Jackson Free Press

Hmmm, remember Rather-Gate? There may be another chapter on the way, thanks to the vigilance of Mr. Rather himself. The New York Times reports:

When Dan Rather filed suit against CBS 14 months ago — claiming, among other things, that his former employer had commissioned a politically biased investigation into his work on a "60 Minutes" segment about President Bush's National Guard service — the network predicted the quick and favorable dismissal of the case, which it derided as "old news." So far, Mr. Rather has spent more than $2 million of his own money on the suit. And according to documents filed recently in court, he may be getting something for his money. Using tools unavailable to him as a reporter — including the power of subpoena and the threat of punishment against witnesses who lie under oath — he has unearthed evidence that would seem to support his assertion that CBS intended its investigation, at least in part, to quell Republican criticism of the network. Among the materials that money has shaken free for Mr. Rather are internal CBS memorandums turned over to his lawyers, showing that network executives used Republican operatives to vet the names of potential members of a panel that had been billed as independent and charged with investigating the "60 Minutes" segment. [...]

hose who have worked on the case with Mr. Rather, 77, say he has approached it with the zeal of a correspondent trying to report out a "60 Minutes" segment about himself, burying himself in deposition transcripts late into the night and providing his lawyers with road maps of leads he thinks they should pursue. He rarely misses a court hearing on the case.

"I want to go the distance," Mr. Rather said recently over a lunch of chili and cornbread at a barbecue restaurant. "Like any good reporter, I want to get as many as facts as possible; I want to get to the bottom of the story."

Some of the documents unearthed by his investigation include notes taken at the time by Linda Mason, a vice president of CBS News. According to her notes, one potential panel member, Warren Rudman, a former Republican senator from New Hampshire, was deemed a less-than-ideal candidate over fears by some that he would not "mollify the right."

Meanwhile, Mr. Thornburgh, who served as attorney general for both Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush, was named a panelist by CBS, but only after a CBS lobbyist "did some other testing," in which she was told, according to Ms. Mason's notes, "T comes back with high marks from G.O.P."

Another memorandum turned over to Mr. Rather's lawyers by CBS was a long typed list of conservative commentators apparently receiving some preliminary consideration as panel members, including Rush Limbaugh, Matt Drudge, Ann Coulter and Pat Buchanan. At the bottom of that list, someone had scribbled "Roger Ailes," the founder of Fox News. [...]

Other documents, meanwhile, suggest that Ms. Mason, who reported to Mr. Heyward, was getting updates from panel investigators on some of their findings, at a point when CBS News was telling outsiders that the network was staying out of the investigation.

Previous Comments

ID

140766

Comment

Hmmmmm, So Dan was set up, not only by the Republican's, but by his own network as well! Oh, that's right...the Republican's own the networks...and it seems the journalists who "write the songs" as well. Stalin, Khruschev and Trotsky would be proud! George Orwell, I am told, is still turning over in his grave!

Author

FrankMickens

Date

2008-11-17T16:30:21-06:00

ID

140917

Comment

I see that Ann Coulter, one of the proposed panelists according to the story, has a column in today's Ledger in which she equates the Congressional Black Caucus with the Klu Klux Klan. She talks about how the media has been biased against George W. Bush (43). I wonder if she is on the same medication as Rush Limpballs. I wonder do folks think it would be too extreme to propose a nationwide boycott of subscribing to papers that carry her column until they cease and desist. She should not be published. If she wants to self publish that is o.k., this is a free country. She should not be subsidized by progressive people who just want to catch on the news in the area and state. Do you all think this is an extreme idea?

Author

FreeClif

Date

2008-11-21T08:53:31-06:00

ID

140924

Comment

What earthly reason would CBS have for selling Dan Rather down the river in such a high profile fashion? That makes absolutely no sense. Seems to me that he was drinking the Bush bashing kool aid and leaped before looking. Of course I wouldn't expect Dan Rather of all people to confirm his sources personally but if you're going to put your mug on TV and talk smack you better know of which smack you speak. The lesson, I think, in this for all of us is that those guys on the news are not any more trustworthy than the people they cover. I understand the Brits have the right idea, they call the TV newspeople "News readers". A more accurate title I think.

Author

WMartin

Date

2008-11-21T16:21:02-06:00

ID

140925

Comment

They are human. Some are more human than others. Some, like Sean Hannity are pure bred aliens. I expect him to turn into a writhing snake-like creature at any moment (hissssssssssssssssssssss).

Author

FreeClif

Date

2008-11-21T16:36:15-06:00

ID

140926

Comment

I haven't see her column Whitley and if I had I wouldn't have read it. I appreciate conservative views but But I don't think it's too extreme at all. If you don't like that publisher supporting her column you shouldn't buy their product.

Author

WMartin

Date

2008-11-21T16:39:18-06:00

ID

140928

Comment

^^The above post should say.^^ I appreciate conservative views but not from the kool aid drinkers on that side either.

Author

WMartin

Date

2008-11-21T17:44:30-06:00

ID

140929

Comment

Omg... Sean Hannity. When I first listened to his show I thought to myself, "Why do we need another Rush? Isn't three hours enough?" But he seemed like a nicer guy at first, not as pompous. As I caught his show more and more I noticed that he hasn't just bought the whole party line hook, line and sinker but he swallowed the hook and it has pierced his heart or something. He has the most annoying habit of repeating the same talking points ad infinitum. It made me crazy. I kept thinking, "Who is he trying to convince? Me or himself?". I finally just had to turn it off. I still cringe when I think about it. If he is an alien I think he is more like the borg from Star Trek. He is trying to assimilate us for our own good. Resistance is futile.

Author

WMartin

Date

2008-11-21T17:54:28-06:00