Well, this story is all over the ‘sphere but I do feel compelled to jump on the bandwagon as well. MSNBC has decent coverage of the story here. What I found most interesting was the CBS response to the panel’s investigation. It’s in PDF, but you can access it here.
Alright, so they hung the blame on Mapes and she does bear the brunt of responsibility and was deservedly fired. Three other senior management folks who failed to provide the oversight that they were paid to provide were relieved of their duties and asked to resign. That is also appropriate.
They gave Rather a pass which is somewhat of a double-standard, especially in light of the lame excuses offered in his defense. The fact that he is stepping down in March means little since he will still be reporting on stories as a senior correspondent. I don’t believe he can be trusted to offer the weather in an unbiased fashion.
Andrew Heyward, CBS News President, also got a pass. I’m more willing to give him the benefit of doubt because it appears he was asking the right questions, and being fed a load of BS from his underlings.
Although the panel found that CBS pursued the story with “myopic zeal” resulting in a story that was “neither fair nor accurate”, they conclude:
The independent investigators former Republican Attorney General Dick Thornburgh and Louis Boccardi, retired president and chief executive officer of The Associated Press said they could find no evidence to conclude the report aired two months before the election was fueled by a political agenda.
Ok, if you say so. How do you define political agenda? If all those involved had the same documented dislike of George Bush as does Dan Rather, isn’t it just a little bit possible that this fact contributed to the “myopic zeal” in which they pursued the story (and more importantly, ignored evidence in their possession that undermined the basic premise of the story)? I remain convinced that it was political bias and/or personal agendas that caused all the breakdowns in standards and practices that allowed this story to air. Just the fact that Mapes was in contact the DNC (who coincidentally began a major ad campaign the day after the report was aired challenging the President’s guard service) seems like pretty good evidence of political bias, but hey, what do I know–I’m just a news consumer (but not from CBS thankfully).
Anyway, Rather deserved to be dismissed for his conduct after the story was aired. Calling critics of his reporting “partisan hacks” (critics who were proven correct) is not political bias, right Dan?
Overall, I will give CBS a B- for its actions in response to the report. Am I being too easy or too harsh?
hat tip to More sense than money, where I lifted the quote.
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Let’s keep in mind that Dan Rather has spend the better part of the past four decades providing outstanding reporting to the American people. I am not condoning his report on W but I am willing to look at the big picture not just one mistake, which he has fully admitted was wrong. But if we are out to punish reporters for poor journalism let’s be sure to not to forget our good friend Armstrong Williams . He, like Rather, made a poor journalistic decision. However, to the best of my knowledge, Rather wasn’t paid to do his report. Nothing like a little payola to help you take a stance on an issue. The Department of Education should find better ways to spend its money. I wonder how many kids you can keep from being “left behind” with 240,00 dollars? Oh well, I guess that is money better spent putting a political pundit in your back pocket.
Kevin, no one is supporting what Armstrong did. Conservatives have been among his harshest critics. But what is with this liberal love of moral relativity? Rather and his cronies tried to influence a close Presidential election with forged documents–I think that trumps payola. This is not the only mistake Rather has made in his career, in fact, it’s the second time he got caught. And that’s not even taking into account that he acted as a shill for the Democratic Party at a fundraiser.
Here is what I want from the media–a little honesty. Just be up front about you bias, we’ll decide how much credibility to give you. But don’t insult my intelligence by claiming to be something that you clearly are not. Rather is the worst of a bad lot.
Kevin, I do appreciate you taking the time to comment. Please feel free to share your views here. I might not agree, but I will respect your right to argue with me. I might even give you the last word occasionally–but not today!
It only takes one lapse in integrity to destroy a reputation. This may seem harsh in light of the fact that some people seem to walk away scot free from similar lapses. However, we expect more from some than others. Dan Rather represented an institution. The profession of journalism is under attack for a perceived bias by ultra conservatives, who see the world in a different way from most of mainstream America. Bloggers have hitched a ride because some, perhaps many, truely believe all news should be editorialized (their spin of course) and they see themselves as crusaders in the cause. I prefer to think for myself so just give me the facts. I’ll come to my own conclusions, thank-you. The problem is Rather’s actions (and those of the entire 60 minutes crew involved)lend credence to these groups’ complaints. For this reason I am glad to see that CBS is dealing with those involved in a such a no nonsense type manner. Sometimes you cannot be empathetic. This is one of those occasions. If you wish to preserve the institution of journalism, and I for one do, it is imperative that integrity be maintained. I am not ready to get my news from blogging. Blogging is fun. Its entertainment, but it isn’t news. It doesn’t really matter if Rather served with distinction for 40 years. He did the institution a disservice and should consider himself lucky that he is being allowed to retire. Got to go with JOhn on this one.
I find it interesting that you place so much importance on one man’s actions, whither they be right or wrong is a person’s individual perspective. I feel the actual atrocity has been committed in the very structure of the media system. I think if CBS and Rather can report stories biasly and be believed who’s to say the other “news stations” aren’t doing the same things. In fact I just assume I’m not being told the whole truth when I watch American news. I believe when Bush was reelected there were riots in California and all over the world, but you didn’t hear about any of them on the news. And why? I will tell you why; the government has an invested interest on the media. You will find nothing on the newscast that they don’t want you to know, just enough so you think your getting the full story. We the American people aren’t really informed about the war, programs such as echelon, or the George W’s extensive run-in’s with the law. Why don’t you ask all the Christian voters about George’s cocaine use? Was this the moral high ground they were looking for? The media will truly never be unbiased until society pushes for the change. Until then the majority of Americans are happy sitting in their bubble, the invisible prison of our society. “What society doesn’t know won’t hurt them!â€
Oh my! It is my long lost Avery! I am so glad you found me. So glad in fact that I am not even going to challenge you (too much). Actually, I agree that our media does not give us the whole story. That’s why it is imperative that we find new sources of information so we can make up our own mind. I just hope my sweet girl that you are not relying on Kitty Kelly as one of your sources (that cocaine story is bogus). And Carol, that is a legitimate role for blogs to play. Just last night we were reading a couple of Iraqi bloggers. Guess what, they are there and I would rather hear what they say about what is happening than some reporter with an agenda consorting with “insurgents” in a Baghdad hotel.
Anyway, I hope you will come and visit here often Avery. I want to know what is going on with you these days. Sorry we didn’t connect over the holidays….
Anyone in a position of trust that betrays that trust should be hung from the yardarm. Dan Rather?Hang ’em high! G Bush ? The greatest “mistaker” of them all…what do we do with George?
Anonymous asks: “What do we do with George?” I say we put him up for re-election and let the people decide if he is the “greatest mistaker of them all”. Oh wait, we did that already. 58 million Americans said “four more years!”. Deal with it.
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