Dan Rather is not the Democratic nominee. Time to move on.

[geek tragedy]

If he fucked up, we can't go down with him.

I'm not saying I think those docs are forgeries, but it does us little good to fight Dan Rather's fight instead of John Kerry's. Rather will swink or swim depending on the amount of homework he did on those memos. Nothing we can do about that either way.

Iraq, the economy, and healthcare need to replace this crap. Let Dan Rather and Kitty Kelley fight with Shrub and occupy his resources regarding his biography. There's an election to be won.

Bush's record was horrible in July. It's even shittier now. His current record, especially regarding Iraq, is his biggest weakness.

[JI7]

1. huh ? we are defending true journalism which HELPS Kerry

and many others.

[geek tragedy]

4. Rather should be supported for standing up to the BFEE.

But, it is possible that CBS dropped the ball on this one.

In any event--CBS can take care of itself. If they did their due diligence, they'll blast the Bushies out of the water.

If they didn't do their due diligence, there's nothing that anyone here can do to save them.

Instapundit and the rightwing blogosphere would rather talk about Rather than talk about Iraq, the economy, and healthcare. Because they're not stupid, and they know this battle is better for the Rethugs than the real issues of this campaign.

[Cha]

13. Exactly! I think we are multitasked enough to

to "defend journalism" and to work on Kerry's campaign which is one and the same!

[bayby]

2. The question of authenticity shows Bush's weakness, not his strength

If a little thing like a beef with a superior is enough to discredit Bush (when everyone knows that such a beef would be reasonable) the man is finished ! Killian has become posthumously the boy who laughed at the Emperor's New Clothes.

[Tweed]

3. Great first post here at the DU

Much better then many others. WELCOME!! :toast: :hi:

[geek tragedy]

5. IF it is enough to discredit Bush.

I would agree.

I just don't think that it has that much traction. People's eyes are glazing over.

Any discussion other than Bush's horrible record as President and Commander in Chief is a welcome distraction for the current regime.

People care more about the backdoor draft on Guardsmen today than Bush's activities as a Guardsman 30 years ago.

[newyawker99]

9. Hi bayby!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Cha]

14. Welcome Aboard DU!

Baybe!

[ParanoidPat]

6. GT, this is about something bigger than just John Kerry.....

.....this is about the (almost) complete sellout of our press to corporate interests for political purposes. Make no mistake about that.
There are a few good, honest journalists out there desperately trying to get the truth out to the public against a chorus of spin Meister's happily singing along with the Giant Wurlitzer. To abandon any of the very few honest reporters still trying to do their job at this point, against the onslaught of the numerous sellouts in the press trying to discredit them, is tantamount to admitting defeat. None of the press entities or talking heads employed by them that are actively trying to destroy Rather's credibility are going to be there to report anything positive about Kerry no matter how true it is. They are only there to give Bush* 'plausible deny-ability' as cover for his fuck ups. If you doubt what I say, I urge you to research Operation Mockingbird on Google and then read this CONCEPT PAPER prepared by the Working Group on Preventive and Preemptive Military Intervention at the Ford Institute.

Never surrender, never give up. But above all, give your ultimate support and protection to the troops on the front lines of the fight. Dan Rather is one of them. :)

[mr_du04]

7. Darn that means I better take down my

Rather/ Kerry sign down from my lawn. :)

[Cha]

17. LOL!

Thankfully, there is a DAn Rather!

[ibegurpard]

8. No he's not

But he's the first journalist in 4 years that appears to be willing to stand up to a scathing attack from the right-wing smear machine AND the rabid dogs in the media who compete with him. He's given major exposure to an issue that many of us have noted has been swept under the rug and he's done so at great risk to his own and his organization's credibility. For that I'll defend him to the DAY I FUCKING DIE!

[geek tragedy]

11. The problem is that he risked the credibility of the entire TANG

issue as well. And we risk our credibility if we tie ourselves to him--especially if he didn't check these documents.

Look, I was certain--certain--that Rather and 60 Minutes must have done their homework on this and thoroughly checked out those documents for exactly the problems that have come up.

But, when journos/bloggers who have been pounding the TANG issue like Josh Marshall and Kevin Drum start bailing on the issue, and the available evidence shows that CBS didn't do its homework on these (the media like to screw each other, but CBS's own experts are now bailing on Rather) it would be a very good idea to not adopt Dan Rather and these memos as the definitive issue in this campaign.

Iraq, Iraq, Iraq. Bush is fucking it up, and we can't divert breath or bandwidth from that basic fact.

[Cha]

15. Well said, ibegurpard!

It's no wonder we're all(almost all)so Excited about what Rather is doing!

[Arkana]

10. Right, and Iraq is an issue that Kerry can use

to bludgeon Bush with. As much as I admire Rather for showing journalistic spine, it's definitely time to move on and start talking about today's issues.

[Cha]

16. Talk about them. There are many threads on

on du.

[Leilani]

12. I agree.

There is just so much oxygen out there, & if it all gets used up on Dan Rather, that is another day Kerry does not get his message out.

Kerry for Prez should be #1 priority.