Well there it is. If Dan Rather says they weren't forged, it must be so... I guess....

Unbelievable....added recently to the CBSNews story:

"This report was not based solely on recovered documents, but rather on a preponderance of evidence, including documents that were provided by unimpeachable sources, interviews with former Texas National Guard officials and individuals who worked closely back in the early 1970s with Colonel Jerry Killian and were well acquainted with his procedures, his character and his thinking," the statement read.

"In addition, the documents are backed up not only by independent handwriting and forensic document experts but by sources familiar with their content," the statement continued. "Contrary to some rumors, no internal investigation is underway at CBS News nor is one planned."

CBSNews: "Well it's essentially true, if held to a M. Moore standard or the truth"

Rather appears to be channeling Dick Nixon, stonewalling to the very end. The irony of that is almost too much!

Do any of you seriously doubt the gist of these messages? Do you actually think Bush fulfilled his commitments? If so, you've got no place arguing about truth in media, when the believe what has been shown again and again to be false.

By the way, the latest story on the memos at the BBC site seems to be this one, which was still assuming the memos were legit. (The Guardian as well, but I'll be charitable and assume that their deadline for the Friday morning paper in London time was too early.)

"Let's say you've got CBS against everybody else."

Bill, you crack me up.

I don't completely agree. Dan Rather had to wait till the founder and producer of 60 minutes retired, because this guy didn't allow Rather to push the Bush National Guard story.

SOURCE

Read John Kerry's anti-American book The New Soldier and 4 chapters of Unfit For Command online for free

" Do any of you seriously doubt the gist of these messages? "

Yes we do, what alter-universe do you live in ?

M-String theory states there are 10 possible dimensions. John, you must be in the alter-world where Spock has a beard. Please come back to us John, if you meet your twin in the alter universe you will die !!

"Do any of you seriously doubt the gist of these messages? Do you actually think Bush fulfilled his commitments? If so, you've got no place arguing about truth in media, when the believe what has been shown again and again to be false."

First of all, I DON'T GIVE A DAMN about the gist of these messages. Did Bush fulfill his service? Who cares? It's 2004! I certainly don't want my employers holding me accountable at 50 for the fact that I bailed early on several software contract positions when I was 21.

This kind of crap is why we're left choosing between the weak and the vile in our elections. It drives good people out of politics by demanding an impossible standard of perfection.

Second, are you willing to sweep forgery under the rug just because you're personally convinced the underlying claim is true? The ends do not justify the means. If we don't call CBS out on this crap, they'll keep doing it to the point it becomes impossible for John Q. Public to separate fact from fiction.

Here's the thing, i'm no journalist, but i'm pretty confident the following is true:
1.CBS needs to explain to us why this evidence is valid. The public is absolutely not required to take their word as gospel. That is anethma to journalism. Rather should be ashamed for suggesting it.

2. Journalists are responsible for the integrity of _every_ piece of evidence they present. Much like a murder trial, you cant simply dismiss a planted piece of evidence and point to the others that you claim or kosher. If there is something as rotten as this the whole case is in serious doubt.

3. You _definately_ cant demand the target of the story answer questions raised by phony freaking evidence. Im shocked and appalled that Dan Rather has the brass to say that this story is so important _it doesnt matter if its not true_. That is insane on every level.

Well, they've built this wall up pretty high now, and the pressure keeps growing. Lefty blogs like Atrios are still clinging to straws like "IBM did too have proportional font typewriters available in 1972" ignoring the mountains of other evidence. I think the only question now is: When will the CBS dam burst?

Someone needs to sponsor a formal study by the top experts. That will bring this crashing down.

Let's schedule 1 1/2 months, so the study results come out last week of October.

CBS is walking the plank with The Dan. No investigation. Shocking and appalling. A major television network just told us we dont deserve an explanation, and that their story is more important than the integrity of the evidence said to support it. Shocked. Appalled.

This just in:

"A long-planned retirement party for Dan Rather has been moved from the Waldorf-Astoria hotel in Manhattan to a Holiday Inn banquet room in Hoboken, NJ. The time and date are currently being finalized."

He's frickin' toast, I'm starting to think...

UPDATE to Rather retirement story:

"Due to a scheduling conflict with the Hoboken Holiday Inn, the Dan Rather retirement party originally planned for the Waldorf-Astoria ballroom, will be held Thursday at lunch in the employee cafeteria. Bring chips, soft drinks or snack foods, if you would like to contribute to the 'fun' as we send Dan off into his 'golden years'".

"CBS is walking the plank with The Dan. No investigation. Shocking and appalling. A major television network just told us we don’t deserve an explanation, and that their story is more important than the integrity of the evidence said to support it. Shocked. Appalled."

Posted by Mark Buehner at September 10, 2004 03:25 PM

Mark:

Why is this shocking? The MSM has been treating us like mushrooms for quite a while, and Dan Blather has been King of the Heap when it comes to Bush Bashing!

I just hope that the influx of "Independent Media" AKA "Blogs" will put enough pressure on these jokers to "help" Mr. Blather to an earlier than scheduled retirement... good riddance.

I suppose I shouldnt be shocked. Maybe I should have remembered the title of Goldberg's sequel:

Arrogance.

Until Rather provides the names of his "experts" so they can be interviewed he's in exactly the same position as the husband caught by his wife in bed with another woman who screams, "WHO ARE YOU GOING TO BELIEVE? ME OR YOUR LYING EYES???"

Is Rather hedging his bets?

"I know that this story is true. I believe that the witnesses and the documents are authentic. We wouldn't have gone to air if they would not have been. There isn't going to be -- there's no -- what you're saying apology?"

Note he says he "knows" that the "story" is true. Then he distinguishes between "witnesses" and "documents." So even if the documents turn out to be false, then they were justified in running with it because the "story" itself is true.

Now that CNN is telling the story word-for-word would it kill them to acknowledge any of you guys who reported it?

I just tried contacting CBS via email and guess what "error" on page and it would not let you in...So much for the free press...they do not want to hear from you people.

One of those precious sources is recanting:

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/politics/NotedNow/Noted_Now.html

HODGES SAID HE WAS MISLED BY CBS: Retired Maj. General Hodges, Killian's supervisor at the Grd, tells ABC News that he feels CBS misled him about the documents they uncovered. According to Hodges, CBS told him the documents were "handwritten" and after CBS read him excerpts he said, "well if he wrote them that's what he felt."

Hodges also said he did not see the documents in the 70's and he cannot authenticate the documents or the contents. His personal belief is that the documents have been "computer generated" and are a "fraud".

I'm an Army combat infantry vet of Nam. I've got more time in the hospital recovering from wounds than Kerry had in-country. CBS & Rather do not have very good track record on military reporting, from the infamous "Tet" speech, to the "Walls Within" and Somalia (never mentioned Clinton in blame game). I think Rather avoiding Korea, and washing out as a "boot" colors his thinking. Rather will not back down, too important to him, and to the DNC. Did Bush play fast and loose with the rules as a young NG Lt.? Would not suprise me - most fighter jocks hate flight physicals. Is most of info from CBS/Barnes biased or fake? I'll bet my ranch that they are. As a Vetnam combat vet, does Bush's NG service bother me? A bit, but not as much as Kerry's record. Bush might have been a NG puke, but he never called me and my buddies war criminals and laid the groundwork for three decades of lies about Vietnam service. Would be nice to see Rather/CBS and DNC squirm on this one, but they will stonewall and do what damage they can.