Dan Rather and CBS News have issued a statement that pleads benign neglect. Unfortunately, Rather and CBS fail to acknowledge that nearly two weeks of flinging shreds of handpicked evidence, half-truths, distortions and aspersions like so much confetti — after airing forged Texas Air National Guard documents that experts refused to legitimate — makes them complicit in the deception, and that no amount of shrewdly prepared statements can satisfy the network's obligations to its audience, its trade and its president. "Extensive additional reporting" when all that was needed was Microsoft Word, thirty minutes of spare time and an inkjet printer?
Bill Burkett stepped forward as the man who apparently pushed the "start" button on a fax machine at the Abilene Kinko's: but as has been astutely pointed out, the disgruntled man claims only to be the messenger. CBS News' stubborn denial only inflames suspicion of a politically explosive connection.
JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE QUIET DOESN'T MEAN THEY'RE NOT THINKING: The White House sounds like it's moving in for the kill.
VERY, VERY DISCIPLINED: It was last week when everyone in the know wondered why the White House wasn't moving to oust CBS's Bob Schieffer from the presidential debate panel. According to Drudge, the Bush administration decided to wait until checkmate. Here's one vote to replace Schieffer with Brit Hume.
NOT SAYING ANYTHING: You'd think that given time, CBS's almost feral refusal to divulge incriminating source information would be explained. Powerline is following what may be an emerging explanation. And don't miss this, another first.