I realize the accepted takeaway from CBS' National Guard controversy is supposed to be that the network was guilty of a colossal, historic newsroom blunder from which there is no possible defense or redemption. (Personally, I'll leave that category to the Judy Millers of the world.) But the dirty little secret that right-wing bloggers and their allies in the mainstream press don't want to discuss that Rather is right -- the National Guard story was true.
Rather was also right last week in claiming that CBS News management panicked in the wake of the Memogate scandal and quickly tossed aside its journalism standards in desperate, blatant attempts to mend fences with the Bush White House. The examples were numerous, yet the press pretends Rather's a conspiracy nut for making the suggestion.
Read the entire Media Matters column here.
GHWB and his cohort Battle Axe Barabara have hated Dan Rather ever since Dan asked GHWB some tough questions (that's what good journalists are supposed to do sir) in a now infamous interview on January 28, 1998. GHWB said of Dan Rather after the interview:
"Well, I had my say, Dan. [Rather] makes Lesley Stahl look like a pussy. The worst time I've had in twenty years of public life. But it's going to help me, because that bastard did not lay a glove on me. I'm really upset. You can tell your goddamn network that if they want to talk to me, they can raise their hands at a press conference. No more 'Mr. Insider' stuff."
--George Bush to CBS after the interview.
When Mr. Rather had the temerity to question the military service record (or more appropriately lack thereof) of GWB Jr., the guillotine was rolled out. These are the most vengeful of people with no mercy. Remember how he smirked when mocking Karla Faye Tucker's plea to live. That was the national clue that too many Americans just didn't pick up on, oh well. I can only hope Mr. Rather sees some justice in this lawsuit, corrupt and scheming tyrants use any and all methods of destroying any semblance of truth.
we currently live in a country where common sense conclusions are countered with obvious falsehoods by - yikes - the state.
the lesson from watergate for the republican party was "don't get caught."
now, we catch them lying us into a war, violating the constitution, torturing people, suspending habeas corpus, turning iraq into an a.t.m. for american companies, allowing a major american city to drown, raping the environment, tax breaks for the rich during wartime, a political strategy that is still based on southern racism and homophobia, and yet, I listened to nancy pelosi tell wolf blitzer last night that there was nothing the democrats could do about it cause (whah!) the big, bad republicans weren't playing fair!
it's swell to have a woman speaker and barney fife as majority leader, but, could we please get somebody in there who has the balls to do whatever it takes to get these clowns off their game before we go right down the crapper?
On the other, Rather go fooled by a document -- one source of several pieces of evidence that the above was true.
Seems like a no-brainer to me. But somehow, the MSM went into to tizzy and essentially convicted Rather (and it can't be determined that the documents were false) and completely dropped the drugged out AWOL hypocrite in the White House.
If this crew had been around during Watergate, Dick Nixon would be on Mt. Rushmore and Woodward and Bernstein would be serving time.
Rather told a true story about Chicken George's dereliction of duty during Vietnam. Most sources checked out and established Bush's guilt. One source was not properly substantiated, but nonetheless consistent with other established evidence. Ignoring the remaining good evidence would be like acquiting a bank robber who was caught on film because one nearsighted witness could not make a positive identification.
When CBS cut Rather and his team loose to appease loudmouthed, crybaby conservatives, they lost credibility. Ironically, they lost it by reporting the truth. Katie Couric just isn't pretty enough to balance out that bit of self-inflicted damage.