CBS arranged for meeting with Lockhart

[Pirate Smile]

"WASHINGTON — CBS arranged for a confidential source to talk with Joe Lockhart, a top aide to Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry, after the source provided the network with the now-disputed documents about President Bush's service in the Texas National Guard.

Lockhart, the former press secretary to President Clinton, said a female producer talked to him about the 60 Minutes program a few days before it aired on Sept. 8. She gave Lockhart a telephone number and asked him to call Bill Burkett, a former Texas National Guard officer who gave CBS the documents. Lockhart couldn't recall the producer's name. But CBS said Monday night that it would examine the role of producer Mary Mapes in passing the name to Lockhart.

Burkett told USA TODAY that he had agreed to turn over the documents to CBS if the network would help arrange a conversation with the Kerry campaign.

-snip-

But Burkett said Monday that his contact with Lockhart was indeed part of an "understanding" with CBS. Burkett said his interest in contacting the campaign was to offer advice in responding to Republican criticisms about Kerry's Vietnam service. It had nothing to do with the documents, he said."

Very, very strange but it doesn't make the Kerry campaign look bad at all.

[seabeyond]

1. no, doesnt make kerry look bad, exonerates them

the story was well on its way. had not contacted kerry campaign in anyway until a few days before the show. the producer is the one that initiated the contact. and that is the end of story. shows kerry didnt have anything to do with story

[slinkerwink]

2. we'll see what happens when the right-wing tries to flog this

[Pirate Smile]

3. Looks much better than I was even expecting. I figured they would

try to make it look bad no matter what but I don't think they can make this look bad. Definitely a twist I wasn't expecting.

Thank God!

[Roland99]

4. Still plays bad in the media

Remember the Bush campaign members who claimed no contact with the rowboat liars but resigned anyway?

[annxburns]

5. I disagree slightly

it will cause a blip but on closer examination it makes it clear that Burkette could not get to the Kerry campaign. It almost looks like Burkette bribed CBS to get to Kerry.

It looks terrible for CBS however. It looks like they are trying to help the Kerry campaign ....