Ramblings' Journal

CBS: "We were duped."

CBS officials are set to make a "big announcement" today regarding Ra^thergate.

CBS News officials have grave doubts about the authenticity of the material, network officials said last night.

The officials, who asked not to be identified, said CBS News would most likely make an announcement as early as today that it had been deceived about the documents' origins. CBS News has already begun intensive reporting on where they came from, and people at the network said it was now possible that officials would open an internal inquiry into how it moved forward with the report. Officials say they are now beginning to believe the report was too flawed to have gone on the air.

Word is that Dan "Kenneth" Rather was down in Texas interviewing former Army National Guard member (and venomous Bush-basher) Bill Burkett this weekend.

Indications are that Burkett (by way of an Abilene, TX FedEx-Kinko's) is the source of the documents in question.

I guess Kenneth and Burkett needed to collaborate and get their collective stories straight.

No word yet on whether or not Rather will resign. Stay tuned.

UPDATE:From The National Review's The Kerry Spot this morning:

FROM WITHIN CBS - ANNOUNCEMENT TO STAFF LATER THIS MORNING [09/20 10:23 AM]

My source familiar with discussions within CBS says that the discussions of "Dan falling on his sword" have been "muttered all over the place, but there is nothing solid - so far just "rumor and speculation." However, many staffers has been told to gather around 11 a.m. for an announcement of some sort.

Kenneth committing seppuku? One can only wish.

But I can't get that picture of Peter Finch as Howard Beale in Network out of my head.

"I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore!"

Posted by mhking at September 20, 2004 08:33 AM