The Abu Ghraib story was no secret in the media-How The Story Got Out

[kpete]

Dear Jane:

I just wanted to share with the folks here at the Lake a comment I posted over at emptywheel’s place a week ago, about the Rather complaint. I’ll give the link and, for the lazy, I’ll cut’n'paste.
The short version: Rather’s version of events is accurate.
The link: http://thenexthurrah.typepad.c.....t-83507957

The story:

The complaint’s description, quoted above , of events at CBS relative to the Abu Ghraib photos is accurate. Here’s some more detail which I think you’ll appreciate.

A friend of a friend (F2) was the person at CBS who clicked the mouse and let the Abu Ghraib photos out. F2 told me, to my face, (a) about doing that, (b) about the numerous meetings in which senior managment was tying to tamp down the story, (c) about the more than a few calls from senior government officials (IIRC, not just Myers, but maybe also Rumsfeld), (d) the flood of calls from other media outlets which (1) knew CBS had the Abu Ghraib photos, (2) knew what those photos were, (3) wanted them so they could run with them and (4) were vainly trying to get permission from CBS to run with them but were denied until after CBS ran them first.

The Abu Ghraib story was no secret in the media - it was just that CBS got their hands on the pictures first.

Apparently, it was a very high-stress story in a high stress environment - the news business is (I suppose) pretty much all running around with your hair on fire all the time, but this story was exceptional, not only for the number of meetings but also, apparently, for the number of back-and-forth and, apparently, for the amount of journalistic soul-searching which went on inside CBS. The back and forth of “should we run it” vs. “should we hold it” may never have been more intense.

There are, I was told, a lot of emails in the CBS system (or were) that go through this whole episode. F2 told me that, on the day the photos came out, there were so many into F2’s box that F2 stopped opening them, and (IIRC) went with the last one read. That one said it was OK to run the pictures, so that’s what F2 did.

That’s how the story got out, and how close it came that the Abu Ghraib photos would not have seen the light of day. And, because (IIRC) CBS had subsequently said not to run with them, they got in a real bind with the Admin when the photos did in fact come out and the story ran. I think the Admin thought they had a deal…. So, Rather got it in the neck through a setup on the Bush National Guard story.

F2 asked me, if I thought what went on at Abu Ghraib was a war crime. My response was that we were long past crossing that line.

Just thought you’d like some sharing.


http://www.firedoglake.com/2007/09/27/dan-rather-lights-em-up/#comments

[Jack Bone]

1. wow...just...wow...

K&R'd:kick:

[Tuesday_Morning]

2. k & r

[stillcool]

3. K & R..

the complaint:

http://blogs.trb.com/news/politics/blog/DRScan002.PDF

[kpete]

7. I am not fond of revenge

but if the truth prevails, Rather will shine.

[DemReadingDU]

4. TNH link not working, here is correct link

http://thenexthurrah.typepad.com/the_next_hurrah/2007/09/cbs-collaborate.html#comment-83507957

[kpete]

5. thanks

DemReadingDU, I appreciate that, kp

[Richard Steele]

6. K&R