This CBS thing has gone from funny to pathetasad

Ok Folks lets review some facts

One Document expert at CBS' Employe said these documents had manifest problems, another expert they gave to the Media Said she never looked at anything

the voice saying "hey wait a minute this looks fishy" was ruled out because she googled about George W. Bush-her defense, and a plausable one is she was looking for other information about his service-

Two more "Men with No Name" Verified the documents

The first expert who came out only verified one signature, and had nothing to compare the rest to. He said it was nigh impossible to make verifications from copies-which he just did-

They ignored the claims from witness who SHOULD know -the Man's family- who said this didn't sound like their Jerry

They featured a man who has, in the past, been spanked by Democratic politicians for making the same "i pulled strings" crack. and has in the past had spank called on him by the Bush team

The same disgraced Lt. Governof of Texas is a big time fundraiser for Kerry

Dan donated heavy wads of cash at a fundraiser Barnes co-ran with his daughter

Cbs called in a guy who wrote Anti-Bush books to back up their first defense

In their second defense an "expert" asked why anyone would use Photoshop and word, very common programs, when they could get an antique 1970s typewriter ( which would be hard to find) for about 70 bucks.

Dan Rather has said the Memo's are true until proven false by a prima-facie case of evidence

CBS asked the first document expert, and probably the others to, to not speak about any of this

Ok, the more and more i look at this. the less and less likely this is to being a case of "CBS was duped"

Tons of redflags came up all over this story, and all over its coverage. Some one should have taken a pause here, some one should have said "we'll look like idiots if we run this".

Its clear what happened

When this Story came to CBS, they had a goal to produce a story showing that George W. Bush ran out on the National guard and that serious family connections were pulled for him in the guard.

I am not sure i can find ( and if anyone reading my blog can find it.. please present it to me) a rational/logical answer to this other then they defined the story and did not let the facts get in the way.

this isn't a matter of incompetence but a matter of Malfeasance

the proof is in the Words of the cbs news president


But Heyward said 60 Minutes' larger story questioning Bush's military record had become unfairly overshadowed by criticism of the documents CBS used.

"The fundamentals of the story have not been questioned. The debate is focused fairly narrowly," Heyward said, adding, "I don't know that we can expect that the controversy will be laid to rest."


ok, the FUNDEMENTALS of the story are

#1) you used documents that are most likely fraudulent
#2) you use a convicted criminal, who has in the past pulled out a card on prominent texas political families ( and been disproven) as a source. even though he is a major player in the Kerry campaign
#3) you mislead individuals on camera as to what they were verifying.

I am sorry, what fundementals?

Ok.. If i were in your Shoes Mr. Heyward, I'd not come out guns blazing to defend a story which even your own sources ( which you have identified) say is fishy.

defending copies of original documents that you have from a source which remains un-named.

a source which, if the allegations are true, committed a crime in producing the information he gave you.

Your reputation is tarnished considering Viacom ( your parent company) past with Anti-Bush books (Joe Wilson, Richard Clarke, etc)

now, in a case of what is looking more and more like willful distortion of facts ( not even bias) you try to stand on your reputation?

this is no longer funny, this is no longer intresting, this is just sad. Your going to take your proffession down with you.