How can the press fault CBS for not 'authenticating'? Nobody checked...

[phish420]

Bush didn't do too good of a job 'authenticating' the yellowcake documents, nor did any news media outlet at the time, but they turned out to be fake. Our other 'intelligence' on Iraq was not 'authenticated' before stories of Iraq's stockpiles hit the airwaves, only to have the world see that they had nothing. Nobody checked the authenticity of the Swift Boat Vets for Lies ads that all but desecrated a decorated war hero's honor and service to our country before their connections were exposed and their lies debunked. How dare they call for an 'investigation' when no one even knows what happened to the investigation into the Pentagon breach by an isreali spy, or the 3 Los Alamos breaches that have occurred during this administration. What The Fuck Is Going On?!?! Why are the democrats not saying these things? Why are these not the come backs? Who gives a RATS ASS if these documents were fake or real...the story was NOT about these documents - it was about looking into whether or not Bush fulfilled his obligations and did he get in because of privilege. NO ONE HS REFUTED THIS YET. No documents, or witnesses can verify he fulfilled his obligations. No documents or witnesses can verify him taking an ordered physical. No documents or witnesses can place him at certain places at certain times. So one thing came up that explained WHY, and it may not be real (though it may be)...bottom line - WHO CARES! NO ONE has come forward to defend Bush. NO ONE. He DID get in because of privilege, he DID refuse his phsyical (as shown in official white house released papers), he WAS suspended and he did NOT complete the required amount of service. So far, this can NOT be disputed, and CBS can NOT be discredited. God damn Im pissed right now. Sorry.

[phish420]

1. Oh, and I'm sorry, Mr. Wilson....

I almost forgot, as have apparently our government, into who exactly outed Valerie Plame?!? Oh, everyone jumped on CBS to reveal their source of these documents - documents that have little relevence beyond the truthfulness, or lack thereof of our president...but no one expects Novak to reveal the person who has put Mrs/ Plame, Mr. Wilson and their family, friends and associates at risk of life and limb, not to mention the breach of National security. God I am so outraged.

[KennedyGuy]

2. I agree

and just started a similar thread...why isn't the media looking into this. Why aren't the Dems bringing this up on every talk show?

[Poiuyt]

3. The Yellowcake documents look like they were made by some kid

Sometimes I wonder if maybe the CBS memos hadn't been a setup from the Republicans (Tom Shales from the Wash Post just speculated this on Hardball).

[Generic Other]

4. I smell fried phish!

I had the same reaction when I read the latest.

What's worse, there is no shame on *'s part. None whatsoever. The man who should feel shame, feels nothing, even expresses a puzzling sense of pride at his own dishonorable behavior.

Only the rest of us feel the shame. And rage.

[RevCheesehead]

5. I hear you....and I agree wholeheartedly.

There is a ton of evidence still not addressed.

I've been reluctant to post again, because too many people jump in and tell us to "get over it" and "move on."

What if Woodward and Bernstein simply stopped with the story of a break-in at the office of Daniel Ellsburg's psychiatrist?

This much is true:
>the assertions of the story are true. There is no paper trail to verify that * was where he said he was, and * has refused to release any more information. The secretary verified the story's contents as being in line with Killian's personal feelings about *.

>Many documents about * were moved to his father's presidential library, under seal, while * was governor of Texas.

>The media spin has turned this entire event into "attack the messenger" rather than focusing on the message. Ironically, this is a reversal of how the Swift-boat thing was handled, where every media outlet began questioning Kerry's service record. Apparently, standards are different regarding the investigation of the candidates.


I honestly don't think this story is over.
On CBS website, I found this comment (very telling):

The network did not say the memoranda — purportedly written by one of Mr. Bush's National Guard commanders — were forgeries. But the network did say it could not authenticate the documents and that it should not have reported them.

"Based on what we now know, CBS News cannot prove that the documents are authentic, which is the only acceptable journalistic standard to justify using them in the report," said the statement by CBS News President Andrew Heyward. "We should not have used them. That was a mistake, which we deeply regret.

[creeksneakers2]

6. What really burns me up

Is the the RW media, who lie constantly, are using this whole thing to persuade people that they must turn to RW propaganda if they want the real truth. Imagine! And the mainstream media are backing them up. Talk about cutting your own throats!

What's worse is, ABC, for the third time this month at least, ran Rush Limbaugh's comments. Limbaugh can't go more than three minutes without lying. John Kerry brought a movie camera into combat? Why doesn't anyone ever investigate these nuts and their lies and brainwashing. Instead, I saw MSNBC bring in RW radio talk show hosts as experts on the CBS scandal.

Another one... I listened to Clear Channel host Glenn Beck gulp down the Parlock story last week. They did an entire show about how savage leftists are attacking people with Bush bumper stickers and yard signs. How much checking did Beck do before he ran Parlock's nut story and dozens of others? None! He let any kook who wanted to call up with their own fabrication. Today, Glenn Beck was all over CBS News. He was talking criminal charges.

I swear, DU is the only sane place in the world.

[phish420]

7. My letter to Mr. Rather (and others)

Sent to Dan rahter, 60 minutes and CC'd to :
60 Minutes II ([e-mail]); Al Franken ([e-mail]); Alan Colmes 1 ([e-mail]); Alan Colmes 2 ([e-mail]); All Things Considered NPR ([e-mail]); American Morning ([e-mail]); Anderson Cooper ([e-mail]); AP Feedback ([e-mail]); BBC News Online ([e-mail]); BET News ([e-mail]); Charlie Rose PBS ([e-mail]); Chris Matthews ([e-mail]); DailyKOS ([e-mail]); Dateline NBC ([e-mail]); Democracy Now ([e-mail]); [e-mail]; Guardian,The ([e-mail]); Hannity ([e-mail]); Howard Stern ([e-mail]); Inside Politics ([e-mail]); [e-mail]; Joe Trippi ([e-mail]); Judy Woodruff ([e-mail]); Meet The Press NBC ([e-mail]); Miami Herald ([e-mail]); Miami Times ([e-mail]); [e-mail]; Mike Malloy ([e-mail]); MSNBC investigates ([e-mail]); Nation - CBS ([e-mail]); National Enquirer ([e-mail]); NBC Nightly News ([e-mail]); News Hour PBS ([e-mail]); News Press ([e-mail]); NOW ([e-mail]); NPR Corrections ([e-mail]); Oberman ([e-mail]); O'Reilly ([e-mail]); Orlando Times ([e-mail]); Orlando Weekly ([e-mail]); Paula Zahn ([e-mail]); Paula Zahn 2 ([e-mail]); Phil Hendrie ([e-mail]); Propoganda Matrix ([e-mail]); Radio Left ([e-mail]); Randi Rhodes ([e-mail]); Reuters ([e-mail]); Ron Reagan Jr ([e-mail]); Salon ([e-mail]); Salon 10 ([e-mail]); Salon 2 ([e-mail]); Salon 3 ([e-mail]); Salon 4 ([e-mail]); Salon 5 ([e-mail]); Salon 6 ([e-mail]); Salon 8 ([e-mail]); Salon 9 ([e-mail]); Scarborough ([e-mail]); SF Guardian ([e-mail]); SF Guardian 2 ([e-mail]); Slate ([e-mail]); Tallahassee Times ([e-mail]); Time.com ([e-mail]); time.com 2 ([e-mail]); [e-mail]; Today Show ([e-mail]); UPI Focus Group ([e-mail]); UPI Investigations ([e-mail]); UPI Politics ([e-mail]); Reuters 2 ([e-mail]); Washington Post ([e-mail]); Washington Post 2 ([e-mail]); Wolf Blitzer ([e-mail])

(parts smipped from this post)

Mr. Rather,
Again, I commend you for your honesty and integrity in journalism. You are not afraid to investigate the tough and unpopular issues that you know in your heart are important. There is nothing shameful in a bad lead. This story was NOT about the documents – it was the five questions, and people seem to have forgotten that, despite your numerous attempts to remind them. No one has disputed the five questions to date, yet everyone jumps all over this one document that may or may not be real. Now, the press are jumping over you for not ‘authenticating’ the document properly. To these news organizations, some of which are CC’d in this email (along with many others that should hear this message), I have this to say:

Bush didn't do too good of a job 'authenticating' the yellowcake documents, nor did any news media outlet at the time, but they turned out to be fake. Our other 'intelligence' on Iraq was not 'authenticated' before stories of Iraq's stockpiles hit the airwaves, only to have the world see that they had nothing. Nobody checked the authenticity of the Swift Boat Vets for Lies ads that all but desecrated a decorated war hero's honor and service to our country before their connections were exposed and their lies debunked. How dare they call for an 'investigation' when no one even knows what happened to the investigation into the Pentagon breach by an Israeli spy, or the 3 Los Alamos breaches that have occurred during this administration. What Is Going On?!?! Why are the democrats not saying these things? Why are these not the come backs? WHO CARES if these documents were fake or real...the story was NOT about these documents - it was about looking into whether or not Bush fulfilled his obligations and did he get in because of privilege. NO ONE HAS REFUTED THIS YET. No documents or witnesses can verify he fulfilled his obligations. No documents or witnesses can verify him taking an ordered physical. No documents or witnesses can place him at certain places at certain times. So one thing came up that explained WHY, and it may not be real (though it may be)...bottom line - WHO CARES! NO ONE has come forward to defend Bush. NO ONE. He DID get in because of privilege, he DID refuse his physical (as shown in official white house released papers), he WAS suspended and he did NOT complete the required amount of service. So far, this can NOT be disputed, and CBS can NOT be discredited.

Thank you again for your honest journalism, and being willing to admit to possible mistakes, even before it is clear that it is one. Meanwhile, other organizations have made many mistakes for which there has been no apologies. No one has apologized for claiming Al Gore said he ‘invented the internet’, which he never did. Nobody apologized for worrying about whether or not Clinton had oral sex in the white house, meanwhile Clinton was addressing the UN on what he saw as the most important issue of the near future – Terrorism. Maybe if the press had been listening to the speech at the UN instead of playing tapes of Clintons Grand Jury testimony, we wouldn’t have this mess. We can point fingers all day, but the bottom line is, you did a great job, and no one can take away the fact that no one has refuted the questions you asked at the beginning of the report. Thank you again, Mr. Rather for being a true journalist.

[RevCheesehead]

8. Well done. I've been writing one mentally for the last hour.

Is there another Forum where we could discuss this rationally?

I am so tired of people entering the forum, telling us to shut up and move on, and acting as if the sky is falling.

Kerry gave a hell of a speech today.
Evidence of biased polling is being exposed, showing there really isn't a significant * lead.
There will be 3 debates.
People are expected to turn out in record numbers to vote.
"Red States" are slipping in their strength.

So why can't those of us who want to discuss this topic do so?

I'll be watching for your posts. Many of us feel as you do.

[kokomo]

9. they're trolling everywhere.....

I just quit posting at AlterNet, supposedly a progressive website, as the Naderites were taking over with their doom and gloom for Kerry, not missing a chance to bash the Republicrats as they called any Democratic party members. We are being responsible for the very UNdemocratic ruse to keep Nader off state ballots!

The Naderites claim they don't want Bush reelected but since they claim Bush = Kerry and spent most of their time bashing Kerry, they are doing their hardest to keep Bush in office. I think there will always be folks who love misery and for sure, the Naderites will have a lot to cry about with four more years of Bush.

I am hoping DU will lift my spirits, but right now, that means shutting off Judy Woodruff on CNN who is "analyzing" the polls making Bush look like he is taking off for the stratosphere.

[Claire Beth]

10. Excellent post! n/t