The dispute over the authenticity of documents reported by CBS News to have clarified President Bush?s National Guard Service came to a head Monday when Dan Rather, who originally reported the documents, apologized for the story CBS management dubbed a ?mistake?.
For the past week, Republican pundits wondered if this latest scandal would finally topple Rather, whom they believe is a charter member of the left wing media.
But Rather is not alone in drawing conservative ire. If you?re on the right, it?s easy to know who your media enemies are. Read The National Review and the Wall Street Journal. Distrust The New York Times and Newsweek. Watch Fox and be wary of all others.
I?ll admit that Dan Rather has made it easy for the right by attending Democratic fundraisers, prematurely announcing Gore as the winner of the 2000 race and leading the national news in general when times were tough for Republicans.
Today?s scandal over potentially falsified documents does not discount Rather?s decades of reporting of war and peace, bipartisanship and political division.
Ultimately, Rather?s story has revealed one thing - that people will go to any end to protect their sources. When Texas Guard official Bill Burkett admitted knowingly misleading CBS News as to the source of the documents on which Rather reported, he cast a shadow of doubt on himself and anyone else producing information questioning Bush?s Guard record. In fact, by lying about his source, Burkett ensured that the issue will no longer plague the president?s reelection campaign. Just what the republicans needed: a good example of conspiracy. They?ll surely run with it, seeing a lying Bill Burkett behind every negative sentence published about Bush between now and the election.
Journalists must up-hold the highest standards and avoid even the appearance of impropriety in reporting a story. After the dust settles, you and I are the real victims. CBS has learned its lesson and should keep Rather.
