CBS Nixes '60 Minutes' Story on Iraq War

[GoBlue]

35 minutes ago



NEW YORK - CBS News has shelved a "60 Minutes" report on the rationale for war in Iraq (news - web sites) because it would be "inappropriate" to air it so close to the presidential election, the network said on Saturday.

 

The report on weapons of mass destruction was set to air on Sept. 8 but was put off in favor of a story on President Bush (news - web sites)'s National Guard service. The Guard story was discredited because it relied on documents impugning Bush's service that were apparently fake.


CBS News spokeswoman Kelli Edwards would not elaborate on why the timing of the Iraq report was considered inappropriate. <more>



http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&ncid=762&e=1&u=/ap/20040925/ap_en_tv/cbs_bush

[Ripley]

1. Cowards.

Sick, caving, pathetic excuse for journalism. Where have all the investigative reporters gone? Oh yeah, Europe.

[dArKeR]

10. "Cowards" is also the first word that came to my mind!

[Career Prole]

29. I guess the 'C' in CBS stands for something new now.

Make that three votes for 'cowards'.

[PermanentRevolution]

58. Make that four.

Spineless.

[Carla in Ca]

67. I had a revelation today...here it is.

I think Rove knew of the 6-month investigation (Niger) and I think he knew it was ready to be told.

I think he set up forged documents/Burkett story to purposely call attention to it and CBS took the bait, and then took too long to drop it.

I think it is ironic that the network with the Niger bombshell also had the forged documents story.

What do you think?

[Eurotrash]

74. CBS stands for

Cowardly Bull Shit.

These are evil dark days we are living in, people. Of historic proportions.

[Rose Siding]

2. Our system of govt is transforming before our eyes

"Inappropriate" to inform the citizens of a democracy about govt failures before an election?

snip>
The report, with Ed Bradley as the correspondent, has long been in the works. Originally scheduled for June, it was first put off because of new developments, Edwards said.
----------------

Like Cheney in the crunch, the media has "other priorities"

[hansolsen]

25. Well said. N/T

[mirandaod]

3. Damn it. nt

[flordehinojos]

4. WHY IS 60 MINUTES WITHHOLDING INFORMATION FROM THE AMERICAN PUBLIC BY

CANNING THE "60 MINUTES" REPORT ON BUSH'S LIE ABOUT THE NEED TO INVADE IRAQ! WHAT 'IS' INAPPROPRIATE, IS THE FACT THAT THE NETWORK IS SHELVING THE PIECE...NOT INFORMING THE PUBLIC SO THAT THE PUBLIC CAN MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION ON WHO THEY WANT TO VOTE FOR, AND IN THIS WAY, THE NETWORK IS KOWTOWING TO KARL ROVE, THE BUSH FASCIST GOVERNMENT, AND IT IS WORKING AGAINST AGAINST DEMOCRACY, FREEDOM OF INFORMATION, AND FREEDOM OF SPEECH.

SHAME ON '60 MINUTES'

[Name removed]

17. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Raster]

22. hold on one minute-- "In the end Wilson was caught in numerous lies...

...and is discredited and Iraq in fact DID attempt to purchase yellow cake."

BULLSHIT!!!

Wilson was NEVER discredited. His wife, a deep cover CIA operative was outed by the bush administration.

[TacticalPeek]

26. Fake post.

Surely you mean your remarks to be taken as a parody of the depths of President aWol's disinformation campaign?

Elsewise, please plant, water and grow a clue.


Oh, and welcome to DU. Enjoy your stay.

[librechik]

32. what difference does Wilson make? He's merely the messenger

The documents were forgeries and Jesus W Bush lied about them to Congress, after he was told not to. Now that's a crime.

Oh, and revealing the name of an undercover agent out of vindictiveness? Tha's a crime too.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

35. Enjoy your time here while it lasts.

[lumpy]

39. Fake historians

lie.

[flordehinojos]

40. eduardito ... it sounds like a good cuban american name from miami

although, i admit, i may be wrong in placing your screen name.

Cuban Americans in Miami,for the most part, or for the most vocal part of them, as you know, are former Batista sympathizers who have turned out to be pro-rightist bushistas. i am surprised by your discrediting of joe wilson; wilson, that i know of has never been discredited.

I stand by my comments on the CBS '60 minutes' cowardly canning of their WMD piece.

[Zhade]

43. Mmmmm, pizza...

[laylah]

47. BS! Go crawl back

under your rock! :mad: Wilson has NEVER been caught in numerous lies! What planet are you on?

Jenn

[dennis4868]

54. "In the end Wilson was caught in numerous lies"

if you are going to make an accusation against Wilson then baxck up your statement....name one lie FOR ME!

[tom_paine]

80. Stop Lying, Bushevik LIAR

Just about everything you sid was untrue. You are spouting Bushevik Lies with the skill and dedication of a Nazi.

Wilson was NOT "caught in numerous lies". In what has become commonplace now, his quotes were taken out of context and the Totalitarian Bush Sub-Media shot enough confusion into the air that lying statements like your have been laundered into truth.

Go back to Commie China, you Totalitarian Fuck!

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. Ah yes the ROVE effect

we no konger have a free press

[DeepModem Mom]

7. As Rove says, he has now fucked CBS and Rather as they have never...

been fucked before, and they have now fallen in line with the rest of our once-free press.

See my sig line.

[JuniperLea]

16. done to everyone who is a threat

dean, rather, cbs... anyone who threatens to take w's job or out the rw for what they really are... warmongering control freaks.

[robbedvoter]

6. Good bye, democracy. been nice almost knowing ya. Mishun accomplished

The media is now saying truth telling is inappropriate, especially when interfering with the Imperoal interests.
Kinda like counting votes was inappropriate in 2000.
We're very officially f*ed!

[OKNancy]

8. This is pretty much a duplicate of this

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=857362

But I won't lock since the old thread is from 9-22

[wurzel]

9. "Inappropriate" for a news organization to give the public information?

CBS is looking more stupid by the day. Fox still has the "smearboat liars" on regularly. Is that "appropriate'?

[Nay]

11. Oh? Inappropriate? When WOULD it be appropriate ?-

After the public has re(s)elected Bush, the information they need to make a rational choice is USELESS. Jeezus.

OK, when the networks are scared of this bunch, or worse, too beholden to this bunch, it's time for a change. I don't care about any more facts than that one.

[CookieD]

13. Thank you

My sentiments exactly.

[Big Swing]

20. What's the story?

Rather and CBS have been exposing the Bush's for a long time, how do we know they're not holding it back so it doesn't look good for Bush? Maybe they're hitting back by shelving a plug for Bush pushed by the Right. I don't think I'd be writing off Rather just yet, he's too smart for that.

[gauguin57]

12. I'm stunned that Bradley doesn't threaten to quit over this.

He should friggin' quit. Because you know it's the powers that be, not the journalists themselves, who are making this decision. And now that Don Hewitt isn't in power anymore, the reporters don't have that strong advocate for their work.

[Mara Steele]

14. fucking unbelievable!!

this is ridiculous!!

oh my god....

[progressivebydesign]

15. The head of VIACOM just endorsed Bush..

.. said the Republicans are good for corporate America! Even tho the guy personally is a maxed-out Kerry donor, and liberal, he proclaimed that he is supporting Bush because it's good for Viacom. This is the end of our free media.

Do you think that the reason the Bush awol memo story was rushed to CBS was to circumvent the REAL story? The Iraq war story? It kept CBS from running that story.. and NOW.. it's "too late" to run the one that would hurt Bush, and cannot be discredited by the likes of Buckhead on Freeprepublic??? Was the memo flap created to distract from the real story, to keep it from running? I posted that a few days ago.. now that I read this, I wonder. I think Viacom had a hand in this... as did Rove and Bush.

[DeepModem Mom]

18. Sumner Redstone was, as you say, a maxed-out Kerry supporter until this...

according to fundrace.org. He's caved completely, under the weight of the powers that be, IMO. CBS/Viacom was known to be the media organization that had not fallen in line.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

37. I wonder what the NeoCons are using to blackmail Redstone?....

...Because blackmail is the only reason that would possibly explain the 180-degree turnaround by Redstone.

[trueblew]

65. FCC Levies CBS Largest Fine Ever for Indecency

A total fine of $550,000 for the Super Bowl distraction. A Broadcast Decency bill being considered, if law at the time, would have cost Sumner $5.5 million according to The Family Research Council. Considering Viacom has talent like Howard Stern who will likely be fined in the future, it could cost Viacom a lot of money.

Plus, I keep hearing from the right-wing filter that CBS' viewership is down, but I don't know if that is true or not.

With Sumner endorsing "Texas' Biggest Flop Ever", it seems like he is falling in line just when ABC and NBC are starting to get some cajones.

[drfemoe]

78. words

right out of my mouth ..

[drfemoe]

77. Corporate America

dooms us all. How clever. Kill the market.

[dogtag]

19. Something isn't right...

Dan Rather is on 60 minutes 2 and Ed Bradley is on the original 60 minutes. How was a 60 minutes (Sunday night) story 'bumped' for a 60 minutes 2 (Wednesday night) story? Aren't they saying that they can never again do any story that concerns documents in any way, shape or form? How stupid can you get?

Where are the defenders of a free press. Why aren't they shouting from the rooftops?

[PurityOfEssence]

21. Sumner Redstone has caved, and now he'll tow the line.

CBS will not rock the boat, and Redstone hopes he'll get the deregulation favors he craves after supporting Bush. The joke will probably be on him, because the family is VENGEFUL.

It's the Clinton mistake all over: play nice, and surely they won'd destroy you...

[TacticalPeek]

23. Spell it out, CBS. When does the 'quiet' time start, for which elections?

Six weeks before the election? Two months? Three?

Does their squeamishness apply only to general elections? Will primary elections and run-offs have a 'junior quiet time'?

And what exactly are the rules to be about what to not cover? It seems to me that their logic would require that they not cover the administration at all during the quiet time, since good news might influence the election one way while bad news might influence it the other way. And if they do not cover an incumbent, it is only fair and logical that they not cover the challenger, during this period where they rest their heads on their desks and wait until Teacher tells them it is ok to open their eyes.

IDIOTS!

[hansolsen]

24. First mistake was pulling this story in favor of the TANG story. If

Rather made that call, it was a real bone headed mistake. Bush's lies about WMD in the lead up to the war in Iraq are about a thousand times more evil and more relevant to this election than the the old Guard stories.

If Dan chose to go with the Guard stuff because he thought he could create a "gottcha" moment, then he desrves all the hell he is getting.

Damn, this is costing us dearly. Damn, damn, damn.

[BadGimp]

27. Now they have complete control over the media

News is innapropriate this close to an election. Here's some picture of puppies.

Chew on that for a few..

[oldtime dfl_er]

28. Let's deluge them with angry emails

Not that it will do any good but it will sure make me feel better. I am takin off my personal gloves and gonna use some cuss words that will make Ed Bradley blanch. This is complete BS!!!!!

Can someone offer email addies for 60 Minutes, CBS, and anybody else involved in this decision? I'd appreciate it!

[Nordic]

30. this is THE most disturbing thing I've seen happen in my lifetime

within the United States.

I'm 42.

Our country depends on a free independent media.

Without it, our country will fail and we will fall into fascism.

It seems it's probably too late.

[goodboy]

31. COWARDS!!! N freakin' T

[bain_sidhe]

33. Mission Accomplished:

"rathergate" pulled any fangs that CBS had left.

Makes me wonder even more who set them up.

[KittyWampus]

34. There Is A GOP/Rove Mole At CBS

one would think.

[number6]

70. its Dan Rather

n/t

[IndianaGreen]

76. Blame the crazy Burkett for his forged documents

and blame CBS for not doing their legwork before going out on a limb for someone that is clearly mentally disturbed.

It is unfortunate that a well researched story about all of the lies that were told to drag the US and the UK into the Iraq War will now get buried after the election because Dan Rather wanted his story to take precedence over it.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

36. The "RepubliFacsistNaziKlan" has won!

There is no free press anymore.

:puke:

[chelsea0011]

38. So, they are bypassing political reporting until November?

[bloom]

41. Read this about Iraq and send it out to people: Baghdad Year Zero

Baghdad Year Zero

Pillaging Iraq in pursuit of a neocon utopia

http://harpers.org/BaghdadYearZero.html




We have to be the news distributors, ourselves. :bounce:

[xxqqqzme]

45. ab-so-f*cking-lute-lee

the dissemination of the'news' is now our responsibility. It begins at the end of your fingertips. It is all we have left 2 us.

[Carolab]

68. No, we still have others

There are independent papers that are supported largely through subscription, like the Nation. There is the New Yorker, for God's sake. Support THEM. Unplug your sets and DON'T WATCH CABLE, DON'T WATCH NETWORK NEWS. And DON'T buy the products they advertise.

If you are REALLY serious, you will do these things.

[Insider]

73. this IS their post-war plan

--snip--
Looking at the honey billboard, I was also reminded of the most common explanation for what has gone wrong in Iraq, a complaint echoed by everyone from John Kerry to Pat Buchanan: Iraq is mired in blood and deprivation because George W. Bush didn’t have “a postwar plan.” The only problem with this theory is that it isn’t true. The Bush Administration did have a plan for what it would do after the war; put simply, it was to lay out as much honey as possible, then sit back and wait for the flies.
--snip

http://harpers.org/BaghdadYearZero.html

thanks for the link, bloom. lebensraum. and they keep saying "freedom" over and over and over.

[pa28]

42. It's started

CBS is lining up behind Fox, CNN and NBC. After Dick Thornburgh "re-organizes" our state run media will be nearly complete.

[WillyT]

44. Queen Takes Bishop - Checkmate: This Is How They Get Rather To Resign !!!

:shrug:

[bogey18]

46. I quit reading DU a week ago

as the 60 minutes story was breaking apart and it turned out the documents were forgeries, because I felt like I had been kicked in the stomach by a mule.

I come back now to find this.

I have to remember that Dan Rather didn't lose this election - Ralph Nader didn't lose this election - the most vocal people on the left didn't lose this election - John Kerry isn't losing this election - John Kerry's campaign manager isn't losing this election. Anyone who blames anyone on our side for any of this still hasn't caught up to how far the playing field has shifted.

This government, this election, this entire country and the legacy of millions of honorable people is being stolen by fascists and corporate shills, with the people getting the most fucked playing the part of willing victims and voting to continue the reaming. This stuff is so much more real than the majority of Americans understand.

War is peace, cowardice is bravery, lies are truth, pollution is clean air, poison is good for your, loss of all of the social safety nets is good for the middle class, poor people are just lazy, liberals are evil...George Orwell has got to be spinning so hard in his grave he is about to reach escape velocity.

And so a great experiment in freedom ends. I think I have some idea of how the good Germans felt - eh?

[WillyT]

48. Great Post !!!

:evilfrown:

[DeepModem Mom]

63. You said it all, bogey18, very well -- nt

[Nevernose]

84. Preach on, brother!

[freethought]

49. Democracy and an iformed electorate. R.I.P. n/t

[Bluebear]

50. Any reporting on politics = inappropriate = fascism

[kskiska]

51. Remember how the NYT Florida Recount story was buried

because it was "inappropriate" because of 9/11? They slapped a very misleading headline on it and it was deep-sixed.

[Malva Zebrina]

52. This one act encompasses all that is corrupt in our media

we have no media--all we have is entertainment news and glitz. Real journalilsm and real reporting is a thing of the past. All hinges on the need to make money and lots of it, no matter what one has to do to make it. All sense of honor or conscience, or integrity or responsibility has disappeared.

[dennis4868]

53. 1939: CBS NIXES STORY FOR WAR RATIONALE

CBS News has shelved a "60 Minutes" report on Hitler's rationale for war in Europe because it is inaapropriate to embarras Hitler the network said Saturday.

[David Zephyr]

55. CBS = Castrated Broadcasting System.

Yep. You heard it here first.

Castrated Broadcasting System.

[riverwalker]

56. email

[e-mail]

[deek]

57. thank you eom

.

[daleo]

59. It would be inappropriate to discuss the Iraq war so close to an election

It is best not to discuss such matters when an election is near. Better to leave it aside so that the governing class can have four more years to screw things up, and cause the deaths of tens of thousands more.

The ex-Prime Minister of Canada, Kim Campbell said in 1992 that "an election campaign is no time to have a serious discussion about policy." She made the mistake of saying that during an election campaign and was soundly trounced a few weeks later.

[Raster]

60. This just in: CBS will be adding Robert Novak and Tucker Carlson...

...to the Sunday night's 60 Minutes line-up. This is an attempt to bring balance back to CBS.</sarcasm>

[The Zanti Regent]

61. Don't forget Michelle Malkin and Ann Coulter!

They'll help put the "SEE" back in the B.S.!

[MisterP]

62. the beatings have succeeded

glory be an' halleluja!
--rove

[ThoughtCriminal]

64. So what does that leave?

Nothing but shark bite stories until the election?

[tom_paine]

81. No, it leaves the Bush Totalitarian Sub-Media to fully set the discussion

Although, to be honest, how that will be much different from the last decade is beyond me.

But it will be, things will be unimaginably worse.

The Fall of America has crossed yet another irrevocable line.

There is NO America.

There is only Bush-occupied Amerika. And things are gettng worse fast.

[robbedvoter]

66. Remember, this continues even if we win in November

I think this is relevant:


Each fall since 1982, the American Library Association (ALA) has started the school year by reminding Americans "not to take for granted their precious freedom to read." As such, Banned Books Week begins tomorrow, and runs through October 2. Since this is an election year, this year's theme is "Elect to Read a Banned Book."

[number6]

69. CBS is pro Bush ......

and check this out ...Rumfool

Co-Owns New Mexico Ranch with Dan Rather, among others: You would think, especially after Saddam's capture, that Rumsfeld could pack it in, go out on top and settle down in that ranch in Taos, N.M., that he co-owns with, among others, Dan Rather, TIME reports. Boyhood chum Ned Jannotta, who ran his first campaign for Congress in 1962, notes that Rumsfeld never has cared about staying anywhere very long.

last paragraph ....
here ..http://www.time.com/time/press_releases/article/0,8599,565993,00.html

[EST]

71. CHICKENSHITS!!

And I had such high hopes for them.

Edited to add this email I sent to them-not strong on construction, but sincere:

Surely, tell me, please! This is your opportunity to reclaim the high ground and you are willing to blow it?!
All the bragging on you as the last bastion of courage and journalistic integrity, all the praise and now you refuse to run a show that points out the forged documents this government used to justify murder. I am ashamed! Ashamed that I thought you people were different from the other shills dedicated to destroying this country in favor of the Fascists. I wrote you earlier to tell you how dedicated I was to doing what I could to get your ratings up and all that. Now you cave in those bastards and leave us high and dry... I was wrong--and I'm so ashamed..

Ex viewer, no longer respectfully,

[TankLV]

72. If not now, when? After it's too late, again when this criminal is

reinstalled in OUR White House?!

Now is the MOST appropriate time - so we citizens can evaluate ALL the shit out there in time to make the correct decision!

Is it only "appropriate" to air "feel good" lies about this NAZI War Monger?!?!?!?!?!

[Name removed]

75. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Piperay]

79. The important report got set aside for the phony

National Guard story, something here definitely stinks. x(

[tom_paine]

82. kick

This is too important to let it drop...

[Piperay]

83. CBS's credibility is shot to hell

even if they ran the story nobody would believe it anyway. :-(

[kayell]

85. In other non-news:

CBS Nixes '60 Minutes' Story on Potentially Lethal Children's Toys because the story could impact corporate Christmas sales.

CBS Nixes '60 Minutes' Story on a new strain of deadly salmonella because the story could impact Easter egg sales.

CBS Vows to Broadcast Nothing but Happy, Happy Stories, so that they will have no impact whatsoever.