CBS Expels Dan Rather

[DCR covering "The Story of the Decade" for CBS in Spring, 1975, after the CBS staff fled Saigon as General Vo Nguyen Giap's Communist Army came to town and we learned, personally, how the new regime could kill without  bullets and how CBS New York would accept it.]

The blight at the end of the tunnel? CBS announces that Dan Rather, its erstwhile news icon, is going the way of all flash---even one that ran 44 years in MSM. He's leaving the corporate stable (once mighty and golden) of CBS. CBS has a properly pompous and adoring farewell to Dan as it shoves him overboard.

 

I know Dan Rather from the letter he replied to when I reminded him, for the upcoming 20th Anniversary commemoration of the 1975 Fall of Saigon, who it was that stayed behind and covered the story for CBS after it’s entire staff fled in the panic. His letter said he’d bring this to CBS’ attention, producers etc. That was the last I heard from the guy who “venerates the Ed Murrow tradition”—or any of the others who were publicly  congratulating themselves over CBS coverage of that ‘Story of the Decade'---without  mentioning the one who covered it for them and Cronkite in New York and Bill Plante in Hong Kong after the regular staff bugged out.

 

A Vietnam vet suggests I contact the NY Times, now that Rather is a news story. I smile. "You mean contact one of Dan Rather's great enablers?"

BlogWorld: June 30. Speaking of CBS/NY Times/MSM  world-view, here is another 'win' for GloboSocialismo (and GloboCapitalismo) over what Osamatons call 'The Crusaders.' Warner Bros. in its new-old "Superman Returns," has neutered our famous hero. The Hollyhucksters have changed the  stated mission of today's (metrosexualized? girly-mensch?) Superman from "Truth, Justice and the American way" to the politically correct "Truth, justice and all that stuff."  You don't believe it? Check the link.    June 28: On long-time CBS/Dan Rather  friend NY Times' latest violation of US national security: Some believe that prosecuting the Times would be too problematic, counter-productive and likely to fail in today's criminal-friendly court system. They prefer hauling Times' hirelings before a Grand Jury to find out the source of the criminal leaks. gringoPoint: In either case, the ball is in the court of George Bush. Will he kick, or call another time-out that seems never to end?
      June 27: More on NY Times as terror-enabling Privacy Yenta. Do not---repeat--do not miss the superbly Photo-shopped WWII images at Michelle Malkin's "NY Times Flashback"........ Rep. Peter King (R-NY) wants the long-time ally of CBS and Dan Rather prosecuted for its latest divulging of national security secrets. King, the Times reports(from the shadows of page A12) is " calling on the attorney general to begin a criminal investigation and prosecution of the New York Times, its reporters, the editors that worked on this and the publisher."  Is Team Bush listening? George Bush has wagged a finger at the Times. Will he do anything more?  FYI: For any ACLU-admirer who thinks Peter King (Chairman, House Homeland Security Committee) is just being a "Bushbot," this  ex-Marine is very critical of George Bush on the U.S. border chaos. However, Rep.  King opposes sedition, treason and giving aid and comfort to Islamic fanatics who are very likely planning something bigger and deadlier than 9.11.   King, outspoken New Yorker,  opposes such aid to the enemy even when provided under cover of "privacy concerns" or during the growing economic and circulation problems of the NY Sulzberger Times.
June 26:

The MSM's latest stupefying disregard of the Espionage Act, as the Manhattan capo di tutti capi tells the world and the Islamo-fascisti how the U.S. monitors international banking transactions, provides an unintended bonus. That is, it shows---yet again---why  liberal/left conspiracy theories about 9.11  must be hokum. How? Very simple. The Islamics weren't stupid. They took out the Twin Towers, not the New York Times. p.s. The  latest disregard for what is lawfully classified also shows how both the Right and the Left regard the "Rule of Law" in a "pinch" (Sulzberger or not.) E.g.The Left will break every classification and secrets law that Bush and the "conservatives" will let it get away with. Meanwhile, as we see with the U.S. border and the colonization of the USA by illegal aliens from Mexico etc, the Left and the Bush Republicans are both, regarding the law,  full of refritos.

June 24: For update on "Haditha Crucifixion" (June 07) see MilitaryCorruption.com's revelations  on  SecDef Donald Rumsfeld's Pentagon in this devastating case....  USS Neverdock's "Dan Rather Signs Off." June 21: Michelle Malkin's "My Ears, My Eyes!"

 

 

 

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Comments

[American Daughter]

Well, don't feel too sorry for him. That 1975 coverage did pay off, as he earned $7 million per year for ages. Perhaps he has saved a nest egg to fall back on.

[gringoman]

American Daughter,

Howdy! No, I can't say I feel sorry for 'Gunga Dan.' After all, he had a 44-year run at the top of the Broadcast Heap. He didn't get shoved overboard until his standing by forged documents in the attempt to bring down a sitting President made CBS the laughing stock of Media World. Even then, it took them almost two years to dump him for good. Which shows how much power he had at that glitzy shop.

Point of clarification: Dan Rather was not involved personally with the Fall of Saigon story. He was not there. Other CBS names--ones you know---were there and fled in the panic, while I stayed behind and, in effect, "held the fort" for CBS. Dan simply showed me something about himself years later. I gave him the chance to own up to the facts about CBS "coverage" of that "Story of the Decade." With his godfather-like power and influence there, is there any doubt that he could have had CBS, if he chose to, acknowledge the truth in its commemoration of the historical event? That would have demonstrated not only honor and principle and "Ed Murrow" qualities he claims to revere. It could also have shown one of Dan's oft-proclaimed favorites, "Courage."

He could have done that, going against the grain of media cynics. He chose not to do it. He chose not to take the opportunity I gave him to prove that he was a man, a real mensch, despite tendencies of non-fans to see him--too often--as a pompous fool or self-deluded shill.

[Phillip Wedeen]

What is the BFD? So one DAN hung out in Ho Chi Minh City while the other DAN faleered. So what?
I know reporters from Moscow, Bejing, and Berlin who stayed for the liberation. It was no big deal. In fact we threw a party hosted by Paris Match!

You wanted Dan Rather to do a piece on you hanging out in the liberated zone; "The Dan Cameron-Rodill Show". CBS just wasn't going to do that. Sorry. But take solace in the fact that CBS got most of the substantive stuff, not from you hanging out in the girly bars on Boi-Doi Street with the cabana boys in speedos, but rather (no pun there) from where you wing-nuts always suspected CBS got its copy: Radio Moscow. That is because Moscow reporters could get the substantive interviews from the generals and the politicos while you could only report that 'golly-gosh the tanks have run down the embassy compound!'
One DAN survived at CBS for another thirty years while the other DAN became a copyboy at NewsMax. Let it go, lad. You only lost a job while your country lost a war.

[gringoman]

Comrade Wedeen,

It's sad. Once again you show all the "sophistication" of a grad student in Third World Studies. You sound like the kind who subscribes to Playboy Magazine for the "knowing" articles while staying up late to write a fevered editorial for Le Devoir on Pol Pot's Theory of Anti-Colonial Liberation.

Didn't your People-loving mentor ever explain to you the difference between "journalists" from Moscow, Beijing, Berlin and journos from the Imperium? Your stupidities and half-wit stereotypes aren't even worth a mention of the Cubans I knew, who came down with General Giap's Army all the way from Hanoi, and made sure to visit us at the Caravelle Hotel.

Earth to solipsista stalinista: Being there as a Westerner in general, and most especially an American, with a city of two million not knowing if a bloodbath was imminent was, uh, a different kettle of caviar, or nuoc mam than being a "reporter comrade."

Which is why I was one of the last Americans there and the entire "sophisticated and educated" staff of CBS (you would know about that kind, right?) fled in the famous panic.

Funny, I had thought that even you, despite an advanced degree in Truth and Justice, could have figured that out.

[American Daughter]

Gringoman! Now I get it. That sexy young guy in the picture is YOU, not Dan Rather. I never thought he could have looked that good.

So you worked for CBS then? What a time!!

What have you done since? Must be a fascinating story. Don't tell me here -- send an email. And I'm really interested to know what you are really doing now. It is NewsMax, as knucklehead suggested?

That would be a good gig, from my point of view.