DO NOT read this NY Observer story in which Dan Rather slams the WH!

[beaconess]

Dan Rather To Bush: ‘Answer The Questions’
by Joe Hagan


"With respect: answer the questions," said Dan Rather, the CBS News anchor. He was asking a direct question to President George W. Bush, his re-election campaign and his political allies in the press and on the Web. "We’ve heard what you have to say about the documents and what you’ve said and what your surrogates have said, but for the moment, answer the questions.
. . .

Mr. Rather asserted that the lack of denial was itself evidence of the essential truth of his findings. The questions raised by his reporting, he said, have remained unanswered by the Bush administration: Did Mr. Bush get preferential treatment for the Texas Air National Guard? Was then-Lieutenant Bush suspended for failing to perform up to Texas and Air Guard standards? Did then-Lieutenant Bush refuse a direct order from his military superior to take a required examination?
. . .

Mr. Rather said that it would require an exceptional amount of knowledge to craft a forgery—and not just the typographical kind. "You’d have to have an in-depth knowledge of Air Force manuals from 1971," he said. "You’d have to have Bush’s service record, you’d have to have the Air Force regulations from 1971, you’d have to know nearly all of the people involved directly at that time, including the squadron commander, who was Bush’s immediate superior, and his attitude at the time—you’d have to know all those things and weave all those things in."

Mr. Rather said he was well aware of reports in The New York Times and The Washington Post that had finely detailed examinations of inconsistencies in the memos. And he said he took those reports seriously and appreciated the "competitive response" of other news organizations. But despite a number of experts calling the memos forgeries, he said that "the truth of these documents lies in the signatures and in the content, not just the typeface and the font-style. Let me emphasize once again, these are not exact sciences. Not like DNA or fingerprints." . . . That was why, he said, half of the experts agreed and the other half didn’t. That supposed stalemate left nothing but the truth at the center of the documents. "In terms of the experts, you’re going to find an equal number of experts on the authenticity arguments," he said. "I don’t think that’s going to resolve the argument. The core truth of the reporting, I think it’s already clear that it’s true. And I think as time goes along, it will become even more apparent."

http://observer.com/pages/nytv.asp#

[skygazer]

1. That's exactly it

And that's exactly where these things always go - the WH gets all fussy about the details and never answers the questions at the heart of it. They're tactics to change the focus until the public forgets what the original question was. Right on, Dan.

[Stew225]

2. I can't tell you how much respect I have

for CBS and Dan Rather! Hmmm, I guess I just did! Isn't this encouraging, though? There is still hope!!!!!

[Vincardog]

3. Go Dan Finally someone standing up to the THUGS

[Demi_Babe]

4. way to go

[Stephanie]

5. Dan has something

He keeps hinting at it. I think he has the goods on the (Dis)Honorable Discharge.

[laruemtt]

6. just sent this to him:

"Dear Mr. Rather, thank you for your balls." hope he doesn't take that the wrong way....

[MasonJar]

7. E-mail them. I am going to every day that they hang tough.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

8. Dan may have the goods and is letting this play out in order...

to get it into the mindset of the people.

[LisaLynne]

9. And on top of it all,

... Mr. Rather came off soundy classy. He thanked the other news orgs for their 'competitive response' and carefully instructed the ignorant that these things aren't exact sciences, and that's why half the experts think they're real while half don't. Just an all around good statement.

[A_Possum]

10. Class and courage

Like Kerry. If Rather makes a mistake, he'll admit it. He doesn't scream and whine and go berserk because he's being questioned--he just calmly tells you why he made the choice he did.

Unlike the Excuse President and his Cult Followers, who can't bear to have anyone ever question his perfection.