posted on October 3, 2004 03:30:59 PM
Fox has disciplined the reporter that lied about what kerry said after the debates... they owned up to the lie and took appropriate action, now is the time for CBS to do the same.
posted on October 3, 2004 04:09:24 PM
Exactly correct. Now the creator of "60 minutes" slams the Guard story.
'60 Minutes' Creator Slams Guard Story
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Sep 30, 8:42 PM (ET)
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) - The creator of "60 Minutes," Don Hewitt, said Thursday he would not have done the story on President Bush's National Guard service that got CBS anchor Dan Rather in so much hot water.
Rather apologized Sept. 20 for a Sept. 8 "60 Minutes" story that cited documents purported to be from one of Bush's commanders in the Texas Air National Guard. Numerous questions have been raised about the documents' authenticity.
Speaking on a South Dakota Public Broadcasting radio show, Hewitt said the story was an old one that had already been dealt with in the 2000 presidential campaign.
"I never would have done the story," said Hewitt, who retired in June as the show's executive producer after 36 years.
"I would have been very wary injecting myself into a campaign. You've got to be very careful that you're not perceived as doing the job that one of the two candidates should be doing himself."
Hewitt, 82, was in Vermillion to receive the 2004 Al Neuharth Award for Excellence in Journalism at the University of South Dakota.
During the radio show, Hewitt said he's sorry that "60 Minutes" and Rather were perceived as doing Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry's job for him "by bringing up an old issue, and they weren't careful enough to not make mistakes. And the minute you make one mistake, you're dead."
Hewitt added that it was "stupid" for Kerry to have injected his Vietnam service into the presidential race, which opened the door for anti-Kerry groups such as Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.
Not only have previous presidential candidate war veterans avoided such talk, but Kerry had followed up his Vietnam service by becoming an outspoken opponent of the war, he said.
"You can't play war hero if it's about a war where you threw your medals away," Hewitt said.
In other words There is no such thing as a anti war hero
"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The person who has nothing for which he is willing
to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."
--John Stuart Mill
posted on October 3, 2004 04:19:47 PMHewitt added that it was "stupid" for Kerry to have injected his Vietnam service into the presidential race
No at all. We need someone who is not a coward like Bush to go after the 9-11 terrorists and kill them.
You can't play war hero if it's about a war where you threw your medals away
Sure you can. Being brave has nothing to do with the objectives of the war you're fighting in.
There were many brave German soldiers, just as there were brave Japanese soldiers.
Individual soldiers like Kerry did not start the war, nor did they set the objectives nor strategies. However, this in no way takes away from there bravery.
Along those same lines, redressing one's government by throwing away ones medals does not erase the heroism that earned those medals.
In fact I would argue that a deserter like Bush shouldn't even be allowed around our wounded or dead soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan.
Like Patton, said, we shouldn't have cowards like Bush smelling up the space of real heroes.
posted on October 3, 2004 08:56:01 PMPatton would have been proud to have Kerry in combat with him.
Bull SHIP. Patton would have Bitc# Slapped kerry for faking his 1st & 3rd purple hearts, like he did the "shell shocked" GI.
Hey, hey Ho, ho Kerry - sign the 1-8-0
"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The person who has nothing for which he is willing
to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."
--John Stuart Mill
posted on October 3, 2004 09:08:01 PM
Wasn't this the guy that was a member of a group called 'Communists for Kerry' that had given Fox News a false story?
I believe it was. Like they should have known that a guy from a group with that name, wasn't a kerry supporter?
Don't ever expect to see an apology from See-BS nor dan rather[biased]. They don't have it in them - they're liberals who have ALWAYS supported the democratic party. This year it's just way more obvious. That's proven by the fact that within one week of admitting 'the documents may have been forged'...they're telling another lie about the President.
posted on October 3, 2004 09:22:42 PM
Just out of curiosity - What world do you three live in that you have missed Rathers appology? I'm quite sure that Fox covered it so how did all three of you manage to miss it?
Here ---- from a news source that all three of you so dearly love.....
This is a story that severely erodes the partiality and credibility of CBS News, especially since Burkett is now alleging he only provided the anti-Bush documents to CBS on condition that they arrange access to Lockhart. I think it is clear that Mary Mapes will have to go.
But not so Dan Rather. Although he has been severely and tragically compromised in this story, I believe that he should be spared. And why? Because he apologized. And he did so unreservedly. And we have to begin to forge a culture in America where apologies that are unaccompanied by buts (as in, "I apologize, but ..." are accepted. Only this way can we restore to our broken culture the idea of personal accountability....
posted on October 3, 2004 09:26:29 PM
There was no admission of wrong, only he didn't check out the facts... he still believes they are correct, but no longer has the documentation to back them up... CBS is owes an apology to President Bush... not hard to see at all.
posted on October 3, 2004 09:28:22 PM
Fenix, those bozos don't recognize someone who can admit a mistake and apologize,,,their freakin' president is incapable of it.
and they just can't google fast enough to get the CURRENT news.
posted on October 3, 2004 09:56:42 PM
fenix - I'm sorry but I see a Rabbi saying rather apologized. I know you will correct me IF I'm wrong, but there is no direct quote of rather's apology.
They only thing I've seen that comes close to him apologizing is when he said [paraphrasing here] 'it appears the documents we spoke about may have been forged...or may not have been real.
And I agree. Rather was trying to do the MOST damage he could to this President's re-election. rather owes him a direct - on 60 Minutes - where he broke this story - apology. Saying we were wrong. I was wrong to have reported a story before doing my job as a journalist by failing to do my job of verifying my sources before I became so very eager to smear your credibility.
That MIGHT serve as an apology for me.
This isn't the first time he's done this. It's one of hundreds of times....just didn't make the big time that this did.
posted on October 3, 2004 10:27:53 PM
Rathers Statement
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.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~
If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on October 3, 2004 10:54:53 PM
Thank you for posting that fenix - I had not read it nor heard it.
And your mention of how did we miss it, it probably was on Fox News. Believe it or not I rarely read Fox News. I do listen to them on TV...and occassionaly come across one of their online articles that's referenced on another website I'm reading.
But I still have problems with rather's apology.
First I question whether his apology was on his regular news program or on 60 Minutes...where the false accusation was made.
Then his comment: "Please know that nothing is more important to us than people's trust in our ability and our commitment to report fairly and truthfully."....will REALLY make anyone laugh who actually reads ratherbiased.com.
They have been the MOST left-leaning, anti-Bush, pro-kerry of all the alphabet stations.
And a long time ago you and I spoke about the difference between the articles on the so called 'rag' magazines. And I believe you were the one who pointed out to me that the 'regular' news media verified all their sources at least twice before printing/presenting to their viewers a story. Something rather, obviously, didn't do in his rush to smear President Bush.
Also...and last rather didn't even admit this wasn't true...even when other news media people were calling on him to reveal his source, because THEY though something smelled. He refused and this story went on for several days...maybe two weeks? IMHO, he was FORCED to apologize by the higher ups at See-BS because had he not, their station would have NEVER been believed again.
[also want to add that I was happy to hear your 'dream' many finally work out for you.]
[ edited by Linda_K on Oct 3, 2004 11:01 PM ]
posted on October 4, 2004 08:35:28 AM
::also want to add that I was happy to hear your 'dream' many finally work out for you::
Thank you! Everything is falling together beautifully. I put it off because of a business oportunity that had presented itself but the other person involved turned out to be much less involved than I would have hoped (I just don't do 90% of the work in order to recieve 50% of the profits ). Ever since I made the decision to move forward with my plans it's been amazing how things fall into place. I've been looking for an order fulfillment company in a border city. This weekend while I was at my storage unit I ended up talking to a couple that just moved here from el Paso. I mentioned that El Paso was one of the places I was looking and the husband grabs his PDA and pulls up the name, number and a contact person at a company there.
While I was waiting in line at the Kerry town hall meeting I told you about we started talking to the woman behind us in line. Turns out she actually lives down in Guadalajara part time. She gave me the card of the real estate agent they use that handles rental properties in the area.
I think the fates are with me this time
~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~
If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
[ edited by fenix03 on Oct 4, 2004 08:41 AM ]
posted on October 4, 2004 09:07:05 AM
fenix - That's so wonderful. I'm happy for you...oh brave one. Such a huge change and you're right...I feel the same way about fate. If it's meant to be it will come about. If it doesn't work out then it's just not the right timing. Like 'what will be, will be'.
But now I won't get to read about you fixing up that loft...and I was looking forward to that. [being selfish here] But as things fall together for you, I hope you'll keep us updated when you are able. That would be wonderful to hear from you as you progress through your transitional period and get settled in your new home. And I'll keep my fingers crossed that wherever you 'land' you'll have more kitchen cubboards.
posted on October 4, 2004 10:10:19 AM
ROFL!! Yes! Cupboards are a priority. Although to tell the truth, I'm actually kinda looking forward to having some custom pieces made... I already have sketches - I just need to see if they actually fit into whatever place I pick
~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~
If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
are accepted. Only this way can we restore to our broken culture the idea of personal accountability....
