Rather Files $70 Million Lawsuit Against CBS

[SecularMotion]

Source: NY Times

Dan Rather, whose career at CBS News ground to an inglorious end 15 months ago over his role in an unsubstantiated report questioning President Bush’s Vietnam-era National Guard service, filed a $70 million lawsuit this afternoon against the network, its corporate parent and three of his former superiors.

Mr. Rather, 75, asserts that the network violated his contract by giving him insufficient airtime on “60 Minutes” after forcing him to step down as anchor of the “CBS Evening News” in March 2005. He also contends that the network committed fraud by commissioning a “biased” and incomplete investigation of the flawed Guard broadcast and, in the process, “seriously damaged his reputation.” As plaintiffs, the suit names CBS and its chief executive, Leslie Moonves; Viacom and its chief executive, Sumner Redstone; and Andrew Heyward, the former president of CBS News.

In the suit, filed this afternoon in State Supreme Court in Manhattan, Mr. Rather charges that CBS and its executives made him “a scapegoat” in an attempt “to pacify the White House,” though the formal complaint presents virtually no direct evidence to that effect. To buttress this claim, Mr. Rather quotes the executive who oversaw his regular segment on CBS Radio, telling Mr. Rather in November 2004 that he was losing that slot, effective immediately, because of “pressure from ‘the right wing.’ ”

He also continues to take vehement issue with the appointment by CBS of Richard Thornburgh, an attorney general in the administration of the elder President Bush, as one of the two outside panelists given the job of reviewing how the disputed broadcast had been prepared.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/20/business/media/19cnd-rather.html?_r=1&hp=&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1190226880-ou+TDELicQBcfWAyZjv0pQ

[coffeenap]

1. Well done, Mr. Rather. nt

[damntexdem]

33. It's not enough money.

Should have been $100 million at least.

[MetalCanuck]

59. I wish we could ALL sue the media companies for lying to us.

That would straighten the "news" out.

[Sequoia]

63. Welcome to DU MetalCanuck!

[MetalCanuck]

66. Thank you:) You will hopefully see more of me!

I will be gone for about a week tomorrow. But then I will be
all over the place on topics. I am a centrist with liberal
social views and conservative fiscal views. I hope to bring
something new to the conversation here:)

[JDPriestly]

79. Welcome to DU.

[aggiesal]

83. I doubt it. ...

Back in 1998, 2 Fox TV reporters in Florida (Tampa Affiliate) sued Fox
network for firing them after they refused to broadcast false reports
about Monsanto's controversial genetically engineered Bovine Growth
Hormone (rBGH or rBST).

It made it all the way to the Florida Supreme Court, which ruled,
unbelievably, that Fox network does not have to broadcast true stories.

David Boylan, station manager, was blunt in demanding that the reporters
tell the story about rBGH the way Monsanto wanted it told.
"We (the Fox TV network) paid $3 billion for these television stations.
We will decide what the news is. The news is what we tell you it is."

So the reporters, lost their jobs and their case.

http://www.inmotionmagazine.com/fox.html

[surfermaw]

138. Dan Rather knows exactly what he is doing

The only thing that suprises me is how long it took Dan to start the suit, it not to hard to figure out, the right wing has been after Dan, since Nixon.

[blm]

142. It probably took this long to get the CONCLUSIVE evidence - but he must have it

or he wouldn't be doing this.

[Duppers]

152. another link for that unbelievable story

"We (the Fox TV network) paid $3 billion for these television stations.
We will decide what the news is. The news is what we tell you it is."

http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=1426

[agincourt]

163. The fruit of a packed court,

that just keeps on giving.

[AnotherDreamWeaver]

168. Amen

So, now how to 'lovingly' serve up the 'fruit' of 'the people unite',

that there may be "Dancing in the Streets!"?

[aggiesal]

177. What really annoys me is that ...

the FCC is suppose to work for us.
They grant licenses to corporations to use OUR airwaves.
They should be obligated to use them for the public good.
If they are caught lying, they should be fined.
Get caught lying too many times (subjective or even an objective
number) you lose your license.

The Florida Supreme court can make any ruling they want, but the
FCC should have stepped in, and defended the publics right to
truth in broadcasting.

[pnorman]

112. The "media" has a constitutionally protected right to LIE to us all.

Read this: http://consumerist.com/consumer/bgh/fox-news-reporters-fired-for-being-too-tough-on-monsanto-milk-197496.php But I very seriously doubt that CBS will use that in their defense!

Compared to many of his more courageous predecessors, Dan Rather seems like a moral midget. But compared to all those other Talking Rectums, ............................ Go Dan, GO!!

pnorman

[calimary]

186. Welcome to DU!

Well, pretty much all we've got at the moment for truth-telling and debunking the Press Corpse lies are Media Matters and Keith Olbermann, and occasionally a very tiny mouse peep from Editor & Publisher. And various corners of the blogosphere and such refreshing oasis spots as this one here. That's about IT.

Glad you're here! We can use all the help we can get.

[Festivito]

130. I hope a jury asks for CBS's worth and hands Dan the keys.

And then adds more for the owners' personal wealth aside.

[peacetalksforall]

46. Amen - go for it, Dan. Cuz you're going for the WH and the complicit,

obedient ceo's at CBS.

[Owl]

71. YES !!!!!!!!

[bunny planet]

2. I can't wipe the smile off my face.

Am I wrong or is this not brilliant timing. Puts the AWOL story back in the news at a very inconvenient time for Jr. and now his little freepaholic friends who uncovered the 'typeface' debunk don't like little Lord Bushyboy anymore.

[yurbud]

11. that's a happy thought too--especially after Bush telling mil bloggers he wished he was in Iraq

in the action.

Bush would piss himself if he was there and somebody slammed a car door too hard.

[reprobate]

120. I clearly recall a story from the time of the 2000 election about why Bush lost flying status.

IIRC, it said that he was removed from flight status because he had crashed two F102s on landing. The Air Force, even the Air National Guard, don't like losing costly airplanes. The crash investigation report said that he was clearly afraid of flying and should not be in command of fighter aircraft in the future.

IMO, the story about his missing his flight physical was nothing but a cover for this. What, a President of the US and Air Force pilot officer who was afraid of flying? How embarrassing! But it certainly fits with the rest of the story of his life, the pampered frat boy who never succeeded in anything he started.

I'm embarrassed that this village idiot was appointed to office. I blame the Extreme Court for all our problems now.

[defendandprotect]

164. Interesting tale . . . .

Vague recollection about one crash, but not the comments --
Think you're right about the missing flight physical as cover up.
I presume that Rather knows all of this . . . !!!

[AnotherDreamWeaver]

170. I heard some guy got his records

back before they were scrubbed. I saw copies on a link. The guy was offering a $1000 to anyone who could report he showed up in Alabama or wherever it was he went campaigning.

Hadn't heard the crash stories before though..

[Gregorian]

58. My first thoughts.

This might lead to some interesting places. I am envisioning a renewed investigation with airtime. And in fact, maybe even impeachment? Am I dreaming???


Suddenly I'm realizing how this is kind of like the OJ thing.

[grasswire]

191. Discovery's a bitch.

If the defendant has something to hide, or (in this case) if an ancillary party has heretofore undocumented dirt.

Let the games begin.

[Sequoia]

60. "I'd like to go to Iraq and fight but I'm too old." he quipped

Time to eat Crow joe!

[Cha]

150. Too chickenhawkshit is what

he's thinking..so he says he's too old. bush just lies to get the soldiers to go to their deaths and he sits back and rides his tricycle.

[defendandprotect]

165. But . . . the thing is he says this stuff with such confidence that press won't challenge him -- !!

And -- he's right!!! They won't --

[Sequoia]

180. Trembling little fools

[calimary]

185. Really? You mean Fuckhead - oops, I mean "buckhead" - finally

saw the light?

That'll be the day.

Anyway, I'm not sure anything will come of this - as far as him winning (fraid I'm a little cynical by now), and I wish he would have pursued this sooner. But I'm with him ALL THE WAY. I love Dan Rather. He's been a thorn in the side of the bad guys for decades. They were gunning for him FOREVER, and wound up fouling him on a technicality (kinda like they did with Clinton, oddly enough). I've been a fan of Gunga Dan's for a long, long time. I hope TO GOD he wins his case. It truly would be justice, of the first order. Dan Rather got ROYALLY screwed. And the sad part is, typefaces or no, the secretary who typed the memo was on the air, interviewed by Rather, and confirming that while that piece of paper might not have been the ACTUAL paper of the memo, what was written on it was what she had once typed. And of course, THAT little fact got completely swallowed up by the shrieking and roaring.

Makes me wonder - WHY THE HELL CAN'T WE SHRIEK AND ROAR AND KICK UP A HISSYFIT??? Why do OUR people always have to be so "above it all" - taking the so-called "high road" all the time? The quiet, understated "above it all" doesn't get you anywhere anymore. Just look at what happened to John Kerry. It's the fussy, cranky babies who get the attention and score the points. Which is why I'm glad MoveOn.org spoke up about David Petraeus, and why they're STILL hitting back as rudy tries to pile on. That's what we ALL have to do. HIT BACK. AND HIT BACK HARD.

Keep fighting, Dan. We're with you. We always were. Because you told the truth in that report, and in everything else you ever covered.

[CottonBear]

3. Good. CBS should be ashamed of how they treated Mr. Rather & they should lose the suit. n/t

[BOSSHOG]

4. Give Me a D. give Me an A. Give me an N_N_N.

GO DAN. Or would you Rather your news be screened by hannity and limbaugh?

[calimary]

187. D!

[calimary]

188. A!

[calimary]

189. N! N! N!

GO DAN!!!

[tularetom]

5. Maybe this'll get some of the NG coverup on the table

Maybe even get the boy king on the witness stand to answer some questions about what really went on. A perfect "perjury trap".

Nah, I realize that won't happen but all this stuff will get talked about again and since it's Rather suing, it will probably get some coverage in the corporate media.

Just the kind of publicity the chimp doesn't need right now.

[Frustratedlady]

15. But this time around, we'll have KO to keep the story alive.

In fact, many news types should fight to keep this in the forefront, as they could just as easily have been caught in that trap.

Go, Dan!

We've got your back!

[flyarm]

6. brilliant Mr Rather....thank you for standing up and being heard! and thank you for

all the wonderful years of great journalism..too bad there are too few of you great journalists left!!

I miss you !

and i salute your service to this nation in truth!

fly

[Ammonium]

That's interesting

Know how Rather got his start? He was the only reporter allowed to view the Zapruder tape all those years ago and after viewing it he said Kennedy was stop from the back and that he was thrown foward. He lied and his lie became apparent when others were allowed to view the film, but no matter, Rather was skyrocketed into journalistic fame.

You'll have to forgive me for not liking Rather so much.

[flyarm]

36. i was a young girl then but i remember him through the Vietnam years

and his repoerting and i respect the hell out of him..he had guts where others ( like little lord pissy pants and cheney didn't ) to go to the war zone and duck real live bullets to bring us the facts of the war.

fly

[nini]

43. Did he lie or was that his opinion?

big difference.


the only links I could find on this were from conspiracy theory websites so forgive me for not attacking him for an otherwise stellar career based on what I found online.

[kestrel91316]

54. I have noticed that there are HUGE numbers of people these days who

apparently don't know the difference between a lie, an opinion, and a miistake, and call them all lies.

Stupid people really piss me off.

[hvn_nbr_2]

160. I've also noticed even huger (hugh!!!er?) numbers who...

don't know the difference between an opinion (theirs), an interpretation (theirs again), and a fact. But nevertheless, what you said is true.

[texanshatingbush]

48. Sorry....gotta disagree with you, NH4.......

Rather got his start during Hurricane Carla, when, as a reporter for the local CBS affiliate, he was the first to stand on the beach in Galveston recording how hurricane-force winds tear apart our man-made world. For Kennedy's assassination, he just happened to be in the right place at the right time, and made the right decision, and he became CBS' man-on-the-spot when history was made. Then, as a DU'er notes below, he was fearless enough to report from the jungles of Vietnam with bullets flying around his head. Did the same in Afghanistan (leading to the memorable Doonesbury character "Gunga Dan") As far as I'm concerned, he's The Real Deal, and I sincerely hope he wins his case against CBS and their buddies in the Chimpy McFlightsuit camp.

When Dan Rather departed the Big Network journalism scene, the only one left worth his salt was Bob Schieffer. They're both great for "speaking truth to power".

--THB

[jhrobbins]

109. Thank you for your clarification - I grew up in Brazoria County where

Carla came in and we knew Dan from KTRK (I think it was KTRK) and we all felt proud when this coverage zoomed him into national attention.

[jackster]

52. Ammounium, please back up this claim.

sounds rather fishy to me....

on edit - oops - sorry! I didn't realize Ammonium had already been called out

[Sarah Ibarruri]

131. Is Ammonium one of CBS' attorneys? ;-) nt

[1monster]

53. He got his start by tying himself to a tree to report on a Hurricane...

There was some quote (by I think Walter Cronkite) that Dan Rather was up to his @$$ in alligators to report the storm.

It got him noticed by CBS.

Then he was the one to (unintentionally) break the story that Kennedy was dead. Read his memoir, THE CAMERA NEVER BLINKS.

[Dr Fate]

82. A link proving your charge would be even more interesting. n/t

n/t

[Dr Fate]

96. Still waiting on those links that support your trashing of the man of the hour. n/t

n/t

[AikidoSoul]

194. Your question is directed at the OP

I think you meant to direct it to someone else. The OP didn't trash Mr. Rather.

[Schema Thing]

124. And every considered analysis shows he was right about that

[surfermaw]

139. Rather became famous for his reporting on Kennedy A.

Not for what you wrote, he was young good looking one of the hardest working reporters of the time, it was reported that not many reporters could stay with him where working was concerned, he would work night and day, Dan Rather came from a working family and valued his job.

[qdemn7]

146. Rather screwed the pooch

Way back when he drank the government's kool-aid in re JFK and the Warren Commission. He later admitted this, but about 40 fucking years too late.

His lawsuit has about as much chance of winning as Westmoreland's suit against CBS.

[defendandprotect]

166. Agree, that's a story that has always worried me about Rather . . .

including some other things --
He was a notorious liberal according to the right wing --
but I never thought of him that way -- those liberal leanings only stirred very infrequently as far as I could see.

Have to agree that his challenge to Poppy Bush was great, but I think, again, it backfired on Rather??

Also, I've heard that Rather owned or still owns some property that Rumsfeld is involved with?
A ranch, perhaps?

Re the JFK/Zapruder thing -- some have suggested that Rather was shown something which suggested shot from the rear -- but I don't see how that could be -- and I don't think he's ever tried to clear that up.

I can only think intense FEAR in the MSM which has probably existed a long time before the public picked up awareness of it. Very intimidating and aggressive political activity in America -- with violence and assassinations, of course.

This had to have been visible to elected officials and journalists LONG before it has become obvious to public.

[Tuesday_Morning]

179. Sam Donaldson's the one who owns a ranch in NM

with rumsfeld.

[barbtries]

193. that makes a lot of sense

and i never looked at it that way before. thanks

[Bluestar]

7. A round of applause for Mr. Rather

I keep hoping some open-minded network (are there any?) will pick him up. I miss him and all the other true journalists who are now gone.

[yurbud]

8. If Fox News were held to same standards Rather was, they'd be off the air.

I read that Thornburg report, and Rather had already done some self-censorship like cutting a bit with David Hackworth on what he thinks of military posers (Hackworth made a point of going after people who claimed to have served in the military and in combat who hadn't, particularly if they claimed they earned decorations they didn't.

[mod mom]

9. I stopped watching my last CBS program, Sunday Morning, after they allowed Ben Stein

to lie about Valerie Plame's covert status w/o retraction. If you can't trust the content-why watch it.

I wish Mr Rather the best of luck. I would love to see a BIG win for him.

[reality based]

10. Maybe there can be some nice subpoenas issued. n/t

[Fridays Child]

14. Dig, dig, dig!

I hope it's all dug up and exposed to sunlight, before this is over.

[creeksneakers2]

125. I'd love to see subpoenas of the White House

Dan Bartlett knew for certain the documents were forged and let CBS swallow the hook on the story. I don't believe the White House was behind forging the documents but once they saw Rather had a bogus story they concocted a plan to discredit Rather and get rid of Rather once and for all.

CBS never did go after the White House for their role in the story. Nobody did. CBS caved to pressure and cut Rather loose. A few subpoenas could bring the truth to light.

[AikidoSoul]

195. It was NOT a bogus story

Only one document was bogus.

The actual deal to keep Bushie boy out of VietNam is real.

I had heard that the bogus document was planted to make the whole story look bogus.

[creeksneakers2]

197. I think the conspiracy was to convince the left on the net

that Rather's report was true. If it was, then the White House didn't plot to get rid of Rather.

Bush's Dad kept Junior out of Iraq but Rather's story went beyond that.

There is extensive evidence that documents used by 60 Minutes II were forged, and also that details of Rather's story couldn't possibly be true. An example is a general referred to in one of the memos who retired over a year before the memo was written.

The only evidence in favor of the 60 Minutes documents being real were the assertions (which changed under questioning) of Bill Burkett. Bill Burkett has zero credibility.

The White House knew the story was bogus so they let Rather go with it. Meanwhile, they planned a big ker-pow from the net and the right wing against Rather.

The White House got away with it because the righties didn't care what was true as long as they could get Dan Rather, and the left locked into a view that the story about Bush's guard service had to be true, so refused to believe that the White House let Rather swallow the hook.

[Sancho]

12. Do you think that 60 Minutes will interview him?

Katie needs something to do.


:woohoo:

[liberal N proud]

13. YESsssssss!

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[AzDar]

16. I have always hated how Dan Rather was marginalized for his truthful TANG

story, while the AWOL Chimp skated away virtually untouched.
Go Dan!
:patriot:

[robinlynne]

17. yahoo! great news. can't wait to see the media try to hush this one up.

[azurnoir]

18. After he's done with CBS

and shows them to be the gutless panders they have become, can he possibly go on to John Hindacker, and Charles Johnson who obviously had inside info.


Go Dan

Best news all week

:toast:

[roguevalley]

19. if you remember his reporting during viet nam, where he sat in the

mud with bullets flying around his head with the forward troops, then this is no surprise. go, dan!

[rateyes]

20. I'm one of the viewers that CBS news and 60 minutes lost

for refusing to air the 60 Minutes segment on Bush's guard service.

Good for Rather. I hope he gets the whole 70 million.

[peace frog]

34. Ditto

Haven't bothered with the network since this travesty. Not that there's anything worth watching on CBS to begin with.

[surfermaw]

140. I'm with you frog, there is nothing at CBS to w atch

In times like these,
Dan Rather would be the man to listen to, he would tell the truth...heck, the republicans hated Dan and have been after him since Tricky Dickie NIxon.

[smb]

107. Huh?

I thought they did air it, and then backed away from it after the document scandal broke.

[EFerrari]

21. We need ten of him! This is great.

K&R

[spotbird]

22. What took him so long?

And isn't there a statute of limitations?

[kestrel91316]

56. I would imagine his attorneys are fully aware of EXACTLY what the

statute of limitations is here......that and more than a few other things.

I doubt Dan Rather would hire some ignorant loser who had no clue about statutes.

[Kolesar]

23. Other 60 Minutes staff sued CBS as leverage for their severance compensation

But it sounds like Dan Rather is gunning for bear. With bush* at 29% approval, he definitely has the wind at his back on a story like this. Good luck, Dan!

[goforit]

24. Go get em Dan!!!!

[rosesaylavee]

25. Good news. n/t

[SaveOurDemocracy]

26. I'm glad to see this. Let's get it ALL on the record. n/t

[yellerpup]

27. I haven't watched CBS News since he left

He had credibility and experience like no one since Walter Cronkite. NOW the real story about the draft-dodging chicken hawk will come out. K&R! :kick:

Edited for spelling & to add kick.

[flyarm]

42. me either and i will not watch katie ..she is not a journalist! eom

[yellerpup]

57. Agreed! eom

[graywarrior]

28. Good.

The bastids.

[babylonsister]

29. Bravo, Mr. Rather! I hope this makes one big stink and calls into question

dimson's military duty again, or lack thereof.

[DURHAM D]

30. Good for Dan.

Wonder if his fired producer (Mary Mapes) will file also, along with the other two staff members.

Hope to see a lot of people under oath.

[coco77]

31. What took so long...

[amitten]

32. GOOD LUCK, DAN RATHER!

This is a good thing.

[Sufficient Voice]

35. Go DAN!

[Sequoia]

37. Dan's the man in the lion's den....you go Dan !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Strong arm me will ya...well in Texas we have a saying....."

[truedelphi]

38. Even in announcing Dan Rather's lawsuit, NYT GETS IT WRONG

The report For which Mr Rather got himself in deep doo doo was not an unsubstantiated report.

MAry Mapes, who was the first reporter to bring us the news that something fishy was going on at Abu Gharib, was his producer at Sixty Minutes II.

Mapes, who worked for CBS with Rather as her boss, spent FIVE YEARS, researching material related to the story that George W had gone AWOL.

FIVE YEARS

The only reason that the report is found to be unsubstantiated is that insiders to the Bush Evil Empire were put in place as a "news team" evaluating the piece.

They came up with ten or so reputed "gross mistakes" all of which could be refuted - except of course, in America we do not have the type of investigative reporting that ever uncovers the inner connections that the evaluators have to the Powers that Be on any given matter.

[pacalo]

39. I'd love to see this go to court.

He was fired for airing an "unsubstantiated report", yet during the time that Rather was demoted & working for "60 Minutes", they refused to give him editing services:

“He was provided with very little staff support, very few of his suggested stories were approved, editing services were denied to him, and the broadcast of the few stories he was permitted to do was delayed and then played on carefully selected evenings, when low viewership was anticipated,” the filing contends.

Anyone remember Ed Asner's show "Lou Grant" being canceled after his political activism? Same thing happened to "WKRP in Cincinnati" on the same day due to the fact that Howard Hesseman joined Asner:

Through Lou Grant, Asner's own popularity was growing, leading to appearances in the 1980 film Fort Apache, The Bronx and the 1981 TV movie A Small Killing. This level of success was soon to crumble, however, when Asner took part in a fund raiser to send medical aid to El Salvador rebels who were fighting against the Reagan-supported regime. Most disturbing to conservative minds was Asner's direct-mail letter on behalf of the aid organization, which began with, "My name is Ed Asner. I play Lou Grant on television." Conservative SAG members, including Charleton Heston, rose up in arms over Asner using his character to support his own political agenda (of course, one can argue that Heston is so closely associated with his own on-screen persona that his links to conservative causes are just as manipulative).

In his essay on MTM drama, Paul Kerr quoted Allan Burn's assessment of the ensuing anti-Asner onslaught: "I've never seen anybody transformed so quickly from being everyone's favorite uncle to a communist swine." Within weeks, Lou Grant was canceled. While CBS maintains the cancellation was based on dwindling ratings, Asner, and others on the Lou Grant production team, feel this was swift punishment for Asner's political beliefs. Interestingly enough, Howard Hesseman, star of WKRP in Cincinnati, was also involved with the Asner-supported El Salvador rally; WKRP and Lou Grant were canceled the same day.

http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/A/htmlA/asnered/asnered.htm

[Judi Lynn]

Great news! CBS News is unbearable now. Best wishes and good luck.

They just don't make them like Dan any more! Pity.

[freebrew]

72. Remember the 60's?

If you are old enough to remember the Smothers Brothers Show, you would know that CBS has been unbearable for a looooong time.


(edited for typo)

[Emillereid]

40. Way to go Rather -- you make us proud of real journalists!

[Triana]

41. GOOD for Dan Rather!!

I hope he gives 'em HELL for what the did to him!

[truedelphi]

44. K & R'ed BTW Mary Mapes and Dan Rather

Received the Peabody awards in spring of 2005.

This award is considered to be the highest of journalism awards in the USA.

It was given for the work involved in bringing the torturous conditions at Abu Gharib to light.

[Up2Late]

45. Excellent!

<http://www.gosimpsons.com/scripts/prodView.asp?idProduct=172>

[Reader Rabbit]

47. Hah! Karma comes back and bites Moonves in the ass!

That's what he gets for screwing over Star Trek and foisting all manner of crap reality shows on the world.

[democrank]

49. Hope Rather is successful

and manages to take down AWOL Junior while he`s at it.

http://www.awolbush.com/

[greyghost]

50. Excellent! eom

[alcibiades_mystery]

51. Bush's National Guard docs will now be matter for discovery

Delicious.

[AikidoSoul]

196. Delicious indeed! Thank you for bringing that to our attention

It's more to be happy about.:)

[ClayZ]

55. Perfect timing, Mr. Rather! K and R

Yay!

[southern_belle]

61. Go Dan!!!

:applause::applause::applause:

[The Wielding Truth]

62. Lift my jaw off the floor! Rather has regained his backbone!

We should send him some support. Letters? Flowers?

[dog_lovin_dem]

99. Agreed.

Does anyone have contact info for Dan?

[The Wielding Truth]

134. This is the network he has been working with.....

maybe you could make your comments to him through this.

http://www.hd.net/feedback.html?refPage=danrather

[dog_lovin_dem]

192. Thank you.

I imagine he'd appreciate the support. I'm off to offer my feedback!

[orleans]

64. GOOD! "pressure from the right wing"! yeah, that fucking liberal media strikes again!

too bad he couldn't put in his lawsuit how cbs tried to throw the election by covering up for fuckhead!

[Mad_Dem_X]

65. Go, Dan! Go, Dan!

:yourock: Go get 'em, Mr. Rather!

[Divine Discontent]

75. I 2nd that emotion! n/t

[Stinky The Clown]

67. Good!

CBS better hope I'm not on that jury.

[myrna minx]

68. Well done, sir.

:applause:

[yodermon]

69. GO DAN! And now, a trip down memory lane!

Dan Rather / Poppy Bush Smackdown!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiFE1f4-zRA

[AnotherDreamWeaver]

172. That was almost Eye Candy... Thanks for the link. nt

[valerief]

70. I hope he's well protected. It's very brave of him to file this. Bravo, Mr. Rathers!

Book 'em, Danno!

[Generator]

73. "The network committed fraud"

Proof of propaganda. Thank you Dan Rather! This is what I've thought all along. The American people have come to despise Bush with only half the info provided. Imagine if they had something close to the truth.

[wryter2000]

74. Awesome!

I hope he finds some way to get some right wingers deposed and testifying in open court.

I wonder if CBS will settle it, though. It might be in their best interest.

[Canuckistanian]

76. Good! I hope he INSISTS on a trial!

No bribe "settlement" just to shut him up.

[Nothing Without Hope]

77. How could he live with himself if he DIDN'T have the courage to do this?

He's standing up for himself and what he believes, he's standing up for the ideal of journalism as a check on lies and crimes, even when they are being hidden by the most powerful.

He's being a hero.

K & R

[FREEWILL56]

78. Great and I'm with you on this

because why should they kill the messenger as he is not responcible for the content of the message compiled by others that paid no price. It was a setup to get rid of a voice that advocates for the people and what's right and not the rightwing idea of what's right.:bounce: :toast: :woohoo: :applause:
:yourock:

[paparush]

80. "It may not be the whole enchilada, but it certainly is a very large taco!"

My favorite Rather quote. He was covering the Clinton/Bush ('92) election when it looked like Clinton was going to win.

[Dr Fate]

81. When the Rightwing says "jump"- CBS asks "How high?" GO DAN!!!

Glad to see a fighting Liberal int he media now and then-I'll take 'em where I can get 'em!!

I guess I have to take back everything I said about him "caving"- GO DAN!!!

[City Lights]

84. Go Dan Go!

:party: :bounce:

Good for him!

[acmavm]

85. I hope Mr. Rather hires one kick-ass lawyer and subpoenas all the records

even distantly related to his firing. I hope he drags old KKKarl in the mud so bad that there's not enough water on this planet to wash it all off. I hope Chimpy's military record becomes front page news everyday for a month.

[lovuian]

86. WOW Dan your looking good

How much will CBS give him to shut up

[Iwillnevergiveup]

87. It's heartening.....

Mr. Smith goes to Washington, Mr. Rather goes to New York City. They each in their own way fight for all of the rest of us.

GO, DAN, GO!

:toast:

[happygoluckytoyou]

88. go rather!!!!!

in a related story, senator craig is going to sue the minneapolis airport for making him gay

[navarth]

89. "What is the frequency, Kenneth?"

Remember that? Rather got the shit kicked out of him in front of a restaurant he had just walked out of...I'm writing from memory here...didn't the assailant turn out to be a mental patient or something? According to the trustworthy corporate media? Hmmmmm....

I guess I'm putting on my conspiracy hat here, but that memory just flashed into my mind....watch your back, Dan. Err on the side of caution...and Bravo. Give 'em HELL.

[Pyrzqxgl]

103. That was Mike Wallace not Dan Rather!

[nclib]

108. No, it was Rather.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What%27s_the_Frequency%2C_Kenneth%3F


Easy mistake to make. :hi:

[defendandprotect]

167. This was one of the most obvious "swiftboatings" by the right-wing and CBS was scared -- !!!!

[surfermaw]

141. Dan was attack somewhere in the last few years.

[Quakerfriend]

90. Great news! I always wanted him to do this!!

Thank you, Dan for your courage and integrity!

[Dr Fate]

95. Me too. I feel really bad about trashing him for not doing so.

I take it back. From this point on, one has to get through Dr Fate before he lays a finger on good old Dan.

[Dollface]

91. All you have to do is watch CBS news to find direct evidence of "pacifying the White House."

Their evening newscast has been reduced to talking points. Dan Rather, an actual journalist, got screwed.

[Maat]

92. Go, Dan!

Remember, the officer-in-question's secretary VERIFIED (and was witness to) the fact of the poor opinion had of Dimson, and the fact that he had not complied with policy, nor had DimSon fulfilled his duties.

[Catherine Vincent]

93. Whoop Whoop!!

:applause:

[lildreamer316]

94. YES!!

THIS is what I have been waiting for.
Pass the popcorn, please....

[KoKo]

97. Good for you Dan Rather...doubt it will go anywhere....but Lawsuits seem our only recourse...

given the Bush Appointee Judges...though...it's like whistling in the dark. They've sown up everything while M$M of which Mr. Rather was a part of...are now just peanut shells...drifting in the wind...

[KT2000]

98. Hooray for Dan Rather!

Wishing him all the best - it's about time someone stood up to the smear machine.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

100. It took me a while, but finally found HD.net where Rather roosts now

http://hd.net/

[Richard Steele]

101. K&R

[Va Lefty]

102. Hit them in the pocketbook!!

It's all they understand. Oh, by the way CBS, how's that Katie Couric thing working out for you?

[TexasBushwhacker]

104. Way to go Dan!!!

You know, at 75, he really doesn't have to go through the hassle of this. He's doing this for reasons that go far beyond money and reputation.

To add insult to injury, CBS bumped a segment that Ed Bradley did on the fake Niger documents (yellow cake uranium that Iraq was supposedly trying to get) and as far as I know, NEVER AIRED IT. Here's an article that Salon did about it back in Sept. 2004.

http://dir.salon.com/story/news/feature/2004/09/29/cbs_wmd/

"Had Bradley's piece aired, millions of Americans would have seen it in the heat of the presidential campaign. The Nielsen ratings put the Wednesday version of "60 Minutes" regularly in its top 20 most popular shows."

[vanboggie]

105. CBS so deserves this

I hope the truth is finally brought out into the open. Rather was Rovered. Bravo, Mr. Rather!

[0007]

106. Good for Dan ..... this will keep junior's inconsistent AWOL story

in front for some time now, and how daddy hide junior's cocaine bust in 1972. In 1970 or 1971
junior was dating a woman named Robin Lowman (now Robin Garner). Miss Lowman became
pregnant by junior and he arranged for her to have an abortion. Which was illegal in the great
state of Texas in 1971. Not to mention that junior ran as a pro-life candidate for the presidency.
Robert Carl Chandler is a good friend of junior and a supporter from way back. Mr. Chandler
made the arrangements for Miss Lowman's abortion at the Twelve Oaks Hospital in Houston,
Texas. It is now call the Bayou City Medical Center. The source was threatened by Chandler
and another junior crony named James R. Bath. You may have recalled on the threads you've
read the last few days, as being junior's AWOL buddy from the the guard and junior's business
partner in oil dealings in Midland, and the BBCI scam.

Here is a dialog between Larry Flint and Robert Novak that appeared on CNN some time ago.

"Flynt : Well, during the impeachment debacle, we did an investigation which resulted in the
resignation of Bob Livingston and others and we have continued this investigation and for eight
months we've been looking into George W. Bush's background. And we've found out in the early
1970s he was involved in an abortion in Texas, and I just think that it's sad that the mainstream
media, who's aware of this story, won't ask him that question when they were able to ask him the
drug question without any proof at all, and we've got all kinds of proof on this issue.

Novak : Well, you're ...

Flynt : You know, the guy admitted he was a drunk for 20 years, and if the abortion issue is true
then that puts him lower on the morality scale than Bill Clinton.

Novak : Mr. Flynt, you said if it's true and you have no proof of that. I gather you are a very
strong ...

Flynt : The hell we don't have proof.

Novak : Sir, I gather you're a very strong Gore supporter. Is that correct?

Flynt : I'll vote for the lesser of the two evils. I don't like either one of them.

Press : All Right, Larry Flynt, a man who speaks his word, but we remind you they are Larry
Flynt's words and not ours. Larry Flynt, thank you very, very much for joining us.

This was followed by an online chat, in which Flynt went into greater detail :

CNN : Mr. Flynt, I would like to know how you plan to protect yourself from a law suit by
claiming to have the goods on GWBush.

Flynt : Because we have them and the truth is an absolute defense.

CNN : When and where are you going to publish information about George W. Bush?

Flynt : When I said that we had the proof, I am referring to knowing who the girl was, knowing
who the doctor was that pereformed the abortion, evidence from girlfriends of hers at the time,
who knew about the romance and the subsequent abortion. The young lady does not want to go
public, and without her willingness, we don't feel that we're on solid enough legal ground to go
with the story, because should she say it never happened, then we've got a potential libel suit. But
we know we have enough evidence that we believe completely. One of the things that interested us was that this abortion took place before Roe Vs. Wade in 1970, which made it a crime at the
time. I'd just like the national media to ask him if abortion is okay for him and his family, but not
for the rest of America. We're not looking at it as a big issue, we're looking at it as a situation of
people not being told the truth. I think the American people have a right to know everything there
is to know about someone running for President."

[Radio_Lady]

110. Wow! I hope he wins it! In my almost 50 year broadcasting career, I might have had cause

to sue at least three employers if the laws had been as they are today.

Ford Foundation, New York City -- (1968) This group let me go because I was seven months pregnant and took a slight fall on their shiny, slippery parquet floor. I wasn't hurt at all, but I was whisked out the door immediately. To be truthful, I worked for a woman manager whose name was Siobhan McKenna who I didn't like much from the beginning. I was just a temporary secretary there but they made the job for a longer term. I was making some suggestions to her, mostly clerical stuff as she was doing grant requests. The job was really kind of borning, but I think she might have felt I was competing with her in some way and was after her job! That was not true. While I wanted to work as long as possible, I definitely wanted to stay at home for a few months and then get reemployed in broadcasting. I had been working continuously in local stations since 1962 when I graduated college, with NBC, 30 Rockefeller Center, NYC in the "Tonight Show" unit. After that, I worked at WPIX as On-Air Promotion Supervisor for a woman named Phyllis who let me go for some spurious reason. In those days, they replaced people without the employee having ANY recourse. Big corporations still find their newer hooks to hang you on, I'm afraid. In my case, it was a slip and fall that did me in.

WEEI Radio, Boston, Massachusetts (owned and operated by CBS at the time) (1972 to ???) I was hired largely due to affirmative action. They had heard that I was looking for work, and was covering for Larry King's overnight show at WIOD in Miami 11 PM to 5 AM (!) a couple nights a week for NO PAY. At that time, I was divorced and the sole support for two babies.

Larry and I had had one date in the late 50s when I was on a TV kid's show and he was a young disk jockey at WAHR. In a very strange twist of fate, he called out for coffee and donuts one night and I brought them over to the station. He didn't remember me, but told me to sit down and answer the incoming calls to keep the people awake. Larry's midnight to dawn program when he was arrested in December 1971 a few days before Christmas. The next day, I called Biggie Nevins, the Program Manager who said, "I have heard you on my air, but told me I wouldn't be able to be considered for the overnight shift because of my two young kids." But, he gave me work at $50 a night a few nights a week, which put some food on the table. Later that spring, I got a call from Bruce Lee, who had done a show with me using live WATS lines. Daniel K. Griffin, the PM at WEEI, was looking for a woman to do 10 AM to 2 PM and would I like to interview? They flew me up to Boston, interviewed me for eight hours (!) and offered me the job.

So, I became the first woman talkmaster in Boston to do a daily four-hour call-in show. I did well there, but then Dan Griffin left to take a management job at WCBS New York as I recall. The new Program Manager, Mike Ludlum, didn't really like me personally and there were rumors he was looking around for another host. Then, CBS changed format to all news, and although I had done news when I took over Larry King's program, I really wanted to be a personality which is more in tune with my strengths. I applied for the newscaster job, but didn't even garner an interview. This was in the days when there were very few women newscasters, too. Later, I did return to WEEI as their movie critic, seeing four or so movies a week and coming in to the studio to record the reviews. That was fine for my schedule.

WMEX Radio, Boston, Massachusetts (1970s sometime) The station was privately owned by Mack Richmond as I recall. He was an older man who took a liking to me. My Program Manager was Pat Whitley. I believe Pat had designs on my job himself, as he was a funny guy with a big personality. He did a successful restaurant rating show on days when I was on vacation or sick. Regrettably, I also had an extreme stress reaction to hour after hour of arguing five days a week, four hours a day 10AM to 2PM with a their largely conservative midday audience. At that time, the listeners consisting of mostly Irish Catholic stay-at-home women and salesmen on the road who listen in their cars. BUT no cellphones! They had to stop on the highway at a phone booth to call!

Furthermore, my lead-in at WMEX was Avi Nelson, a conservative talk show host with an amazing ability to give his smug opinions of me during his shift 6AM to 10AM. One day, I felt steam coming out of my ears as I listened to him driving in to the station. He said I should be at home with my two children baking cookies instead of being on the air! I strode into the studio, sat down next to him, flipped on the microphone, and blasted him. It was kind of a Hillary Clinton moment as I jabbed my finger in his shoulder and in my most authoritative voice told him, "Don't you ever, EVER mention my personal situation during the morning hours in that way. I have every right to have this job and have been trained in broadcasting with a degree in Communications and have been working in the job since January 1957. What are YOUR credentials?" (At that time, I think he may have been a lawyer or a politician, but don't remember.)

Anyway, the audience loved the dust-up between us. The Program Manager was away, and the mice were at play. For the rest of that week, we glared at each other and dealt with the rants from the people who called in. They took sides, of course, as we took each other to task in our separate time slots.

The overnight ratings went through the roof, of course. (People just love a good hang-it-all-out squabble, don't they?) When the Program Manager returned, we were cautioned never do that again. (Remember, this was AM radio, no computers, and few radios allowed in offices.) Finally, I developed the worst flu I ever had in my third year on the air, and the bronchitis lasted for weeks. So there might have been some concern on the part of my doctor that I was overdoing it. It all came to a head when I found out that the men were making much bigger salaries than I was, and to boot, the other talk show hosts had either a company owned car or a car allowance! I gave them six weeks to pull my income up to the level of the men, but it didn't happen and I quit.

All in all, the women in broadcasting who are now my age or older (or deceased) were all broadcasting pioneers -- Barbara Walters, Betty Rollins, Pauline Fredericks, Betty Furness are a few who come to mind. In radio, Sally Jessy Raphael was still in Palm Beach, Florida -- I was a guest on her program there once.

Anyway, forgive the outpouring here, but Dan Rather deserves whatever he gets. Now his suit on top of Don Imus? It's the revenge of the old men of radio! More power to them!

[blue state liberal]

159. Radio Lady - I was a big fan of yours and listened faithfully

every morning to your saber rattling with Pat on the radio show on WMEX. They were wonderful shows with you being the strong liberal taking on that staunch conservative! I always rooted for you to win the arguments. Happy to see that you are a DU -er and I enjoyed reading your post immensely.

[Radio_Lady]

183. Wow! What a lift! I have never found another person on the DU who actually heard me in Boston!

Ding -- ding -- DING! We have a winner! You've made my day! I worked on a children's TV show in Miami when I was 17-18. The co-host was Chuck Zink, who passed away on 1/03/06. I put a note in his on-line guest book, and guess what? Someone remembered my name and wondered what had happened to ME! That children's show was on the air from 1957 to 1979. I was only part of the group for 1 1/2 years. What are the chances? Well, I was so pleased I tracked that guy down in Orlando and gave him a call. To say the least, he was pretty startled!

So tell me, what ever happened to Pat Whitley? He did his restaurant show for years, and also was part owner of a radio station in -- was it Framingham/Natick? Is he still around?

Long-time host Jerry Williams passed away a few years ago and his children kept up a website for a long time. Not sure it's still there. He was always very kind and helpful to me. I called him once after I had left the radio business, and he put me on the air and we "schmoozed" for about 15 minutes.

A few years ago, I searched on-line for Avi Nelson and got physically ill when I saw his photo. I don't usually wish for something bad to happen to others, but I'd love to know how he ever survived being the person he was. Funny thing was that he was married -- and his wife went to work! Wonder if they ever had kids. Ah, well, let it go... I don't like to think of myself as spiteful. Our local conservative yokel here is Lars Larson. I listen to him sometimes, but only if AAR is totally boring or a re-run.

I miss Boston and usually tune in for the July 4th celebration at the Hatch Shell. When we visited there in 2003, I heard that Natalie Jacobson and Chet Curtis on TV had broken up. Our next trip is planned for next year. We haven't seen the city since the end of the Big Dig (has it really ended)?

Maybe you know what happened to newscasters Diane Stern and Anthony Silva at WBZ. They were both very good.

I can't for the life of me remember any newspeople at WMEX. There was Avi, me, and Jerry W. At least on weekdays.

But my heart still belongs to Laura Carlo, the bubbly gal at WCRB -- Charles River Broadcasting. She was an announcer for that classical commercial station. I think she's still working for some other station. I used to call her on Saturday mornings during her shift to thank her for accompanying my mornings. We have a new woman with KBPS here in Portland who does the morning show. She's MAHVELOUS. www.allclassical.com if you care to listen.

Remember Paul Benzaquin? His birthday is next month, on October 17th. He has survived heart problems for a long time. I talked with him at his home a few weeks ago and he was pretty startled that I'd kept his home telephone number. We did stay in touch in Boston until he remarried the Jewish widow of a Vermont doctor -- that was maybe 1995 - 1996 when I was Radio Advertising Manager for LoJack Corporation. Paul was raised a Catholic, but always thought he was Jewish, but in his Spanish speaking background there were people who were "conversos" -- Jewish citizens who were FORCED to accept Christianity. He was one of the nicest and funniest men I've ever met.

Anyway, you bring back lots of memories, friend! Stay in touch, please.

Sincerely,

Radio Lady Ellen in Oregon

[Radio_Lady]

184. Blue State Liberal, welcome to the DU! Just a few posts... and you found ME.

Don't worry. I won't bite.

Check out my personal journal at:

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/Radio_Lad

The right hand column will clue you in to my current activities.

Thanks again for checking in.

Making peace a priority,

Radio Lady Ellen in Oregon

[spirit of wine]

111. Now I am seeing what will happen

Fight Fire With Fire. In the business world that Bush wants us all to gesticulate to, an impeachment would not be seen as threatening as a lawsuit. This, perhaps will shake the administrations tree so hard nobody will be left standing. I like it!

When in Rome...

[truebrit71]

113. Dan Rather suing CBS for $70 million.

Source: NY Times

Just on CNBC a report that Dan Rather is suing his former employers CBS

No link yet.

---

Dupe.

[tsuki]

114. Go Dan. n/t

[musette_sf]

115. K&R!!

go Dan go!!

[blm]

116. Hey Dan - if you need ANY HELP AT ALL - we are here for you!!!!

You know there is a core evil to BushInc through your decades of investigations. So does John Kerry through HIS investigations into government corruption.

STOP LISTENING TO THOSE POWERFUL DEMOCRATS WHO BELIEVE WE NEED TO MOVE PAST THOSE CRIMES.

Those people are NOT on OUR side and NOT on YOUR side. They side with secrecy and privilege. You side with the Constitution and the citizens who depend on it.

We will HELP in every and any way possible.

[apnu]

117. dupe

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=2997471&mesg_id=2997471

[Ian David]

118. I am sure that Katie Couric will report on this...

... with all the gravitas and professionalism she is known for.
:sarcasm:

Go, Dan Go!
Suck it, CBS!
Stick it in your big, creepy eye!

[blm]

119. I want to have this fight.

He must have gotten the evidence he needs, or he wouldn't be doing this.

Now - if we can get a whistleblower from Diebold and ESS, or a GOP election fraud specialist on his deathbed and wanting to clear their conscience before they meet their lord.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

121. WHAT? No Rove Implication??? The whole thing stunk to

high heaven and had Rove's name written all over it.

[Seabiscuit]

129. I'm sure it will all come out in discovery.

Rove will commit perjury.

When the neocons couldn't get him with their anthrax, they swiftboated him, and CBS was complicit in the latter.

[Vidar]

122. Bravo, Mr. Rather, Bravo!

[SunDrop23]

123. Go get em Dan! Backing you 110%

[Raejeanowl]

126. Good For Him!

Say what you want about Rather, you gotta know what happened was a total political setup. Hold their feet to the fire and expose them, Dan. I will be in your cheering section.

[FourScore]

127. We're with ya', Dan! n/t

[Seabiscuit]

128. WOWZA!!! Go get the bastids, Dan!

:woohoo:

[Boxerfan]

132. I hope they get to present some EVIDENCE-say a copy of B*sh's arrest report??

Just my take. I think he's doing this more to clear his name & expose these bastards in one fell swoop. I hope big!!

[iamasmadashell2]

133. wouldn't this be a hoot?

Why not a class action law suit?-such as-People of the USA vs. ABC,CBS NBC and Fox news and others.
With malice to deceive the American people concerning the build-up to this Iraqi war by consistently propagandizing this war and not allowing any form of dissenting views to filter through to the masses. My god even Goebbels would be amazed at the neo-cons success!!!!!!!!

[moblsv]

135. The truth needs to come out on this

Mary Mapes should be included in this as well. Two good journalists destroyed by right wing lies.

[ileus]

136. LOL too funny!

[blossomstar]

137. My hero Dan Rather!

I literally cried like a baby when he stepped down. My father always watched Dan Rather and ONLY Dan Rather. After his death, it made me feel so close to my father whenever Rather was on... I'd pretend he was still here with me. Sick probably, but it helped to cope with his loss... till Rather stepped down that is. I KNEW Rather would not let the three years expire without a lawsuit!!!!!! GO DAN GO!!!!!

[Enrique]

143. oh, baby

AWOL Bush is back with a vengeance.

go Dan!

[Maestro]

144. Good for him!

Damn good reporter who gave CBS so many quality years only to done this way in the end. Asswipes! If something criminal was done, I hope Rather gets everything he is deserved.

[MissDeeds]

145. Finally some good news

I love Dan Rather and haven't watched CBS since he was forced out. Being the smart, seasoned pro he is, I think there's a good reason he's waited this long to go after the bastards. He's got plenty on them, and knows how to hit them where they're vulnerable. Revenge is a dish best served cold.
Give 'em hell, Dan. We're with you!

[Laurab]

147. I LOVE his timing - it couldn't be better.

And I'm so glad he's finally doing this. It's long overdue.

[bleever]

148. Just imagine if the discovery phase includes

a deposition of the RW blogger who posted, within minutes, about the arcane typographical clues (an IBM typewriter of the period's ability to do proportional spacing and superscripting) that sent the story into a spiral of recrimination and corporate CYA that did Rather in, and saved *'s ass.

That's how it gets back to Rove.

Bring it on.

[TankLV]

149. Good for him - great news...maybe justice will prevail at long last

[suffragette]

151. I hope KO will interview Rather about this

That would be a keeper.

CBS news once had integrity, with people like Murrow, Cronkite and Rather, not to mention producers like Mapes who investigated (or tried to) serious issues. Glad to hear Rather is calling them to task.

[Major Hogwash]

153. Hahahahaha - this is great! Expose Bush as a fraud once again!

And this time make the case stick!

[bonito]

154. This is GREAT NEWS !!!

Dan we're here for you!

[liberal renegade]

155. Every bully needs their ass kicked

and Mr. Rather has the power to do so. I hope Commander Cuckoo Bananas has many sleepless nights.. Expose these bastards for what they are...


Rock em Sock em Rather.....

[Lint Head]

156. Go Dan go!

Eat it Bush ass kissers! CBS was doing the bidding of the fascist criminals in the White House. Dan told the truth. It was the 'document' that was provided by a Bush dirty trick operative that was the the canard that brought down Dan. Bush was AWOL
and a coward. Bush is now a traitor and a dictator. Go to hell United States Constitutional Rights haters, better know as republicans.
:dem:

[Rosa Luxemburg]

157. perhaps all this will unravel the mysteries of W's military service?

[rhett o rick]

158. Email CBS and tell them what you think. nm

[Lena inRI]

161. SIC 'EM, DAN, SIC 'EM. . . .

[BigBearJohn]

162. We should all send Rather a slingshot.

And we will all cheer as he downs Goliath!

[Mabus]

169. Go Dan! Go!

I believe he was scapegoated by the Bush Admin, their cronies and the media. Get all of them Dan!

[Pesky_Hound]

171. Rather Files $70 Million Lawsuit Against CBS

I hope Dan Rather takes a huge chunk out of crimeCBS.

[saracat]

173. I have always had the greatest respect for Dan Rather.Go Dan.this is great.

Dan Abrams and others have said the courts are not the place to settle this.That statement confuses me.Where is the place to settle this issue then? And where would Dan go to get back his reputation?

[Liberty Belle]

174. Good news! I hope Rather owns the network by the time he's done suing them all.

More journalists need to have the backbone to fight back against the White House and pressures from GOP cronies and the corporate media masters.

[Peace Patriot]

175. Dan Rather recently did one of the most kickass reports I've ever seen, called

"The Trouble with Touchscreens." Look for it at www.HD.net. Just a few weeks ago.

Here's a Bradblog report on it: http://www.bradblog.com/?p=4960

And it's not just about the rigged voting machines of 04 and 06--manufactured by ES&S (Diebold's evil twin) in sweatshops in the Philippines, where people make $2.50/hr and less, and from where defective machines were shipped to the U.S.-- it's also about Florida 2000, and how Sequoia (the third biggest election theft corporation) screwed up the punchcards ballots in the Democratic areas--they use inferior paper that got damp, and stretched, so that hanging chads were inevitable! And at least one employee says it was on purpose, to screw up the election.

I was amazed.

This is THE MOST IMPORTANT NEWS STORY OF OUR ERA! --and maybe in the history of the U.S., yet it has been utterly black-holed by the entirety of the war profiteering corporate news monopolies.

Dan Rather DID it! He UN-buried the story of the destruction of our election system by these corporations, and hits all the most telling points, including the "trade secret" code in these machines. And one of the best things about this report is that he goes after the OTHER TWO malefactors--ES&S and Sequoia. Diebold is notorious. These other two lurk in the background, equally as bad as Diebold, if not worse.

Anyway, I had kind of written Dan Rather off, or just forgot about him, until this. And, whoa, is this IMPRESSIVE! He says all the forbidden things. He does boffo investigative work, tracking down employees and talking to experts. It is an incredible report.

And the upshot of it is that these fuckers in the White House set up and stole TWO elections, through their buds at these rightwing voting machines corporations! He doesn't quite come out and say it, but I'm convinced he believes it, given the information he presents and his strong commentary. He leaves it for us to make the conclusion. I think Dan Rather has gone through some sort of transformation since CBS did him in to cover up Junior's AWOL. He is pissed! And he's going for the heart of the matter: how this illegitimate, fascist government achieved power and stayed in power.

Now think back to the AWOL story. The thing is that the story was TRUE, and backed up with documents and testimony. There was only one weird document. It had been re-typed on a later model machine. But the secretary who was familiar with the original document said it was the same information, just re-typed. Nobody knows why or how it got re-typed (wasn't the original). But she vouched for the CONTENT. And this is where the prepped Freepers came in. They jumped on the re-typing immediately, and went through this whole, phony "investigative" mode in which they "discovered" that the type wasn't right for that era. And THAT became the story, rather than the secretary vouching for the content.

The whole thing sure looked like a Rovian "swift-boating" to me. My guess would be that the person who disclosed the docs to CBS first sold them to Bush operatives (who tainted them by re-typing one doc), prepped the Freepers, and then directed the corporate news monopoly coverage.

And--as with his startling revelations about the voting machines and the hanging chads--I think Rather has figured it out.

Consider what the NYT says the suit is about: "He (Rather) also contends (in the lawsuit filing) that the network committed fraud by commissioning a 'biased' and incomplete investigation of the flawed Guard broadcast and, in the process, 'seriously damaged his reputation.'”

"Committed fraud," commissioned "a 'biased' and incomplete investigation." That sounds like CBS execs may have been party to the initial fraud. (Why would they want to cover up a sting against their own news dept?)

Nope, this is not Rather just trying to repair his reputation. He could do that in a book (setting the record straight). Nor is it simple anger or a desire for compensation for lost salary or rep. He smells something. That's what it feels like (--and I am influenced in this feeling by his stunning report on voting machine corps). He's got something figured out, and he's going after them on FRAUD--on an "incomplete investigation," meaning a coverup--possibly meaning collusion. A lawsuit is, among other things, a means of discovery. He first of all has to prove he has a substantive issue. Then he gets to depose individuals and seek more evidence.

This promises to get very interesting. We were, in 2004, hit with several election crimes--the fraudulent, non-transparent vote counting system itself, with rightwing Bushite corporations having gained direct, secret control over the vote tabulation, with virtually no audit/recount controls (for which our own party bears responsibility, as well as the Bushites), massive voter purges and vote suppression, in blatant violation of the Voting Rights Act, and disinformation and coverups by the war profiteering corporate news monopolies, who, you may recall, DOCTORED their exit polls (Kerry won), late in the day, to force them to fit the results of Diebold/ES&S's "trade secret" vote counting software (Bush 'won'). They also acted as the trumpet for the "swift-boat" and other attacks on Kerry (and played a key role in bumping the stronger antiwar candidate, Howard Dean, out of the race, to begin with). And these are just the things we know. What if they were also doing "dirty tricks" for Bush, such as conspiring on this re-typed document and helping set up the sting?

That's what "biased" and "incomplete" investigation, and "fraud," say to me--at least as possibilities. Cuz I can't think of a good reason for them to cover it up. Pressure from the White House? Pressure from the rightwing? So what? News departments always have pressure. It doesn't make sense as a motive for biasing the investigation. Why wouldn't they want to know what happened? Well, one reason would be, they were in on it.

[Broadslidin]

176. As per usual, Quietly Settled Out of Court & Court Documents Sealed Forever More.

:hide:

[Initech]

178. Excellent!!! FUCK CBS!!!

[panzerfaust]

181. Sold out. Hurt us all.

In the article linked to it is stated that:

"By his own rendering, Mr. Rather was little more than a narrator of the disputed broadcast ..."

He, by this admission, confesses to having sold his integrity as a reporter. Yet, he now wishes to whine, complain, and sue his former masters.

In the public view he was not being paid $6,000,000 a year to be a narrator. We the public thought that he was being paid to be a reporter.

Sorry Dan, you sold out, then you got whacked.

Sadly, your fall from public grace did give aid and comfort to the fascists.

[Dinger]

182. I Absolutely LOVE It!!

:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

[Hekate]

190. Well done, Mr. Rather. Go get 'em.

:evilgrin: :popcorn: :evilgrin: :popcorn:

Hekate