Burkett: "Dan Rather ruined me in front of 70 million people"

[Freddie Stubbs]

Burkett denies working for Kerry campaign

Key figure in document controversy says "CBS duped me"

By Jack Douglas Jr.

Star-Telegram Staff Writer


The man at the center of a controversy over a CBS report on President Bush's military service denied Thursday that he was working in conjunction with the presidential campaign for Democrat John Kerry.

Bill Burkett, a former commander in the Texas Air National Guard and a critic of Bush's past service in the Guard, told the Star-Telegram in an interview that he still believes that memos he gave to CBS are authentic.


But he said that he had warned the television network to independently verify the reports before it aired them.


The memos, which are purportedly from a Guard commander who wrote that Bush was failing military requirements and that another commander was trying to "sugar coat" Bush's performance, are now widely believed to be forged.

more: http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/nation/9741236.htm