Rathergate just keeps getting bigger, weirder, and more corrupt. It’s reminds me of when I first saw Independence Day: You think you’re watching just another disaster epic, some character starts talking about Roswell and area 51, and the next thing you know all the crazy conspiracy theories about aliens are coming true. Well, that’s where we’re at on this story, we started off with a story of sloppy journalism and all of a sudden CBS news is just another cog in the Kerry Campaign — and it sure seems like we’re still closer to the beginning of the story than the end.
The story as of now – CBS learns by means/people unrevealed that Bill Burkett has some info on Bush’s National Guard service. Despite the fact that Burkett had already fabricated a story about Bush’s TANG files, CBS talks to and believes Burkett (he must be mighty persuasive in person). Burkett tells them he has some documents, gives one to them, and then names as his price for the rest that CBS has the Kerry Campaign talk to him. Mary Mapes, CBS producer, calls Joe Lockhart and Max Cleland, tips them off that Burkett is their source on a big story about Bush’s National Guard service complete with documentary evidence. Lockhart talks with Burkett, but he claims he only humored him, talking about how Kerry could respond to the Swift Boat Veterans ads, and never discussed what Burkett was telling to CBS. It’s pure coincidence that the Kerry campaign had ready that whole “Fortunate Son” theme ready to go immediately after the 60 minutes report. Oh that’s right, Burkett slipped Cleland a copy of the documents (perhaps when Cleland was down at Bush’s ranch?) so why should Lockard spend time yaking with the guy when he can look at the documents for himself.
Gee, I wonder why CBS didn’t also contact the Bush campaign to let them know about the report they were going to do. That way they too could have their comments ready following the show. Maybe CBS found it too hard to think with all those alarm bells going off. I mean, Burkett had lied before about something and cited George Conn as someone who could back him up, and here he tells CBS he got these documents from Conn again (did Burkett pick him for the name alone?). CBS is apparently so dazed and confused that they can’t figure out what their document experts are telling them, don’t bother to check with George Conn to see if they are getting conned, rely on noted liar Ben Barnes to be the face of the piece, and then seemed defensive and shocked that anyone would question CBS authority. I mean, if CBS says they have authenticated the documents (they didn’t), have an unimpeachable source (I guess he’s certifiable, not impeachable), and airtight chain of custody (so airtight they don’t need to check it), who but partisan idiot scumbags can question them? And just because they already told the Kerry Campaign who they’re top secret source is doesn’t mean they should tell the public.
USA Today also received the documents, but seemingly they could hear the alarm bells well enough they didn’t run with the story like CBS. And when they went back to Burkett, they got the greatest shaggy dog story ever told: Lucy Ramirez gave them to me, and I burned the originals because, well, Ramirez didn’t want forensic evidence coming back to name her. Who’s Lucy Ramirez? Apparently USAT doesn’t know either, but didn’t think to ask.
If this were a movie, people would think it too contrived. Sadly, it’s not, it’s the network news in action. I suppose this way they can go out with a bang, not a whimper.
