Friday, March 11, 2005

 

Good Riddance to Dan Rather

I’m not going to waste a lot of my space or your time on this guy. Nothing else he ever did has any bearing on the disgusting performance as he dodders of into the sunset. What he pulled was every bit as bad as what Jayson Blair did - worse, if you take into account his position at CBS News. At least Blair took the consequences like a man, not ducking for cover, lying, whining and throwing others overboard like this jerk.

I’m going to make just two points: 1) CBS and Rather were not “duped”. Duped is when reputable experts authenticate the item, you rely on that authentication, and it subsequently turns out that the experts were duped. Duped is NOT when you consult a series of increasingly less-qualified experts, every single one of whom tells you they have doubts, and you nevertheless broadcast, claiming to have expert authentication. That is not being duped. That is perpetrating a fraud.

2) Rather was not some cub reporter reading copy written by somebody else. Rather is a “journalist” with over thirty years’ experience. And more importantly, and more to the point, he was the MANAGING EDITOR. That means he was responsible. Even if he really was so lazy, sloppy and yes, stupid as to go with that story without looking into it himself, he is the managing editor and is therefore responsible for its content. Even if someone else had presented it, Rather should have been held responsible. With big titles and big paychecks comes big responsibility. Rather acted like a backstabbing coward pawning off responsibility on others.

I have posted a couple rather more lighthearted parting shots at “Gunga Dan” over at CHIMPS AT WORK. But as for me personally, the jerk disgusts me. A cowardly, dishonest disgrace to the profession of journalism.

Good riddance.

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