They didn't only admit it was a mistake to run the story, they admitted the story was a hoax. They were duped. There are no memos and there there never were any memos. There are only leftwing nutcases grasping for straws.

However, even is there were incontrovertible proof that Bush didn't take a physical after he had already stopped flying, so what. He took off and landed safely over 500 times. I guess to anyone but a MSM reporter that would be proof enough that he knows how to fly a plane.

Too bad Shechter and his comrades don't tell us all about Kerry's long road to Viet Nam and back. That's a lot more interesting than Bush's military career.

The attempt to discredit the bloggers' debunking of Rather/Mapes/CBS by arguing that Buckhead is a Republican activist would be amusing if it were not so pathetic. Does anyone other than the brain dead actually believe that the Democrat activists who run the MSM would ever have initiated the debunking?

Danny Schechter has his head pushed up way past his sphincter.

I blame aliens for this hoax. Or marsh gasses.

"Mr. Schechter was the news director and principal newscaster for WBCN-FM, an on-air reporter for WGBH, and a news program producer and investigative reporter at CNN and ABC."

WGBH is Boston Public TV.

Schechter created mediachannel.org: "MediaChannel is responding to the crisis of our times. We are adding news from diverse sources to demonstrate that the world can be covered in a better, more democratic way."

Feature quote on web site: Walter Cronkite
"MediaChannel is undoubtedly worth taking part in. So many leading groups and individuals around the whole world have come together."

His goal is to obviously provide covering fire for the MSM as they retreat away from CBS and Rather. Of course, he's not in any way biased.

For the record, Alan Colmes, on his radio show two nights ago, pounded the "but these bloggers who detected the forgery were right-wingers!" drum.

* wondered what that word could be.

Please note the gentleman's email address: danny@mediachannel.org

From: tomvaughan
Subject: newsday
Date: September 22, 2004 9:09:19 AM CDT
To: danny@mediachannel.org

Your words: "The right-wing attack machine works by personalizing issues and demonizing "enemies" with overheated language and cartoon-like characterizations."

I have to admit, this is the first time that I can recall a man exposing himself as a hypocrite IN THE SAME SENTENCE. The "right-wing attack machine" and then "cartoon like characterizations".

"Over at Fox News, they were breaking out the champagne when the admission of error came down from Black Rock. Fox, of course, has its own (wink, wink) "standards" and never makes mistakes worth acknowledging. Their playbook in this regard feeds and follows a well-established White House approach: When confronted by unwelcome truths, avoid them, deny them or tarnish the critic."

Is this what you're doing about the bloggers? Attacking the critic? Also, back to the ""cartoon like characterizations" you were complaining about.

"Then, selected bloggers went to work led by an Atlanta lawyer who helped get President Bill Clinton disbarred and was the first who called the memos fakes"

But they were fake. I don't get it. Why does it matter who was the first to mention a fact?

"It's possible that CBS was flim-flammed, but TV's need for visuals did them in. By trying to gussy up the story with what producers call "video enhancement elements,"

Hogwash. How dishonest you are being. First, "it's possible that CBS flim-flammed". Are you serious? "It's possible"?

Second. CBS needed proof. Not "video enhancement elements". Proof. This wasn't some pretty visuals they put on the screen. This was the proof that validated their story and made it worth reporting. The proof they used were forged documents. No proof, no story.

You are a dishonest man. Shame on you.

Tom Vaughan

When did that drivel out of SALON, the LLL's fainting couch, become Newsweek worthy? Is this guy another Karl Rove plant? It's like telling half of the world, "Go read blogs, because the Network News and the Newsweeklies are selling out."

I knew they would attack the bloggers. Predictable.

Comment to the update:
I hear tinfoil hats work. Also, you may need to have any metal dental fillings replaced with porcelain. Be careful, though, because the DU guys will tell you that the Kool-Aid will save you from the mind rays. Don't drink the Kool-Aid.

I have noticed that people with socialist political views (or who sympathize with such views)frequently have trouble understanding that a group can act together without central control. Schechter appears to have these views and, predictably, has trouble understanding how a group of bloggers could, through their own initiative, work together to discredit the CBS/Rather memos. This difficulty leads him to look for a central control when no such control exists. The results are laughable.

I would have used the picture of Kerry throwing the football at www.footballfansfortruth.us

If you haven't seen it, check it out.

The Lockhart cover story doesn't wash. CBS claims that this was because they needed the contact to obtain the documents. But, they already had them!

Sept 2: CBS has the documents according to Van OS, Burkett's former attorney in the New York Sun.

Sept 4: Lockhart has phone call with Burkett according to this story:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,132996,00.html

Oops, it is even worse. The phone call on September 4 was not from Burkett it was from CBS! So, you cannot say there was some delay in the "matchmaking" that would account for the dates.

Bill, it's Newsday, home of bogus circulation numbers and Jimmy "I should have just moved to Boca after they drilled my brain" Breslin.
'Nuff said.

TC -

They are also home of Pinkerton, though:

I have been saying for some months (ask my wife) that we should all vote for Kerry, because, 1) The nation could withstand the short period of time until the impeachment, and 2) The liberal party would not survive in it's current form. At this point, I'm not sure the liberal party is going to survive the campaign, and I have a pretty good idea what the impeachment trial would be about, so I have changed my mind. Time to put that BC04 sign in my yard.

Schechter responded to my email. I don't quite understand his response as it seems awfully selective, but the guy did respond. Perhaps I am just not used to such things, but i think he gets points for that.

HIS RESPONSE

Thanks for righting...I believe CBS screwed up --not because of an agenda but because of sloppy work--not checking at the same time, this issue was blown out of all proportion for political reasons

If you want to see an agenda and  media mistakes, see my book EMBEDDED: Weapons of Mass Deception about the coverage of the Iraq war...I look critically at CBS and other outlets

MY EMAIL: I have to admit, this is the first time that I can recall to a man exposing himself as a hypocrite IN THE SAME SENTENCE. The "right-wing attack machine" and "cartoon like characterizations".

HIS RESPONSE: "i say what I mean by cartoon like characterizations--read the piece"

MY EMAIL: Is this what you're doing about the bloggers? Attacking the critic?

HIS RESPONSE: Cbs deserves to be scrutinized --just like you are scrutinizing me....Its not the individual bloggers that big me---I am one--but the orchestration of the campaign

MY EMAIL: "Then, selected bloggers went to work led by an Atlanta lawyer who helped get President Bill Clinton disbarred and was the first who called the memos fakes"

But they were fake. I don't get it. Why does it matter who was the first to mention a fact?

HIS RESPONSE: Right now CBS is saying they cannot verify the documents---fakes--probably--who is behind it--we don't don't know...some say the dems, other rove or even roger stobe

(My thought: are they really going to keep pushing the Rove idea? Or Stone?)

MY EMAIL: "It's possible that CBS was flim-flammed, but TV's need for visuals did them in. By trying to gussy up the story with what producers call "video enhancement elements,"

Hogwash. How dishonest you are being. First, "it's possible that CBS flim-flammed". Are you serious? "It's possible"?

Second. CBS needed proof. Not "video enhancement elements". Proof. This wasn't some pretty visuals they put on the screen. This was the proof that validated their story and made it worth reporting. The proof they used were forged documents. No proof, no story.

HIS RESPONSE. Hog wash? Hardly. I spent 8 years at ABC and saw how stories were hyped---we work in a hyper competitive and pressured environment--corners are cut,

Excuse me Vaughan....many outlets  have covered this story making similar charges.,...Why doesn't Bush have a press confeence and answer questions??????

(My thought: I still don't understand why people want bush to answer allegation from a forged document. This makes no sense to me. I'm going to go on a limb here and say that such suggestions are partisan. )

MY EMAIL: You are a dishonest man. Shame on you.

HIS RESPONSE: Sorry Tom. NoT Guilty.

He still maintains that their was some sort of control by the Republicans. This is categorically untrue.

This quote from the NY Daily News says it all:

"Everything they said about Bush is true; they just haven't found the evidence yet."

Talk about mind control.

I only got to see the tail end of the commercial. All I could think was, "The Bush Campaign did THAT? Way to go!"

I need to find the commercial and watch it in its entirety.

That picture obviously needs the capture "Bring it on". No idea where I would get that crazy idea. More than likely I've been influenced by part of the vast right wing consipracy.

C'mon guys, I'm disappointed. No comment on:

The New York Post reports that "the hot rumor in New York political circles has Roger Stone, the longtime GOP activist, as the source for Dan Rather's dubious Texas Air National Guard 'memos.'" Stone is the same man who was associated with "political dirty tricks" under President Richard Nixon, and who played a pivotal role in the Republicans' shenanigans in Florida during the 2000 election. Reached at his Florida home and asked about his connection to the CBS controversy, Stone refused to comment.

(I've put my flack helmet on -- ready)

ed -

http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=12744_The_Spin_Gets_More_Desperate

And beyond Stone's personal history, this is no more than a rumor, compared to the fact that Burkett has largely admitted culpability.

Looks silly to me, an attempt to get some traction for some counterspin conventional wisdom among people taht would want to throw it back on the GOP.

are you implying "back on the GOP" as if it was on the Dems? (thought it was on CBS.... or are you equivocating DNC with CBS?)

(thought it was on CBS.... or are you equivocating DNC with CBS?)

Considering they do, why shouldn't we?

Bill Burkett is a Democrat, runs in circles with Dem operatives, albeit on the fringe. Arguably closer to the DNC than the Stone is to the GOP. But this isn't what makes the association ...

I personally believe that the DNC had foreknowledge of these memos and coordinated their campaign accordingly, though I am not saying that the DNC knew that they were fake.

So even if they are culpable for the forgeries or not (which I am not explicitly blaming them for), Joe Lockhart's contact with Burkett implies guilt in the minds of many people.

Hence, counterspin by McAuliffe and others, with this nice "rumor."

My biggest outrage is over Mapes' improper role as a facilitator, and the DNC's willingness to take the Burkett's calls and certainly discuss the documents (considering he source). If they knew the docs were fake, it will of course never be proven. I'm way up in the air on this, because you'd have to be pretty stupid/insane to think you could get away with doing these things in Word.

Like I said in my comment yesterday in the "Burkett Readying Suit Against Network" post, I am convinced that the official talking points spin on this will be that the Republicans are to blame. As ludicrous as that sounds….

Also, it was interesting to notice that very soon after I made that comment, the author of the NY Sun article, Roderick Boyd, responded to my comment with a comment of his own.

Bill, do you know that guy or something? I guess it’s a good thing that he is reading you blog…..

Helmetboy, Stone flat out denied the story already, and told The Punk McAuliffe to put up or shut up, neither of which he's capable of.

See how the DNC works? Plant a blind item in the NY Post, then the Punk goes on CNN and says the NY Post "reported" that Roger Stone is behind it.

Talk about coordination.

I cannot believe what an amateur The Punk is.

This is exactly the sort of thing Democrats do -- a paid spokesman for the DNC "reveals" that someone who has in the past contributed to the Republican Party but has no direct connection with it is engaging in partisanship. It's the same as referring to any indication that people shouldn't vote for Kerry as an "attack," and anything that gives reasons why not is a "vicious attack."

We all need to be spending time hunting down this meme through the blogosphere, making it clear that it's a lie and Schecter is a liar (do you know what "schlecht" means in German?)

Regards,
Ric Locke

jamster -

Do I know Roddy? from this scandal; he's interviewed me a couple times.

I guess it makes sense that he would be checking in here from time to time then.

I am starting to worry that maybe I'm becoming a candidate for a tin hat.

Thanks.

so if you don't like the windsurfing with classical music, what are you going to do with the bike? what's the slogan, "peddling nowhere leisurely on someone else's dime"? what kind of music goes with that? kd lang?

and about that bike pic, my kids say The Cheat wants his yellow back.

'.. the Republican Guard ..'

Gotta give Mr. Schechter credit for a clever way with words.

what are you going to do with the bike?

No words, just the visual.

Just roll the bike video, play the French national anthem in the background, and dub in some dude speaking French. It doesn’t matter what the hell the guy is saying. The message will be clear.

LOL!

Don't forget to use the flying monkeys from "The Wizard of Oz" in the background. Just make sure you film them eating cheese and giving up to some skinny, bearded guy wearing a bathrobe.

Today Rush Limbaugh referred to the article below to confirm his own analysis, expressed a few weeks ago:

"Kerry Stakes Out Opposition Stance on War"
Wed Sep 22, 7:42 AM ET
By RON FOURNIER, AP Political Writer

"As for Kerry, he was in Florida answering questions about his roundabout record on Iraq. Why vote against authorizing war when Saddam occupied Kuwait in 1991? Why vote to authorize war in 2002? Why vote against funding that war? Why so sour on the war now?

There are no easy answers. Kerry's own advisers acknowledge he's taking a risk, because Americans don't like to be told they're losing a war. It took nearly a decade for public opinion to turn against the Vietnam War, said a senior Democrat with ties to the campaign, and Kerry has just six weeks."

No wonder El Rushbo is 98.+% right, he can read their mind ! The problem is that they generally do not verbalize their thoughts in public.

It is so scary, I think this strategy needs to be aired everywhere so that
people can sse what Kerry's aims are.

Kudos to tee bee for working Da Cheat into the mix. There's always room for a Homestar reference!
(subdued golf clap ensues)

I know animated GIFs are notoriously evil, but if there's any place for such a thing, it's the bike picture.

TC, don't egg him, er, I mean me on!

It's the Tour de France!

Just would,nt you like to see kerry get his front wheel cuaght in a sewer gratting and get himself dumped face first in a mud puddle a real chance for him to be a little less like a eletist fool