rather pictured with the words, "Intelligence Overhaul?"
Shouldn’t it read; “Intelligence, integrity, honesty, fairness, credibility and diaper upgrade required?”
Heh. I like that one, Spiny. Also: [Troll remains swept up and bagged for trash.]
Posted by: Andrea Harris at November 24, 2004 at 01:08 PMMs. Harris you run a tight ship. Do you ever sleep or are you on pa-troll 24/7?
Keep up the good work.
Posted by: tej at November 24, 2004 at 01:10 PMGunga Dan. I'll miss his pseudo-Texan musings. He's about as real a Texan as Molly Ivins and his homespun comments are about as real as hers also.
Posted by: bc at November 24, 2004 at 01:28 PMI do my best, tej, but keep in mind even Homer nods.
Posted by: Andrea Harris at November 24, 2004 at 01:52 PMYou bloggers missed out on the deserved credit for letting everyone know the emporer was really naked!
Posted by: madison at November 24, 2004 at 02:10 PMmadison, don't worry, Dan Rather knows that we own him.
Posted by: Robin Roberts at November 24, 2004 at 02:59 PMI wonder if Charles over at LGF will have Rather's pelt stuffed and mounted as a Trophy.
Hmmm... must contact EvilPundit and see what he can do.
Posted by: Alan E Brain at November 24, 2004 at 04:19 PMCareful, Rather's first hard-news story as a CBS reporter might be "why we should not listen to those dastardly bloggers".
Posted by: madison at November 24, 2004 at 06:10 PMWow, that is efficient. I have a mental picture of Andrea in khakis and pith helmet like the dude from "Jurassic Park" - "They should all be destroyed!"
Dan, as we know, is full of the Bravo Sierra. If they all agreed during the summer that "the end of the election cycle" was the way to go, why must we put up with him until MARCH?
Posted by: Nightfly at November 25, 2004 at 12:59 AMWell, let's form a syllogism:
"But immediately after the broadcast, the documents came under fire in media reports ..."
with
They immediately came under fire in the blogosphere.
This indicates that CNN acknowleges that the blogosphere does, or at least can, produce "media reports." Congratulations! Posted by: Morpheus at November 25, 2004 at 02:59 AM
"I have a mental picture of Andrea in khakis and pith helmet like the dude from "Jurassic Park"
what a coincidence because I have this mental picture of her only wearing a helmet.....
Uh oh...did I cross over the line? let me finish
...and full military fatigues with a keyboard in one hand and wip in the other.
Posted by: Tej at November 25, 2004 at 03:57 AMThis not being the Kos or Wankette, I rather doubt that Andrea is going to use either keyboard or whip on you, Tej. But a guy can dream...
Posted by: Nightfly at November 25, 2004 at 05:20 AMHmm... "Kitten With a Keyboard." No, it doesn't sound quite the same. Though those things hurt if someone hits you with one. But they don't make leather keyboards do they?
Posted by: Andrea Harris at November 25, 2004 at 08:17 AM"They don't make leather keyboards do they?"
Now you should know better than to ask a question like that!
Behold: Yes someone does.
(Or at least did. Part of this Wearable computer project.)
Posted by: Old Grouch at November 25, 2004 at 10:34 AMI think Rather's finished. This is the equivalent of one of those Hollywood deals where the studio head isn't "fired", but instead "chooses" to go "indy-prod" (that is, accept an independent producer's contract). Yeah, he gets the nice office and a neat salary, but the new powers that be don't HAVE to listen to him: "Oh, you found some more memos? That's great, Dan, you and Mary keep working on that..."
I look for Rather to retire early, all et up by the realization he is no longer the kingmaker...
Posted by: richard mcenroe at November 25, 2004 at 11:32 AMMaybe Rather can join Air America's star-studded roster...
Posted by: PW at November 25, 2004 at 12:08 PMOld Grouch: yeah, but those have a Birkenstockish, hippiefied look that is just so not me. Now, if someone were to put out a shiny-black-leather-and-metal-spikes version I might be interested.
Posted by: Andrea Harris at November 25, 2004 at 01:01 PMAndrea: I'm glad to see you have style. Call me old fashion but my mental picture definately didn't include the 60's era wire and strap configuration. You cease to disappoint.
Have a great Thanksgiving everyone.
Posted by: Tej at November 25, 2004 at 01:42 PMNon-Australian commenters may not particularly care, but here the ABC's Radio National reported the incident on 24 Nov with no mention whatever of the colossal professional embarrassment so recently suffered by Rather due to his gullible handling of the forgery story, or to his longstanding reputation for spinning news Leftward. Contrast that with their "reporting" of the Out-Foxed phenomenom. And thanks to their having stripped the story of that context there was in fact no reason for the ABC to mention the resignation at all, since few Aussies would've heard of the man EXCEPT for that scandal.
Hmmmmm, I wonder what David Marr would make of this if he were in the Media Watch crow's nest, intrepidly on the lookout for signs of bias in any--truly rooly, ANY--direction.....
Posted by: Bodger at November 25, 2004 at 02:07 PM"I have always been and remain a 'hard news' investigative reporter at heart..."
Poor Dan thinks if he just says it enough times it'll be true.
Posted by: lexine at November 25, 2004 at 04:04 PMThis might be a little OT but I was thinking the other night as I was trying not to listen to the Chamberlain mini series on tv. [most disturbing moment: when I heard a phrase being uttered by the tv barrister and telling my wife 'hey I just said that this afternoon'].
That had the Chamberlain trial been conducted today she may never have been wrongfully convicted, as all the bullshit scientific evidence and the prejudicial stuuf about the meaning of Azaria's name, would have been fact checked to all hell and back by the blogosphere.
To our American cousins this is this case that was the basis for the film Evil Angels and the immortal/infamous phrase "A dingo has got my baby"
Posted by: Just Another Bloody Lawyer at November 26, 2004 at 12:10 AM