GUARD MEMOS ACCURATE IF NOT ORIGINALS
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| Thu, 09-16-2004 - 7:43am |
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A24633-2004Sep15_2.html<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
Rather Concedes Papers Are Suspect
CBS Anchor Urges Media to Focus On Bush Service
By Howard Kurtz
<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, September 16, 2004; Page A01
CBS anchor Dan Rather acknowledged for the first time yesterday that there are serious questions about the authenticity of the documents he used to question President Bush's National Guard record last week on "60 Minutes."
"If the documents are not what we were led to believe, I'd like to break that story," Rather said in an interview last night. "Any time I'm wrong, I want to be right out front and say, 'Folks, this is what went wrong and how it went wrong.' "
Rather spoke after interviewing the secretary to Bush's former squadron commander, who told him that the memos attributed to her late boss are fake -- but that they reflect the commander's belief that Bush was receiving preferential treatment to escape some of his Guard commitments.
The former secretary, Marian Carr Knox, is the latest person to raise questions about the "60 Minutes" story, which Rather and top CBS officials still defend while vowing to investigate mounting questions about whether the 30-year-old documents used in the story were part of a hoax. Their shift in tone yesterday came as GOP critics as well as some media commentators demanded that the story be retracted and suggested that Rather should step down.
"This is not about me," Rather said before anchoring last night's newscast. "I recognize that those who didn't want the information out and tried to discredit the story are trying to make it about me, and I accept that."
For Rather, 72, it is an all-too-familiar role. In his CBS career, he has survived an impertinent exchange with President Richard M. Nixon during Watergate, a clandestine trek through the mountains of Afghanistan, an on-air confrontation with George H.W. Bush over Iran-contra and a much-debated sitdown with Saddam Hussein in Baghdad.
Now, on the final leg of a career launched by a Texas hurricane, Rather is trying to weather his biggest storm. And some of his closest friends and associates are concerned.
"I think this is very, very serious," said Bob Schieffer, CBS's chief Washington correspondent. "When Dan tells me these documents are not forgeries, I believe him. But somehow we've got to find a way to show people these documents are not forgeries." Some friends of Rather, whose contract runs until the end of 2006, are discussing whether he might be forced to make an early exit from CBS.
In her interview with Rather yesterday, Knox repeated her contention that the documents used by "60 Minutes" were bogus. Knox, 86, worked for Lt. Col. Jerry B. Killian while he supervised Bush's unit in the early 1970s.
"I know that I didn't type them," Knox said of the Killian memos. "However, the information in there is correct," she said, adding that Killian and the other officers would "snicker about what was getting away with."
Rather said he was "relieved and pleased" by Knox's comments that the disputed memos reflected Killian's view of the favorable treatment that Bush received in the military unit. But he said, "I take very seriously her belief that the documents are not authentic." If Knox is right, Rather said, the public "won't hear about it from a spokesman. They'll learn it from me."
But he also delivered a message to "our journalistic competitors," including The Washington Post and rival networks: "Instead of asking President Bush and his staff questions about what is true and not true about the president's military service, they ask me questions: 'How do you know this and that about the documents?' "
CBS News President Andrew Heyward defended the work that went into the Guard story. "I feel that we did a tremendous amount of reporting before the story went on the air or we wouldn't have put it on the air," Heyward said last night. "But we want to get to the bottom of these unresolved issues," including questions about the memos' typography, signatures and format. "There's such a ferocious debate about these documents."
Heyward said the account by Knox is "significant, which is why we're putting it on our prime-time program," "60 Minutes."
Patriotism means to stand by the Country. It does not mean to stand by the President. -- Theodore Roosevelt.

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Bunk!
Bush inherited a lagging economy from Clinton, all the corporate scandals occured DURING clintons' presidency, and absolutely NO foriegn policy from Clinton. Clinton is the one to blame for the debt that we were in to begin with. Then 9/11 happened. US had no alternative but to spend money to clean up the mess that we were ATTACKED WITH!!!! I take it you do NOT live in NYC or NJ.
Do you recall that Clinton inherited a huge deficit and BALANCED THE BUDGET? Do you recall that Saddam Hussein is not the one who attacked us and we are spending tons of money to go after a country that had nothing, I repeat NOTHING to do with that attack? It was
Ok, I can tell right away you're one of those people that feel that trickle down economy does not work.
Oh, and by the way, it does not work.
She said they reflected Killians feelings.....but there is no proof.
Killians family says that this is not the way Killian felt, and have a list of several other people that will confirm this story....friends, and people that served with Killian.
I saw the interview - she's a sharp old lady who worked for Killian and had absolutely no reason to lie. I'm sure his family and friends are mortified that this is coming out now but so be it.
Bush will sneak, lie, cheat and ignore the chaos in the world but if he can keep it between the lines until after he's elected he'lll be happy. Once the election is over he won't care if the wheels fall off because he'll be a 2 term president. Big Whoop, and if Americans can stop fighting long enough to see what's in the best interest of this country they'll take him off the road!
Edited 9/17/2004 11:38 am ET ET by righton2004
http://rpc.senate.gov/_files/ACFD5.pdf
"Hinted"?! You mean you were able to infer that she "hinted" it was Killian? This is the secretary who is pro-Kerry and hates Bush.
Nope, by your own "logic" she's a partisan source and not to be believed.
My husband's example (as he explained to me) was the San Diego area. Apparently for 2 decades they voted down a local tax increase that would have funded more services like police and fire fighters. Then, was it last year? They had that HUGE devastating fire in which so many people lost their homes. Then they cried and wanted government aid after.....aid that they hadn't wanted to give up any tax dollars for. I remember seeing that on the news and thinking "how ironic." Nobody wants to pay for government social programs, then what happens when THEY need those programs?
Well, anyway, I'm sure I'll get ripped apart for this, but it's just my own personal tax rant!
The spoke with Killians wife and son, and they were given a list of numerous other people to speak with about the memos and the time in question. CBS chose to ignore these other people. I wonder why??????
I guess it's more important to try to get out the message that Bush's service in the ANY MIGHT have been less than honorable, it doesn't matter if it is fact or not.
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