I don't know whether CBS is "dumbing down" and "tarting up" the news these days because I don't watch CBS News. In fact, I don't watch any news on the "big three" networks. If CBS is dumbing down and tarting up the news, however, the organization is merely continuing a trend that's been taking place for decades. That's the main reason why I stopped watching.
Dan Rather himself was not above "tarting up" the news (here I'm using the term in the non-sexist sense Rather says he employed). Indeed, Rather lost his job at CBS after, to put only slightly too strongly, "making up" the news. Icon though he may be (at least to Jeff Hoard), Rather ran a story peddled by anti-Bush forces purporting to show that President Bush had shirked his duty to the Texas National Guard. This was an old and unproven story. But Rather claimed to have something new -- documents that proved the case against Bush.
These documents, however, were obvious forgeries. It took bloggers about half a day to expose them as such (you can follow the complete unraveling at the Power Line archives for September 2004 staring on Sept. 9). But Rather was in a hurry to tart up the news and tear down the president during the middle of an election campaign. Thus, apparently neither he nor his staff discerned the problematic nature of the documents, as they would have done had they met basic journalistic standards.
In another part of the same story, Rather claimed that Bush jumped the line to get into the Texas Air National Guard. This was based on assertions of Democratic operative Ben Barnes that apparently were contradicted by information in the possession of Mary Mapes, Rather's producer for the segment.
Rather not only ran his phony story, he continued to defend it after others had done the work he had his staff should have performed through which the documents were discredited. I have no faith that Katie Couric is putting on a quality news broadcast, but I doubt that she's using fake documents to discredit candidates in the midst of a campaign.
Rather's post on this blog illustrates why, however bad Couric may be, she probably represents an upgrade for CBS. Rather wears his liberal agenda on his sleeve (at one level, I always respected him for that). He is itching to see stories about, for example, "how the war on terrorism has changed how we understand and interpret our Constitution and our bedrock values as a free and democratic society." I doubt that Rather knows enough law or American history to deal seriously with this topic. Has he studied how our "bedrock values as a free and democratic society" fared during other wars? Has he compared the rights being accorded to foreign terrorists today with the treatment of various kinds of combatants in other conflicts?
What Rather is equpped to do is produce "tarted up" stories promoting the agenda implied in his post -- placing more limits on the administration's efforts to prevent attacks on the U.S., redistributing wealth, changing our health care system. It's a legitimate agenda, though one I mostly oppose. But it's not the job a newscast to push that agenda, and Rather's transparent desire to do so shows, once again, that he was not the "honest broker" Americans might reasonably expect a news anchor to be.
Reader Comments ( Page 2 of 2)
16. Greg writes: "There is only one solution to your predicament. Join us on the Republican side. It is much easier to have a positive attitude in life without all the hate and negativity that seems inherent with the Democrats."
Hey Greg - Thanks for the invitation, but I think dropping out is the answer until I receive more thanks from my own party than threats of disenfranchisement of primary votes in what happens to be the most important swing state in the nation. In fact, in almost every election, if the Democrats cannot carry my specific county, they cannot carry the state.
I clearly do not believe that all Republicans are immoral - you for instance are not immoral. However, I do think the party is immoral, and as a gay individual voting Republican would be like a Jew voting for Hitler. I'll let all the tortured closet cases in the Republican party enjoy their self hatred in peace as they work to destroy their and my civil rights.
I think Howard Dean is suffering from a severe attack of inflated ego; and he couldn't have picked a worse state to insult hard working and generous Democrats than Florida. I have written numerous letters and made numerous phone calls today - and we'll see how it turns out. If the correct result does not occur, I'll simply be apolitical
Phil at 10:20PM on Jun 14th 2007
17. Close the circle.
Alberto "VO5" Gonzalez served as Bush's lawyer when he was chosen for jury duty. Gonzo got Bush off so he wouldn't have to answer to drug, alcohol, and military service questions.
Bush has been paying him back ever since. Rather, I say.
Webster Hubble Telescope at 11:47PM on Jun 14th 2007
18. It is generally agreed that the most successful war presidents in American history were Polk, Lincoln, Wilson, and FDR. None had any military experience to speak of before becoming president (Lincoln was in the Illinois militia for a few weeks but never saw action). George W. Bush, with five years in the national guard, had far more military experience than any of them. Presidents with more serious military experience -- Truman, Kennedy, Johnson -- were relatively unsuccessful war leaders. Admittedly Bush the First was an exception. But this is enough to show the absudity of the claim that presidents need military experience.
doyne dawson at 1:57AM on Jun 15th 2007
19. Ever notice the quintisential liberal moral equivalency, equivocating, lies, shimmying, name calling, finger pointing, character assasination and whatever tool available to employ to keep from acknowledging that one of their own is a tart. I love to listen to the monkey dance of the liberals, and what the meaning of 'is' is.
Cdalealden at 4:04AM on Jun 15th 2007
20. They just can't form the words: Dan Rather is a tart! I love the fraternal love that liberals have for their crackhead brother. It doesn't matter what Jeffery Dahmer like deeds he has done - it's still president Bush's fault. The moral equivalency, the equivocating, the finger pointing and name calling; the donkey dance of liberal PC speak is very entertaining.
Cdalealden at 4:12AM on Jun 15th 2007
21. One thing that continuously irks me is comments by Denmocrats and liberals that unless you have military service you are unfit to comment on the war. Yet when active duty military personnel DO blog or comment on matters of war and peace (unless you're a veteran AGAINST the war, of course) they are told by yellow journalists like William Arkin that not only do they not have a say, they are in fact warmongering mercenaries. So, with that in mind, as a six-year veteran myself I'll put forth the proposition, based on LibDems' own talking points, that unless you have served or are serving in the military you have no business commenting on military matters. Fair enough?
JohnnyT at 5:15AM on Jun 15th 2007
22. JohnnyT writes: "based on LibDems' own talking points, that unless you have served or are serving in the military you have no business commenting on military matters. Fair enough?"
Even though Howard Dean is threatening to disenfranchise my Florida primary vote in the most important swing state in the nation, I can't let Richter take all this ridiculous abuse. No, JohnnyT its NOT fair enough. Democrats happen to be a majority in this country, and a country is defined by its citizens as well as its borders.
Since we are the majority, we will have to pay the majority of the bill for this Bush fiasco that has endangered Americans more than if we had not invaded. Bush is so inept he couldn't command his way out of a paper bag, and I don't have to be in the military to see that.
And no, our party is not the party of hate. We are the party who cares about EVERYONE in this country, not just the precious rich, and we are the party that opposed cutting military benefits. We are the party that opposes sending troops to Iraq without sufficient rest between deployments, or with inadequate training. We are the party that insisted that veterans at Walter Reid get the quality medical care they were promised.
Like so many other things his administration has handled, Bush's military record has "disappeared." This is becoming the catch phrase word of this administration. Hide the evidence. There is no real doubt in anyone's mind that Bush went AWOL for an alcohol and cocaine binge and suffered no consequences. From the war, to the economy, to securing our borders and ports, to searching for alternative energy and addressing global warming, his administration will go down as the worst in American history. I don't have to be in the military to make comments on this - all I have to do is be awake to recognize it, and since we're being asked to pay for the fiasco while most Republicans who scream war the loudest make sure someone else dies in it, I think we have a moral duty to speak up.
Phil at 6:16AM on Jun 15th 2007
23. "By the way, do the Bush Bobbysoxers at Powerline have any family members serving in Iraq? Could Mr. Mirengoff perhaps share his illustrious military career with the rest of us?"
Silly chickenhawk ad hom. Lets reverse it:
Dear Copperhead - if you really beleive this is an "illegal immoral" war, why aren't you staging a hunger strike on the steps of Congress? Less chat, more action. Otherwise, I'll assume you don't have the courage to defend you "principles".
SGT Wood
2D LAR BN
USMC
Fen at 10:20AM on Jun 15th 2007
24. "By the way, do the Bush Bobbysoxers at Powerline have any family members serving in Iraq? Could Mr. Mirengoff perhaps share his illustrious military career with the rest of us?"
Silly chickenhawk ad hom. Lets reverse it:
Dear Copperhead - if you really beleive this is an "illegal immoral" war, why aren't you staging a hunger strike on the steps of Congress? Less chat, more action. Otherwise, I'll assume you don't have the courage to defend your "principles".
SGT Wood
2D LAR BN
USMC
Fen at 10:20AM on Jun 15th 2007
25. Fen writes: "Dear Copperhead - if you really beleive this is an "illegal immoral" war, why aren't you staging a hunger strike on the steps of Congress? Less chat, more action. Otherwise, I'll assume you don't have the courage to defend your "principles". SGT Wood, 2D LAR BN, USMC
First off Sergeant Wood, thank you for your service to your country and your willingness to put your life on the line. I'm sorry Bush and the Republicans in Congress broke their sacred promise to you about your benefits, and about following military guidelines to ensure that our troops have the best possible chance to survive in combat. When we have less Republicans and more Democrats in our federal government, we will reverse this and give you the benefit of the bargain you were promised when you enlisted.
If it isn't obvious to you and everyone else in the nation that the invasion of Iraq was a pre-planned oil grab that had nothing to do with terrorism, I suggest you read the news again that has been disseminted to you since 2000. If everyone in the country who opposes the war went on a hunger strike, 65-70% of the nation would be dead from hunger because Bush and Congressional Republicans are obstructing all efforts to fulfill the wishes of the American people.
But, there are other extremely useful things Americans are doing. They are contributing heavily to the Democratic Party and voting for Democrats, and in 2009, you will no longer have to put your life on the line with an inept, corrupt and selfish leadership in any position to command or obstruct the will of the people.
I might add another small warning. Anarchism benefits no one - but unless Republicans stop stealing from 90% of the country to benefit 10% of the country, and unless they finally "get it" and adhere to the wishes of the American people to leave Iraq, I am afraid that the American people will lose patience and we will be in danger of mass anarchy. This would be a tragic result of Republican failure to listen to the people who hired them, but will not make the same mistake again. Be careful what you wish for, it may happen.
Fen
Phil at 1:14PM on Jun 15th 2007