Letters to the Editor
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Dan Rather and CBS
A wonderfully crafted story, clearly presenting the case for Rather's lawsuit against CBS.
When journalists forget that their primary obligation is in the investigation of a story, in discovery and disclosure, then they fail the test.
Unfortunately, when the "big guns" at CBS went after Rather (with the clear encouragement of the Bush team) the media (print, radio and TV) timidly allowed the wailings of the Oval Office and CBS's mea culpa apology to go unchallenged and unquestioned.
The truth seemed to be of less interest than protecting George
W and insuring his election.
They created the conditions for George W.Bush's election to office and the disastrous events that have followed.
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Abd that's what actually happened
"But wouldn't it have been a good move for some Bush lacky to take the original memos, retype them word for word on a newer typewriter or word processor, mimeograph them (or whatever they called copying in the 70s) to make them look authentic, and destroy the originals?"
This was a classic case of the Bush people acting as agent provocateurs. They never denied the story, their claim was that the documents weren't authentic. The MSM jumped on that and ignored the only substantive story:Bush deserted his Guard duty.
The story of Bush urinating on a car and thrashing his apartments is the story of George W Bush's life accomplishments-he started out peeing on a car and destroying his apartment and 30 years later he was peeing on the nation and destroying the country.
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Genuine Heroes are Always Flawed
As a former daily newspaper journalist who grew up watching Walter Cronkite and believing he was the Voice of God, I have done my share of Rather-bashing.
He's silly, sentimental, sensation-seeking - essentially, Not Walter.
But his 60 Minutes II piece on The Deserter was a courageous and seminal act of patriotism.
As is this suit. Rather is refusing the millions he could get in a settlement in order to ensure that the Truth Comes Out.
If it works, somebody historians could be pointing to the Rather Lawsuit as the genuine turning point when America rejected bushism and returned to democracy. Already, it shows the potential to far outweigh the effect of the 2006 elections.
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re: Graphic Imagery
sajwan,
"The reality is that there is plenty of other evidence and witness statements that substantiates the case Rather made. And I won't detail them here, because hell it's fonts and typewriters that are important.
Bush dodged Vietnam (duh) and he did not complete his service (duh), the issue is how the emperor can be naked, in the middle of the public square, babbling how beautiful his clothes are, and people are then easily led to debating fonts. How does that happen? God, sometimes I think we are a nation of morons."
You are being emotional. If there IS "plenty of other evidence and witness statements" that can substantiate Mr. Rather's case, then WHY would he even be fired? CBS MUST have known Mr. Rather could take them to court and win millions of dollars if this is true. For a corporation in the business of making money, that makes no sense at all.
So what would be the profit of CBS allowing Mr. Rather the ability to sue them?
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Speaking of the statute of limitations
What's the statute of limitations for dissertion from a National Guard Unit and complicity in the same?
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National Guard in Texas in the Sixties
First let me just say as a man who grew up in Austin, Texas in the late sixties I can tell you that the spots in the Texas National Guard were coveted. I can tell you Ben Barnes was a very powerful person and could get you in. I can also tell you that the conservatives in the Texas Democratic Party of which Ben Barnes was closely allied were going to back the father George H.W. Bush if Ralph Yarbrough defeated Lloyd Benson in the Democratic primary in 1969. Most of those Democrats including the likes of Phil Graham and current governor Rick Perry have turned to Republicans. I can tell you there was no way in hell you could get into that unit of the National Guard without a connection. I know because my dad offered to get me into the Guard using the influence of the former ambassador to Australia and LBJ confidante Ed Clark if I did not get my student deferment. I promise you that anyone who believes Bush’s story about how he got in to the Guard is clueless.
As for the documents, I have wondered about them. I heard the guy who provided them was unsure about their authenticity and had expressed concern about them when he gave them to CBS. I have wondered if Karl Rove produced them on his own word processor and got them into the hands of someone they knew would get them in hands of someone who would release them. Once that was done they tipped off the conservative bogglers about the forgeries. They would be shot down and the truth about Bush’s draft dodging would be taken care of forever. Funny how it works out.
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GOBSTUCK'S letter
- Why Sidney Blumenthal's masculinity or lack of it bears any relevance on the fact that GWB went AWOL.
Sidney was born in 1948. How did HE avoid serving in Vietnam? What gives him the moral superiority to question the military service of others?
Sidney's lack of masculinity does have some relevancy. For example, how about that Drudge lawsuit? Anyone who has seen Sidney knows that he cannot beat up a girl.
- Why anyone in the military would have ANY respect for a commander in chief who lied to keep himself OUT of armed combat and lied to send others INTO it
Do you believe the military should have had no respect for Bill Clinton, a veritable draft dodger? And if Bush lied about Saddam's WMD, it follows that Clinton also lied since his administration left office in January 2001 claiming that Saddam had WMD and was a threat to the U.S.
- And finally, if all Marines are jarheads and all jarheads are douches, are all Marines douches? The public has a right to know
Of course, you lack the courage to use your real name when asking that.
Cpl. Kevin Groenhagen, USMC