DRUDGE: Dan Rather Statement on Documents (11:58 AM Eastern)

[Maddy McCall]

EXCLUSIVE // Mon Sep 20 2004 11:58:02 ET
STATEMENT FROM DAN RATHER:

Last week, amid increasing questions about the authenticity of documents used in support of a 60 MINUTES WEDNESDAY story about President Bush's time in the Texas Air National Guard, CBS News vowed to re-examine the documents in question—and their source—vigorously. And we promised that we would let the American public know what this examination turned up, whatever the outcome.

Now, after extensive additional interviews, I no longer have the confidence in these documents that would allow us to continue vouching for them journalistically. I find we have been misled on the key question of how our source for the documents came into possession of these papers. That, combined with some of the questions that have been raised in public and in the press, leads me to a point where—if I knew then what I know now—I would not have gone ahead with the story as it was aired, and I certainly would not have used the documents in question.

But we did use the documents. We made a mistake in judgment, and for that I am sorry. It was an error that was made, however, in good faith and in the spirit of trying to carry on a CBS News tradition of investigative reporting without fear or favoritism.

Please know that nothing is more important to us than people's trust in our ability and our commitment to report fairly and truthfully.

**********
Complete with the red flashiing police light and all.

www.drudgereport.com

[David Dunham]

1. Now let's drop this memo nonsense and move on to the real issues

[Connie_Corleone]

2. Ditto!

[Doosh]

3. well, they fell for it

After the swift boat thing, everybody knew the democrats had to retaliate, come out swinging with everything we had. Rove was prepared and laid a trap, while the Kerry campaign didn't touch this story, CBS walked right into it.

The Dems don't have many allies in the media. CBS and the NY Times were 2 important one's and they have been torn apart and thoroughly discredited by the conservative media.

[quaoar]

4. Now Rove can implement Part II of his plan

Pin this on the Kerry campaign somehow.

[GiovanniC]

11. It's Begun

BREAKING NEWS: CBS News Says it Was 'Deliberately Misled' on Bush Guard Documents

A headline like that begs the question: Who misled them?

And the media automatically responds: The Kerry Campaign, of course!

For those who want to know the real truth, one need only know the Latin phrase cui bono, in other words, "Who benefits?" Usually the person who benefits is the person responsible. In this case, I think clearly Rove and Bush have benefited from this debacle, and are likely the architects of it.

[Blue_Roses]

5. God, this is sickening

:puke:

[NewYorkerfromMass]

6. and so Knox's comments on their ACCURACY is dismissed too?

we need to resolve that aspect of it all too.

[Dems Will Win]

7. Plus Rather is even conflating the false docs with the actual story

No Knox in the staement, no Barnes, nothing that the rest of the story is true and that Knox said the content is true!

[NewYorkerfromMass]

10. hence my question

Rather has retreated a bit too much IMHO.

[Karenina]

12. How IS IT

that CBS cannot turn the focus onto the CONTENT???? :shrug:

HOW IS IT that the "union thug" has yet to be positively ID'ed from the photo??? :shrug:

All rhetorical questions as the answer is spelled F-A-C-I-S-M.

[Sparkly]

8. The issue remains true!! Those documents are not needed.

The guard records prove that Chimp didn't take his flight physical, was grounded, and didn't fulfill his requirements.

The memos are not needed to prove that.

There is a coverup going on at the White House and THAT is the story.

[DoYouEverWonder]

9. I'm getting sick of this crap today

When CBS actually makes an announcement, please let me know.

Until then why do we continue to do Rove's dirty work for him by spreading his rumors around?

[Maddy McCall]

13. You know that little x at the end of the thread title...

Click it, if this is upsetting you so much.