CBS Fires 4 In Forged Document Scandal

[Terri]

CBS Fires 4 In Forged Document Scandal

By Jeff Gannon
Talon News
January 11, 2005

WASHINGTON (Talon News) -- The long-awaited results of an independent investigation into the use of forged documents in a CBS 60 Minutes report on September 8 about President Bush's military service 30 years ago was released Monday along with an announcement that four employees would be terminated. The report and dismissals were seen by some as too harsh and others as incomplete and not going far enough.

The network named the investigative panel on September 22 under pressure from affiliate stations who were inundated by viewer complaints. Internet sites which had quickly determined the CBS documents to be forgeries as well as conservative talk radio amplified the calls for investigation.

The panel was comprised of former U.S. Attorney General Dick Thornburgh and retired Associated Press President and Chief Executive Officer Louis D. Boccardi. The two issued a 224-page report that purported to be a comprehensive examination of the scandal, but fell short in the eyes of those closest to the controversy.

More (http://www.gopusa.com/news/2005/january/0111_cbs_fires_four. shtml)

[papajaxxx]

<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr class="standard"><td>Quote </td></tr><tr class="standard"><td class="QUOTE">The network named the investigative panel [/QUOTE]

Here's the problem! You get to pick your own investigative panel. How handy!

I bet CBS got the outcome they wanted!

The major networks need major overhauling or their news programs will only be watched by those who have a B &amp; W TV with an outside antenna or rabbit ears.

They need to move into the 21st century.
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[Terri]

This story has a lot of reaction to the CBS report.

<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr class="standard"><td>Quote </td></tr><tr class="standard"><td class="QUOTE">CBS Escapes Criticism from Peers (http://www.gopusa.com/news/2005/january/0111_cbs_reaction.sh tml)

By Steve Roeder
Talon News
January 11, 2005

NEW YORK (Talon News) -- The 224-page report issued Monday by the independent panel headed by former U.S. Attorney General Dick Thornburgh and Louis Boccardi, retired head of the Associated Press, prompted the ousting of four CBS News employees. However, reactions from CBS and its peers varied.

CBS presented multiple stories on its web site. Its two fiercest competitors, ABC and NBC, displayed wire stories from AP and Reuters and short video from their reporters on their web sites. USA Today and The New York Times, two news sources that have received black eyes recently for their own missteps in journalistic reporting, provided their own stories on their web sites.

The report stated that those involved in the preparation and reporting of President Bush's service in the Texas Air National Guard did not follow basic journalistic principles. The panel also said CBS News compounded the failure with a &quot;rigid and blind&quot; defense of the 60 Minutes Wednesday report.
[/QUOTE]

[ChristianBuckeyeMan]

I believe the investigative panel diligently sought after the real truth ...

like O.J. sought after the &quot;real&quot; killer.

[VetteJeff]

<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr class="standard"><td>Quote </td></tr><tr class="standard"><td class="QUOTE">The panel also reported that it did not find &quot;a basis to accuse those who investigated, produced, vetted, or aired the segment of having a political bias.&quot;

[/QUOTE]


*Lets see they did the story at the prime time in a campaign. Spoke with and gave heads up about the broadcast before hand. Put in touch with the head of one Campaign with your source. Attached those that questioned your report as partisans... *But there was no &quot;Political Bias&quot; or agenda...
*That's right its only unethical if it helps Republicans !!!!

Jeff * * http://www.gopusa.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/usflag22.gif *http://www.gopusa.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/usflag22.gif *http://www.gopusa.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/usflag22.gif *http://www.gopusa.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

[Froufrou]

[David Bauder, Associated Press, as reprinted in the San Antonio Express-News today:]

-snip to last paragraph-

&quot;They (the investigative panel) also said it was &quot;inappropriate&quot; for Mapes to have helped Burkett get in contact with Joe Lockhart, a political adviser to Democrat John Kerry.&quot;

YA THINK?

[jcuz]

Plain and simple. Dan and company knew the docs were fake. But, as liberals clearly deduce and determine, all other people are stupid and will never find out the truth. Criminals think this way also. See the parallel? At 75, one would think that Dan would have known better. But, he was about to retire and just had to take one more stab at the GOP. It did not work. Mr. Dan was suckered as was CBS. http://www.gopusa.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

[cgretired]

Mr. Dan Rather was not suckered. He knew exactly what he was doing.

Ok, CBS, we're now waiting for an official appology to our then sitting and now President Elect.

We're still waiting!!

Just as I thought... it will never happen.

[Reaganite]

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Rather should have been run out of town a long time ago along with the others (including other network's clowns). They didn't go far enough. We knew they wouldn't. This is no surprise. They couldn't do the right thing. We're talking No Mind Liberals ... please intelligent people ... don't act surprised. Everyone knew nothing was going to happen to Dan or anyone else. Big deal these four people will find another job. They already have new jobs. Nothing really happened to them. Whippee I'm fired - oh yea, I've been picked up by ___ because I hate George Bush.

ChristianBuckeyeMan said a mouthful.

EVERYONE INVOLVED SHOULD HAVE TO STAND AND PUBLICLY APOLOGIZE IN PRIME TIME TO OUR BELOVED PRESIDENT, HIS WIFE AND FAMILY. Never gonna happen.

What's this I hear Kerry is abroad running our Precious Military in the ground again? PIG.

GOD BLESS AMERICA

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[Ohiowoman]

My favorite part is the finding of no evidence of political bias in handling the story. I guess it required Dan and Co. wearing Kerry-Edwards buttons to prove there was bias. Mary Mapes had been working on this story for 5 YEARS! She knew if she didn't get something soon, it wouldn't matter anymore.

Howard Kurtz of the Washington Post referred to the CBS &quot;blunder&quot;. No, Howard, it wasn't a blunder. It was a lie and they got caught.

I agree - a primetime apology is in order from Rather, at the very least, and from Andrew Heyward.

[steveh]

Did we expect anything less? The only thing I can hope is that Dan Rather has a serious case of 'Survivor's Guilt'. This is something akin to being the only person in a neighborhood whose house is still standing after fire, earthquake, or flood has wiped everyone else's home of the face of the earth (you can tell I'm in So Cal).

I am sure his Machiavellian point of view is an obstacle to a potential crisis of conscience. The end justifies the means is the new elitist mantra.

[steveh]

Did we expect anything less? *The only thing I can hope is that Dan Rather has a serious case of 'Survivor's Guilt'. *This is something akin to being the only person in a neighborhood whose house is still standing after fire, earthquake, or flood has wiped everyone else's home of the face of the earth (you can tell I'm in So Cal).

I am sure his Machiavellian point of view is an obstacle to a potential crisis of conscience. *The end justifies the means is the new elitist mantra.

[fredd33]

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Is'nt Dan Rather the one who always says the man at the top should be held responsible. Oops, that is only for others, not him.

[truckpat]

Can you just immagine what would happen if that had been Republicans downing the Dumbocrats? Guess the shoes don't fit from Right to Left, but, Rather will never admit defeat, nor will he ever admit he was wrong. I wonder what he will tell God if and when he sees Him, about this mess. I would feel sorry for him if he were really an innocent person in this, but, he was right in the middle of it. The biggest duck in the puddle. He wasn't in the thick of anything in Florida, because I was, and Rather was where he wouldn't get caught. So, that is not a reason for lies against Bush.

God bless America and President Bush
God bless our Troops
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[boborich]

Can I go a step further. *News chiefs only report with the bias of their superiors. *Otherwise they would be replaced. *The dismissals should have gone much higher than Danny boy. *And the public apology, prime time, should be from Dan-o up to the head of C-B.S.

The only reason four people got dismissed was because the top brass are finally wising up that they are not the only game in town. *The internet, satelite/cable TV, and FOX/UPN/WB are now giving people an alternative to the not-so-big three. *So, they are trying to pull a smoke and mirrors trick with this lengthy investigation.

All I can say is keep up the good work C-B.S. *Pretty soon no one will watch your blatant making and distorting of the news. *And to all the other news outlets, Keep growing stronger with reporting the facts.

Just my own humble opinion.

[ringo0921]

Those self richeous weenies got themselves fired!
Well, It's a start!

[rangerrebew]

No political bias. In order to be &quot;fair and balanced&quot;, who did they interview to get an opposing view? Did Mary Mapes but Burkett in touch with Carl Rove? The did, in fact, interview some people who contradicted the &quot;documents&quot;, (Col. Killean's son and the daughter of Burkett (I believe) but chose to believe their denials of the &quot;facts&quot; to be unfounded. As far as Blather apologizing, wasn't it convenient that he was &quot;on assignment&quot; when the report aired. A cooincidence, I'm certain.