I could have sworn I heard Dan Rather say,
Or were they forgeries or recreations, as marion carr knox and many other believe? We will keep an open mind, and we will continue to report credible evidence and responsible points of view as we try to answer the questions raised about the authenticity of the documents.
Apparently they weren’t interested in presenting any viewpoints that didn’t agree with their premise, since there are hundreds of other members of the 111th from the early 1970’s available for interviews. Jed Babbin at The Corner easily tracked down some other members of Bush’s squadron, who politely imply that Knox is full of shit. Here is a bit of the first:
Marian Carr Knox — the 86-year old former secretary to Dubya’s squadron commander, Jerry Killian — was flown to New York to talk to 60 Minutes last night, and began the conversation by saying the famous CBS memos weren’t authentic. But, like any lawyer who doesn’t have opposing counsel to object to improper questions, Dan Rather led her through statements about which she apparently knew nothing. And Mrs. Knox speculated her heart out.
Mrs. Knox said that though the CBS documents weren’t real, what is stated in the forgeries is. She talked and talked about how Killian was upset with Mr. Bush, how the rest of the pilots resented him for being a child of privilege, and said that Killian’s son — who disputes the validity of the CBS case against Mr. Bush — “…has no way of knowing whether it’s true or not.” And she does? Not according to the members of the squadron I spoke to this morning.
Col. Bill Campenni (USAF, Ret.) wondered just how Mrs. Knox would have more knowledge than Killian’s son. He told me that not only was young Killian the son of the squadron commander, he was a member of the squadron on duty with the rest of the guys. Mrs. Knox — the squadron secretary — only knew paper. Not people. Killian’s son was in a very good position to know, and she wasn’t.And then there’s this followup
“You said that Mr. Bush got into the National Guard on the basis of preferential treatment “…because there were a lot of other boys in there the same way.” Does that include your son, Ted, who joined the squadron in about 1972?”
Ow.
Looks like it’s a “she said” vs. “everyone else said.” The record reflects that CBS has talked to many people who dispute her story, and have used precisely NONE of that footage.
Update: Jim Geraghty reports on the cumilative debunking of the ENTIRE report, not just the memos. Rather said they would report on that evidence as well. Perhaps Dan and his bosses need a gentle reminder?
Jim Geraghty, like many of us, perceived the big issue a while ago — as did Wizbang!, as did many other bloggers — and now it’s just a case of staying focused on the absurdity that is Dan Rather’s CBS. Even CBS. It’s degenerated into some board game for the unimaginative…actually, I can’t imagine anyone even bothering to tune in nowadays, when MAD TV is so much more informative.
Rather is hanging onto his theatrics, depending upon his ability to sorta seize that camera moment and say nothing without *anyone noticing.* It’s very, very sad…thus the on air time devoted to 15% content, 85% speculative “journalism”.
This finally explains why so many who depend on “network news” television for general information resort to yelling at broadcasts and/or throwing things. I finally understand.
Rather’s never going to cave on this. He’s just going to keep on with his resolute nuttiness until it drives any questions to the point of absurdity. And, I add, this leads me to conclude that, well, hasn’t he always?
what do timothy mcviegh, iraqi insurgents, the DNC and the MSM have in common?….they all rely on shock and sensationalism to achieve their goals…I recently watched John O’Neill and John Kerry’s debate from the Dick Cavett Show…the arguments Kerry used in that debate are, remarkably, the same as he is using to slam the President today…being 54 years old I remember vividly the hostility and division of that time in American political history…It was not fun!
It is also not representative of America today…It is a very different world, and America today…but the MSM. the DNC, John Kerry, and the Iraqi insurgents want us to believe that it is simular…that America is weak, our military cannot prevail and that larger goal of the democratazation of Iraq and the greater Middle East is not possible.
I fell for those lies in the sixties and seventies…I’ll not fall for them again….John Kerry is just another kind of Timothy McViegh…a fool running around in a rented vehicle hauling a load of fertilizer soaked with the fuel oil of division, pessimism, and failure…don’t let him park in front of your home.
I can tell that lawyers are writing Rather’s comments. Notice how he uses the word “recreations” as a synonym for forgeries. In other words, these documents were written recently but what they say is what existed in the originall documents. Did CBS News hire Mark Geragos?
As a cop who’s interviewed hundred of witnesses, let me say a couple of things about the Knox interview:
1) My experience tells me she is an 86-year old woman who jumped at the chance to have an all expenses paid trip to New York City, staying at a classy hotel and living it up on CBS News’s dime.
2) Lonely old folks, like children, usually try to accomodate their interviewer, telling him/her anything they believe the interviewer wishes to hear. I wish I had a dollar for everytime I discovered an elderly person whose story didn’t hold water. Some will actually claim they saw or heard things they could not possibly saw or heard.
3) Today’s “celebrity” climate makes normal people do abnormal things just to get on TV (just look at the folks on Jerry Springer’s show). Imagine how joyful it is to one day be anonymous and the next day find yourself at the center of a major news story.
4) Rather’s questioning of an 86-year old was so leading, that it would be worthless anywhere except on a Liberal news show.
Today, there is a question poll on CNN asking readers if they believe CBS or President Bush?
Guess who’s ahead?
~Cindy
“Jim Geraghty” makes a really poor journalist.
Note the logic. “The two people that could refutre this story are, conveniently, dead. Therefore, IT’S OBIVOUS THAT THE LIVING GUY IS LYING.”
Also, if he says ‘Killian didn’t type’ and Knox is saying, “Yes I remember typing memos that are functionally equivelent to the ones you showed me.” What’s the question?
We already know, and have it sworn before God, that there was some cleaning done. There ARE documents missing, this WAS a tough time for a young Bush…?
I don’t get it.
Forest, trees… I know this will fall on dead ears, BUT THAT JUST MEANS I’M RIGHT.
That is, if you follow Mr. Geraghty’s logic.
“Jim Geraghty” makes a really poor journalist.
Note the logic. “The two people that could refutre this story are, conveniently, dead. Therefore, IT’S OBIVOUS THAT THE LIVING GUY IS LYING.”
Also, if he says ‘Killian didn’t type’ and Knox is saying, “Yes I remember typing memos that are functionally equivelent to the ones you showed me.” What’s the question?
We already know, and have it sworn before God, that there was some cleaning done. There ARE documents missing, this WAS a tough time for a young Bush…?
I don’t get it.
Forest, trees… I know this will fall on dead ears, BUT THAT JUST MEANS I’M RIGHT.
That is, if you follow Mr. Geraghty’s logic.