Dan Rather moved by Toronto premiere of 'Truth'

[Newsjock]

Source: Associated Press

A visibly moved Dan Rather choked up at the Toronto International Film Festival premiere on Saturday night of "Truth," a drama that recounts the events surrounding the CBS News anchor's downfall.

Rather attended the premiere of the film, which is based on "60 Minutes" producer Mary Mapes' 2005 memoir about the network's report on President George W. Bush's Air National Guard service during the Vietnam War. Starring Cate Blanchett and Robert Redford, James Vanderbilt's film is a bid for the vindication of Mapes and Rather, whose careers both tumbled as a result of the scandal.

"Truth" is clearly on their side, portraying the controversy as a journalistic tragedy, with Mapes and Rather sacrificed by a corporation with motivations beyond truthful reporting.

Appearing on stage after the film's premiere, Rather received a standing ovation. He told the festival that watching the film was "an eerie experience, and I confess that I still haven't quite gotten my head completely around it."

Read more: http://lasvegassun.com/news/2015/sep/12/dan-rather-moved-toronto-premiere-truth/

[tabasco]

1. Can't wait to see this.

The entire right-wing-owned corporate mass media is nothing more than an oligarchic propaganda machine.

[Ineeda]

2. A reminder of one more

unpunished consequence of the BFEE.

[haikugal]

3. I'm so happy to see this. I hope we revisit much of what

has transpired since 2000 to correct the record.

Thanks for bringing this to my attention, I appreciate it so much!

[CTyankee]

4. god, do I remember this...

Poor Dan Rather. The guy was just crucified.

Sounds like a high quality film. I adore Cate Blanchett. It will be nice to see Redford again...I still like to revisit "All the President's Men" now and again...

[JustAnotherGen]

7. Go see A Walk In The Woods

Seems like Double RR is making movies that matter right now. Can't wait to see this too!

[CTyankee]

8. didn't know that! hey, thanks...will look for it...

canyou tell me what it is about?

[JustAnotherGen]

13. Based on Bill Bryson's book

This is the one he wanted to make with Paul Newman a out two guys, old friends who have lost touch and walk the Appalachian Trail together.

That's the "fun part".

The serious part is what we learn about changes to the earth, time, what matters.

It's not word for word - The Book. But a damn good story.

[CTyankee]

16. thanks. sounds good.

[asjr]

5. At last! This may cast too many questions for Jeb.

[Live and Learn]

6. Glad to see that. Of course, Rather will be vindicated in history.

That was never a doubt. But, I am glad he got to see at least a bit of it. What happened to him was despicable.

[progree]

9. Greatest Charlie Rose show -- Amy Goodman cleans his clock, discussing Dan Rather

Last edited Sun Sep 13, 2015, 11:21 AM - Edit history (1)

and the media's Iraq War reporting...

Things in ()'s and "..." are mine. The bold face is mine too - they didn't raise their voices at these points.

AMY GOODMAN: Unfortunately in this country I have to disagree with you Charlie respectfully on the issue of NBC, CBS, and ABC — they have provided a very serious disservice to the people of this country when it comes to a true debate around war. Most people are opposed to war yet the vast majority of guests across the board on the networks are for war. They’re a parade of retired generals and -

CHARLIE ROSE: You can make that argument and look at it. That’s not the point I was taking. The point I was making is it’s not dictated by with whoever the corporate ownership is. I promise you that — they are not dictating. They are not saying we want you to have more generals who are in favor of the war than you have generals who are in opposition to the war; that’s just not the way it works.

AMY GOODMAN: They don’t have to say that. They hire the people who will do just that.

CHARLIE ROSE: The argument I have with respect is Peter Jennings, Tom Brokaw, and Dan Rather — a whole range of people — are journalists who have paid their dues and they are very competent journalists (etc. etc. snip)

AMY GOODMAN: I could only say that during the Persian Gulf War what we saw on NBC and CBS, NBC owned by General Electric–at the time CBS was owned by Westinghouse — two of the major nuclear weapons manufacturers in the world — I don’t think it was any accident that what we saw on TV was a military hardware show.

... (some more back and forth)

CHARLIE ROSE: You are suggesting that because they choose the people. I'm just saying that this is a debate for another time which I’m happy to have them come and talk about that.

AMY GOODMAN: Let me quote Dan Rather himself on BBC — he says he thinks he would be necklaced. He thinks he that he cannot simply speak out and ask the kinds of questions that should be asked. That’s quoting Dan Rather.

CHARLIE ROSE: (hemming and hawing and more hemming and hawing)

More: video and transcript [font color = red](the fun part on the video begins at about 13:40[/font] - the video is SOOO much better than the transcript above because its easier to follow and you get to see Amy Goodman in attack dog mode and poor Charlie getting beaten down and trying to come up with something, and trying to talk down to her. And Amy Goodman's little victory smile right at the end
http://www.democracynow.org/blog/2013/3/19/video_2003_charlie_rose_interview_with_amy_goodman_about_iraq_war_protests

Now if all Charlie Rose shows were like that, I'd be happy if PBS trashes its whole lineup and broadcasts Charlie Rose 24/7/365 (366 in leap years)

[CTyankee]

17. Love Amy! Charlie Rose...pfffft...

[rurallib]

18. coming back later to check this out.

[Enthusiast]

23. Thanks, progree. I don't watch the Charlie Rose show because he is such an obvious mouthpiece.

I did save that link for later viewing.

[progree]

32. I haven't watched him in years

That particular show and his condescending tone was/is a major reason I phased out watching him.

[Lychee2]

35. +1.

"Condescending" is exactly right.

I remember how Dan used to say things like, "The airplane crashed with no survivors. Repeat: there were no survivors."

"Repeat"? No, that's OK, Dan. I was paying attention the first time.

[erronis]

31. Thanks for the link - powerful reminder that most people opposed GWB and his rationale

For killing thousands of troops and millions of civilians.

Also a good reminder to support Democracy Now - I've put it off since I'm living on Social Security but I'm sure I can eke out something from somewhere.

I had friends that told me I should watch Charlie Rose - inciteful, etc. I'm glad I don't watch T.V. and it was past my normal bed time. Now, all I can think of while watching this segment is how much CR looks like the GOP Boner character - perhaps less orange.

[Overseas]

34. K&R. Great interview! So much important history discussed.

[icarusxat]

10. One of the last honest voices...

I really miss hearing the news instead of the noise. Dan Rather was the real deal. When being honest is a punishable offence, it is obvious that being a reporter, a gad fly, is a worthy title. I don't see too many of them left...

[Lychee2]

36. He used to rehearse in front of a mirror.

He admitted this himself one time. He something like, "When was in my hotel room rehearsing in front of the mirror, bombs were going off across the city."

I always wondered why he looked so stiff and unspontaneous on TV. It's because every facial expression was planned through self-observation.

Good actors never do this, because they know they will look phony onscreen if they rehearse this way.
I don't know about TV newsreaders. It may be common among them. A lot of them look just as stiff and self-conscious as Dan.

[erronis]

54. But I also remember Roger Mudd being the better of the two.

For whatever reason, I felt that Rather was too polished. I know this is ancient history (1980's) but the T.V. business is brutal to many. Perhaps not too brutal if the income is 10x normal humans...

[tblue]

11. I read Mary Mapes book about the whole thing

It was so aggravating to see how they were silenced.

[CatWoman]

12. this brought a smile to my face

i can't wait to see this

go DAN!!

[colsohlibgal]

14. The Truth

There is no doubt that Poppy Bush pulled strings to keep his doofus son from actually fulfilling his duty.

That Rather was sacrificed is unconscionable, the honchos at CBS had to know the story had legs no matter if one document was bogus.

If we get past this infotainment era at some point people will be astonished that an overgrown underachieving frat boy actually got.....well not really elected but installed.

[Enthusiast]

24. I love your post!

[NCjack]

15. Dan went to war with a microphone in his hand. "W" stayed home drunk in the Texas

Air National Guard (aka "The Champagne Unit&quot .

[rocktivity]

19. Sounds like Rather has forgiven Mapes

Last edited Sun Sep 13, 2015, 11:22 AM - Edit history (1)

for greenlighting the story though she knew she didn't have the original documents or the original source.


rocktivity

[PearliePoo2]

20. Here's a good review from The Hollywood Reporter:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/truth-tiff-review-820957

[mountain grammy]

21. Holy Shit! Are you telling me the media isn't liberal?

is going on here?

All I know is I'm forever grateful to Robert Redford. Can't wait to see this. I'm sure the "liberal media" will give it lots of attention, and just in case I have to, let me add.... for the term "liberal media."

[edhopper]

22. The rules

politicians and people in the media can say anything, no matter how false and libelous, about a democratic President.
But tell the truth about a republican without overwhelming evidence to back you up, and you are drummed out.

[SalviaBlue]

29. Good point!

[karynnj]

25. In addition to the personal destruction of a good reporter, two things made this even sadder

1) The rest of the media - including his own company - completely caved and spoke in serious, high minded tones about the need to completely check out the validity of anything. This ignored that while he did not have the document tested, he did have the woman who was the secretary verifying that she remembered something of this sort being written. Additionally, a former officer in the line of command verified that there had been a problem of this sort.

The idea that Rather had "not checked this out" really is untrue. Given the witnesses, the question when the letter was disputed should have been who could have known enough to create a letter that comes very close (if not exactly) what actually was written at some point in time? Think about it - given the document of uncertain conveyance - how would one check it out. I think asking the people who were there - the secretary and an officer who approved it - would be the first thing that anyone who took Journalism 101 might think of. (There is also the fact that it was within minutes of CBS showing it, that Free republic had "experts" claiming that type writers in the 1970s didn't look like that. Consider any other time when "expert" and "Free Republic" were used in the same sentence.)

This is especially sad as it hit Rather on his professionalism and competence - and few defended him.

2) The other sad thing is that when the controversy was stirring, before the letter came out, there was a poll that the NYT reported. It asked the people who in a standard poll said they were for Bush if the proof of these accusations would change their vote - the answer was surprisingly overwhelming -- no, they wouldn't. In reality, it was already baked in that GWB was a screw up in his youth -- and in Republican mythology, found God and a life of purpose. The anger against Rather, was likely not because it showed something they didn't know, but they did not want it documented making it obvious that they were ignoring things like this. (Sadly, there was no similar anger by the media powers that people on the other side ignored the REAL NAVY record of a man who actually was a war hero. The media gave the SBVT inordinate time after they were shown to have lied on many things. )

The effort to completely destroy Rather's reputation showed where the media was in 2004. What is shocking is that in spite of that, had there been a fair election in Ohio where people in the inner cities did not have to wait 4 hours or more while people in the suburbs voted in the 5 or so minutes they usually needed, Kerry would have won. This must have come from Kerry's excellent debates and convention (the only times he got much unfiltered coverage (where the filters were almost always negative) AND the pool of distrust that the media was telling us the truth.

Given Obama beating Hillary in 2008, Bernie, with little support from powers that be or media, and the Republican primary being completely out of their power brokers' control, is it possible that - even though the power of mass media is huge - it may be that alternative voices can gain increasingly more traction.

[erronis]

53. Great post - thanks. I'd give you a thumbs-up without this long winded title, but can't...

[JudyM]

57. Yes, yes, yes. Plus there was more than that going on in Ohio...

I bused up there with a group doing door to door get out the vote the weekend before the election and personally met a number of folks who were called by sec of state ken blackwells office telling them they couldn't vote because... Things like: their brother was in jail; they hadn't voted in the last election... Complete BS. And Blackwell, the sec of state in OH, just happened to have been GWB's OH campaign manager. I was incredulous and let them know they were absolutely entitled -and registered- to vote, and gave them a sheet that had their polling place's address on it. How many of these folks weren't even made aware of the truth that they could vote?! Every one I spoke to had just simply accepted what the sec of state's office told them. Why was this not investigated afterward?

The problems with voter suppression went well beyond restricting the physical facilities, and even possibly changing votes.

[1monster]

26. Good! One of the things about the whole fiasco that infuriated me was

all of those smarmy right wing suck ups (the best qualities of ten of them put together wouldn't be worthy of the honor of tying his shoes) sneering at Dan Rather.

I sincerely hope that the movie portrays them as the venomous snakes that they are.

[seafan]

27. Dan Rather will be vindicated.

Thom Hartmann wrote on September 19, 2004, entitled, 'Just Cut Out Their Tongues':

The CBS/Rather/Bush/Guard affair - regardless of how it ultimately turns out - has brilliantly deflected the issue of George W. Bush having strings pulled to get him into the Guard, and then not fulfilling his service requirements. Anytime the issue is raised in the future - regardless of facts or context - partisan Republicans will simply dismiss it by saying, "Those documents were forged." That four-word sound byte will be remembered long after the details of Bush's failures have dimmed from popular memory. Politically, it was a masterstroke.

And not only does it hurt Bush family enemy Kerry, but also gets back at Bush family enemy Dan Rather, against whom they've nursed a 16-year grudge.

The Bush family's hostility to Rather first broke the surface of public attention back in 1988, when Vice President George H.W. Bush was confronted on network television about his various roles in the criminal affair now known as Iran/Contra. At the time, rumors were flying that in the fall of 1980 then-VP-candidate Bush had negotiated with Iran to hold the American hostages until after the election. The hostages were not only held throughout the election campaign, but were released the very hour Ronald Reagan was sworn into office. The ongoing dragged-out hostage crisis (and Carter's failed attempt at rescue) had knocked the incumbent president down so far in the polls that the long-shot ticket of Reagan/Bush won.

When it later came out, in part because of an investigation started by Senator John Kerry, that after the 1980 election Reagan/Bush were illegally selling American missiles to the Iranians "in exchange for hostages" at a time there were no hostages (the Iranian hostages had been freed, and the Lebanese hostages not yet taken), speculation intensified. The key to busting the whole deal open and indicting George H.W. Bush, some congressional investigators believed, would be Bill Casey. As the manager of the 1980 Reagan/Bush campaign, he would have known of the deal, and persistent allegations floated around Washington that he'd even helped organize the initial negotiations between Bush and Iranian representatives.

When Reagan/Bush took the White house, they elevated campaign manager Casey to the role of Director of the CIA. And the congressional committees looking into Iran/Contra so wanted to talk with Casey that they took the rare step of subpoenaing a sitting head of the CIA.

As White House insider Barbara Honegger wrote in her groundbreaking book "October Surprise," Casey "reportedly attended meetings in Paris, France, on October 19 and 20, 1980, with Iranian officials and agents of French intelligence to arrange an arms-for-hostages-delay deal with Iran. The morning of his first scheduled under-oath testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee on the secret Iran initiative he was struck by seizures in his CIA headquarters office in Langley, Virginia, and underwent speech-incapacitating left-brain surgery shortly thereafter. Had he lived to testify, according to life-long friend and counsel Milton Gould, Casey would have told the 'entire truth.' He died on May 6, 1987."

Since the left temporal lobe of the brain - "Broca's region" - controls speech, some "conspiracy minded" folks suggested at the time that this was simply a hi-tech version of the mob cutting out an informer's tongue.

Six months after Casey was silenced, on January 25, 1988 in a CBS broadcast, Dan Rather cornered Vice President George H.W. Bush about the whole Iran issue, and Bush became furious. Barely able to speak, his face twisted with rage, Bush blurted out: "It's not fair to judge my whole career by a rehash on Iran. How would you like it if I judged your career by those seven minutes when you walked off the set in New York?" Bush's voice was cracking with hysteria as he added, "Would you like that?"

Dan Rather has been on the Bush family enemies list ever since. But he's not alone.

Dan Rather will be vindicated, because people are now paying attention to the mountain of unpunished deeds of the Bushes.


Democrats, the Truth Still Matters!, Robert Parry, May 11, 2006

.....

If the full story of George H.W. Bush’s role in secret deals with Iraq and Iran had ever been made public, the Bush Family’s reputation would have been damaged to such a degree that George W. Bush’s candidacy would not have been conceivable.

Not only did Clinton inadvertently clear the way for the Bush restoration, but the Right’s political ascendancy wiped away much of the Clinton legacy, including a balanced federal budget and progress on income inequality. A poorly informed American public also was easily misled on what to do about U.S. relations with Iraq and Iran.

In retrospect, Clinton’s tolerance of Reagan-Bush cover-ups was a lose-lose-lose – the public was denied information it needed to understand dangerous complexities in the Middle East, George W. Bush built his presidential ambitions on the nation’s fuzzy memories of his dad, and Republicans got to enact a conservative agenda.

Clinton’s approach also reflected a lack of appreciation for the importance of truth in a democratic Republic. If the American people are expected to do their part in making sure democracy works, they need to be given at least a chance of being an informed electorate.

Yet, Clinton – and now some pro-Iraq War Democrats – view truth as an expendable trade-off when measured against political tactics or government policies. In reality, accurate information about important events is the lifeblood of democracy.

Though sometimes the truth can hurt, Clinton and the Democrats should understand that covering up the truth can hurt even more. As Clinton’s folly with the Reagan-Bush scandals should have taught, the Democrats may hurt themselves worst of all when helping the Republicans cover up the truth.

Thanks for this bit of good news this morning, Newsjock.

[reddread]

42. "inadvertently"?

not hardly.

[99th_Monkey]

28. I'll look for this movie. I love Dan Rather, always have

Saw him recently in a guest interview on msnbc I think, now this.

Thanks for posting this.

[TexasBushwhacker]

30. I knew Dan's sister Pat

We taught at the same high school in the Houston suburbs back in the 80s. Very conservative place. She taught English and I taught science but we had the same conference period. I remember one day in the teacher's lounge, she and another teacher were smoking cigarettes at the next table. She gave me a wry grin and said "She's one".

I said "I'm one what?!"

She whispered "A Democrat!"

So I pulled up a chair, even though I didn't smoke, and we were friendly after that. I don't know how she figured out my politics, but it was nice not having to stay in the closet. His brother Don was a principle in HISD. The Rather family are good people.

[Lychee2]

33. Dan Rather doesn't want anyone else to feel sorry for him.

He likes to do that job himself.

[Skittles]

46. WTF are you talking about?

never mind, it is not hard to guess where you are coming from

[Lychee2]

52. Sorry if you didn't get the joke.

It would ruin it if I explained it to you.

[Duval]

37. This is a "must see"! eom

[bbgrunt]

38. can'twait to see it!

[arely staircase]

39. Glad this movie was made. It will document W's AWOL status from the Guard

which Poppy pulled strings to get him into in the first place.

[turbinetree]

40. And just think a once respected ------------------------

organization, just two weeks ago--------------------decided that it was more in there best interest to present a little film of a right wing draft dodging hypocrite living in Wyoming -------------fishing for trout and a member of criminal team that, deliberately with psychopathic megalomania ego used the military and this society and killed 4,685 American soldiers based on a god damn lie through deceit and deception, 3 TRILLION of war debt on a credit card-----------hawking this jerks book with this jerks daughter--------------boycott CBS--------------it's about integrity not money


I watch Rather on AXE TV, and I still very much enjoy his thoughtful "TRUTHFUL" insight.
Congratulations Mr. Rather





Honk ----------------for a political revolution Bernie 2016

[Kingofalldems]

41. Kicked, rec'd and tweeted.

[turbinetree]

48. Thank you

[Robbins]

43. Remember

Rather was enemy of Bush Crime family ever since he challenged Poppy Bush on Iran-Contra and Poppy claim of being out of the
loop.

The biggest smear In 2004 was the swiftboating of Kerry who was enemy too of Bushes for what he helped bring to light on Iran-
Contra and related crimes.

I heard claims while the docements were copies the information Rather and Mapes presented were true.Poppy Bush did use connections to keep Junior from having to serve,and Reports say Bush was too drunk to fly his plane and at times the national guard didn't know where Junior was.Yet Kerry who MSM was fine In smearing was In combat In Vietnam for 6 months.

Rather and Mapes were sacrificed by CBS to help the MSM continue to protect junior.

Very Intresting to have Robert Redford,one of the greats,playing Rather.

[Stuart G]

44. k and r...nt

[forest444]

45. I remember emailing him during his Air Guard exposé, trying to warn him of the bogus 1972 document.

To no avail, of course.

I was at that age when we're still stupid enough to think one can make a difference.

[pamela]

47. The IMDB rating is being freeped.

Let's DU something about that. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3859076/

[spiderpig]

49. just voted

I've loved Rather since the Nixon era when, during a press conference, Rather rose to ask his question and there was a positive response from the press corps. Nixon said "heh heh heh - are you running for something?" and Rather immediately responded "No Mr. President - are you?"

Shameful what happened to DR and how CBS threw him to the wolves.

[pamela]

50. Thanks for voting.

I love Rather, too. I watched that whole thing go down that night. Saw FreeRepublic going crazy over the 60 minutes report and then suddenly, voila! someone comes up with the "evidence" that it was fake. It stunk to high heaven.

Here's a really weird fact about how that went down that night that I've never heard discussed but I saw with my own eyes. The document was not posted on 60 minutes website that night-it was released by the White House, put online and THAT is when the freeper saw the document and suddenly became an expert on 60's era typography. Like I said, it stunk to high heaven.

The freeper types are all over this movie, trying to discredit it. I looked at IMDB (the ratings and the message board) and googled some articles about the movie. All of them were deluged with nothing but negative comments-even Variety which is not usually a magazine frequented by conservatives. Somebody has put the word out, and sicced the dogs on this movie big time.

[spiderpig]

55. Have you read "House of Secrets" by Russ Baker?

About the infamous Bush cabal. Corrupt - every one of them.

Mr. pig always disliked the Shrubs, but while he was reading this book I thought his head would explode. The clan has a stake in everything, is vindictive to an unbelievable degree, and all of them belong in jail.

On a completely shallow note, I still think Redford is hot at 79.

[pamela]

56. No, I haven't read that yet.

But you are the second person in under 12 hours to mention that book to me so I'm adding it to the top of my reading list. Thanks!

(and a big hell yes to Redford, too.)

[cantbeserious]

51. The Truth Will Out

eom