The Dan-Man Speaks

Dan Rather has been heard from via a memo he wrote his colleagues (hmmm, more memo's) as reported by Drudge.

The panel report is part of a process -- a necessary process to deal with a difficult issue -- at the end of which four good people have lost their jobs. My strongest reaction is one of sadness and concern for those individuals whom I know and with whom I have worked. It would be a shame if we let this matter, troubling as it is, obscure their dedication and good work over the years.

Yet good can come from this process if CBS News, and the hundreds of able professionals who labor every day to fill an essential public service in an open society, emerge with a renewed dedication to journalism of the highest quality. We should take seriously the admonition of the report's authors to do our job well and carefully, but also their parallel admonition not to be afraid to cover important and controversial issues.

CBS News is a great institution with a distinct and precious legacy. I have been here through good times, and not so good times. I have seen us overcome adversity before. I am convinced we can do so again. That must be our focus and priority. And we can fulfill that objective by getting back to business and doing our jobs better than ever.

Lest anyone have any doubt, I have read the report, I take it seriously, and I shall keep its lessons well in mind.

Dan Rather

Dan Rather returned to his anchor desk tonight, and what do you know. This subject didn't come up, not once.

From the report to this memo to the lack of reporting of this entire episode is, as Hugh Hewitt has written, a complete whitewash. I don't know if there is any (credible) person who can say with a straight face that there was no political bias during this report. What about Mary Mapes hanging out with the Kerry campaign?

Then there is the issue of the documents themselves. No mention of them being complete (and quite poor) forgeries. For more on the report itself there is a good article over at the Captain's Corner.

Four months have passed and this is the best they can do? 224 pages of nothing. I do believe our collective intelligence has been insulted.