I second that. I never, and I mean never, watch the flagship evening news shows, but I just had to be home for CBS today.

Notice that Dan said Burkett was "a commander in the Air National Guard"? *Still* wrong, yet oh so satisfying.

The Pajamahadeen should have some sort of beverage to go along with their pajama-wearing sleuthing.

How about Schadenfreude Beer?

Schadenfreude: Credibility, in a bottle!

You had a lot to to with it, Bill. Good one!

Don't celebrate too soon. That was the weakest apology I've heard. They're not sorry - they're just sorry they got caught. Time to keep the pressure up as to where the docs originated and why CBS ignored all expert advice and went with the story to begin with. This "apology" should satisfy no one.

This is no time to relax.

This apology is totally inadequate. There is no contrition or repentance in his apology.

He still believes that the story was right, only the documents "cannot be authenticated !" The statement this morning did not say that if they knew then what they know now, that they would not have aired the story, only that they would have aired it differently without the documents.

I also do not believe that they did not know "that the documents could not be authenticated" before they aired the story. They had plenty of warnings: LTC Killian's wife; LTC Killian's son; Ms. Will; Ms. James; Mr. Pierce. After talking to LTC Killian's wife and son, they also knew that the docments did not come out of his personal files since they did not provide them. Yet they made exactly that representation.

No, they were not just duped, they were willing participants in a hoax. They went along willingly to perpetrate a forgery, thinking that nobody would dare to question their "integrity" (only partisan pajamahadeens !)

If it does not come out: yes I am still mad !

Most people who watched the performance probably came away with the impression that the documents are authentic. There was no questioning of whether Burkett's own source is credible -- that's a given, since Bill was merely PROTECTING him for being so brave and turning over the goods. And even though Burkett told a little white lie to protect a trusted friend, he was only doing that because he was under pressure by CBS.

But now that the pressure's off, you can trust him when he denies forging them. Especially when he's so candid as to say that he understands how people would have to use their own judgment in evaluating whether he's telling the truth now. That's exactly how a man of integrity acts -- the kind that would stick by his friends after they've going out on a limb to entrust such important secret documents to him.

True, CBS can't fully authentic those documents unless Burkett betrays his source. But we really don't have to know who that source is now, because he's the kind of trustworthy man who hangs out with Bill Burkett. So he wouldn't forge documents, either.

Experts? What experts?

I don't think that most of America comes away with that impression. And this ain't over, trust me.

Why must you sully my Christmas morning memory?

RATHER: Burkett initially told CBS News he got the documents from a fellow guardsman. But when we interviewed Burkett this past weekend, he changed his story, and told us he got the documents from a different source, one we cannot verify.

* * *

BILL BURKETT: Well, I didn't totally mislead you. I did misled you on the one individual. You know, your staff pressured me to a point to reveal that source.

* * *

RATHER: Burkett still insists the documents are real, but now says he was in no position to verify them.

BURKETT: I also insisted when I sat down with your staff in the first face-to-face session, before I gave up any documents, I wanted to know what you were going to do with them, and I insisted that they be authenticated.

RATHER: The failure of CBS News to do just that, to properly, fully, scrutinize the documents and their source, led to our airing the documents when we should not have done so.

I don't see how CBS' position is any different from before. They accepted Burkett's say-so before that he had a reliable secret source, one they could apparently "verify" (through Burkett's say-so that the guy was in the National Guard). All he's said now is that it's a different source, one that for some reason CBS cannot verify (whatever that means in the context of both sources being anonymous). They trust Burkett when he says it's Joe Doe, but not John Roe. What's the difference?

All I meant is that people watching the CBS broadcast would think that the documents were most likely authentic and it's just a matter of finding Burkett's Deep Throat. But NBC was simultaneously slashing Rather's throat, posting blow-ups of the memos, quoting the CBS experts who said they were computer-generated and dismissing Marcel Matley as a librarian who got his only training from a correspondence course.

I'm just saying you should open you gifts under a different tree. Part of it is that I'm just pissed listening to Chris Matthews and Bill O'Reilly pretend that Rather was just an innocent, unbiased dupe. I'll feel better when Sean Hannity and Joe Scarborough come down the chimney.

Nice to see/hear/read(?) of your unbounded giddiness.

Now, what was that about Jennings?

You GO, boy!

Oh, and one more thing...with your newfound visibility...any offers for syndication?

I'd love to see a REAL investigative journalist in the dailies.

Momentary weakness.

I think your problem, raving atheist, is that you haven't given up on those outlets. You will NEVER get satisfaction from Chris Matthews, unless we happen to find Rather on video conspiring about the memos with Bill Burkett and Michael Moore in an Abilene crack den.

The burden of proof to cut through their spin is nearly unreachable, and the sooner you learn to accept that, the sooner you'll find a smidge of peace.

As it is, a significant portion of America is smart enough to grasp the heart of the matter: Dan Rather pushed fake documents because he wanted to get Bush.

jmflynny -

Alas, no job offers.

Speaking of Chris Matthews, after watching Shales on Hardball I am now convinced that Karl Rove was behind everything. Yep.

I saw the NBC piece too. That's twice I've seen them pretty much obliterate Rather's version of the story. Brokaw, of course, has the segment reporters do the obliteration.

...gets sweeter... take a look at drudge...

Go to

http://www.khou.com/

for an in-depth interview with Dan Rather by one of their reporters who was actually quite good at skirting the edge between respect for an elder and demanding answers to questions.

Help me out here? Is Terry McAwful smoking crack?

"Now that we know what's not true, let's focus on the facts," Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe said in a statement regarding CBS's News' apology for broadcasting a Sept. 8 story about Bush's military service based on documents of dubious merit.

"Today we learned that George Bush did not earn enough points to qualify for an honorable discharge and that he has given three different explanations for why he missed his physical," McAuliffe continued in the statement.

Did I miss the new documents where GWB didn't earn enough points, or is that a purely inside the DNC forged memo? Did someone make a statement about a missed physical, or is he hearing voices? Maybe HE's the source of the memo's?

I watched Danny Boy tell a nice young lady he feels like hell. Good. Only have a couple more questions Dan, who was the source, and who's going to jail... answer those two please.

I just replayed the Rather piece, and he just had to sit there while McClellan lectured him about all the unanswered questions. And then he had to repeat McClellan's statement that Bush completed his service requirements and was honorably discharged -- without be allowed add "we nevertheless stand by our story."

Merry Christmas. I mean, winter solstice.

My highly researched opinion is that Terry McAuliffe is a babbling idiot taht never gets facts in the way of a crazy soundbite. I have no idea where his bit about the points is coming from ...

Raving -

What, you hadn't seen that? That was the part that made me happy! Giving Scott McClellan the mic!

Wonderful.

"Hey Dan, the ratings went through the roof for your apology..."

Lightbulb goes off in Rather's head and is visible for miles around

"Then find me some more phoney documents so I can apologize again, dammit!"

I loved the update about the Christmas Day when everything was right with the world.

Now this is off the topic (and I say this while being completely THRILLED that the blogs GOT IT RIGHT!!!and MADE THE RIGHT THING HAPPEN!!!!), but your story makes me feel really good about being a Mom and trying to create those special moments.

I bet your Mom is really proud of you right now, and she should be.

This Mom is also proud of you.

Sincerely,
Ryan's Mom

I'm writing to the Oxford English Dictionary people. They may want a new example of gloat.

Somebody go after the schnook again:
"Mr. Rather! How do you feel about being reduced to the journalistic integrity level of Heraldo Rivera? Mr. Rather? Mr. Rather!...

Super Mario Bros. and Legend of Zelda is a tough act to follow, but this is pretty damn good.

Congrats, this is a payment in no short amount for your diligent work.

Chris Muir (Day by Day - hope the family's doing better, Chris!) had a running gag going where McAuliffe was a RNC mole reporting to Karl Rove.

It was always good for a giggle - who knew it was true?

Mmmm. Better than nectar of Gore.

LIKE WOW MAN,,DANNO FINALLY IS ON THE WRONG END OF THE STICK..IT IS CHRISTMAS DAY,,AND I LOVE YOU ALL SO DEARLY. NOW,PLEASE,I MISSED THE BOO,HOO,HOO,ME SO SORRY,PATHETIC APOLOGY ! ! ! ! !CAN SOME ONE TELL WHERE I CAN DOWN LOAD THE VIDEO??? I NEED IT BADLY.....PLEASE HELP.....SUGGESTION: PLAY PATSY CLINE`S,,IM SORRY....WHILE LISTENING TO DANNO SOB AND SNIFFLE IS WAY OFF THE AIRWAYS,,FOREVER,,,DO THE HONORABLE THING AND FALL ON YOUR SWORD,PUNK......BYE NOW ,,,ZIGGY XOXOXOXOXOXOX