My letter to the editor was published today...

[stubertmcfly]

...in the Rocky Mountain News.

Bush, like CBS, used suspect documents

I in no way condone CBS' use of suspect materials in its reports regarding Bush's military service (or lack thereof) . It is simply bad journalism. However, the amount of coverage this event is receiving is astounding considering the Bush administration itself has released countless pieces of "evidence" that were later discredited (reports of WMD, Iraqi nuclear and biological weapons programs, etc.).

The results are dramatically different: the Bush camp's erroneous reporting has resulted in tens of thousands of human casualties; $200 billion spent on a war that could well have been used for education, bolstering our economy and healthcare systems, improving our environment, or any number of vastly-needed programs; and the destruction of the United States' credibility as a world leader. How many lives, how much money, and what international credibility was lost by the CBS debacle?

Yes, Dan Rather and the 60 Minutes II staff should be reprimanded for their behavior. So should the Bush administration. Even more so.