We also understand that CBS has actually actively interviewing new applicants to become its managing editor once Dan Rather handcuffs himself to the set, and the first applicants seen going in the building today, Kitty Kelley, ladies and gentlemen, being interviewed as the new managing editor for CBS News. She had a conversation with the muckety-mucks and the suits at CBS today. No comment from either party on the truth of this story. We’re waiting for the secretly made audiotape. Eric Fettman today, the New York Post — by the way, welcome back. It’s the Rush Limbaugh program and here’s the telephone number if you’d like to call: 800-282-2882. Eric Fettman today, the New York Post, has a piece. “The growing Memogate furor over the authenticity of documents said to cast doubts on George W. Bush’s National Guard record isn’t the only controversy dogging Dan Rather and CBS News these days,” and this is something a lot of people have forgotten about and now they’re starting to remember it.
“The network is coming under fire in some quarters for a ‘CBS Evening News’ broadcast about what it billed as a sensational national-security scandal that may have impacted critical U.S. policy decisions in the Middle East. Less than a month later, however, the ‘sensation’ has fallen far short of its original explosive billing. But that hype has provided potent ammunition for enemies of both Israel and the Bush administration’s Mideast policies ? ammunition that those forces are gleefully using.
“By all accounts, what started off as a story about espionage at the highest levels of the Pentagon has turned into, at worst, a case of the possible misuse of classified documents ? specifically, a single draft memo on U.S. policy on Iran that a Defense Department analyst may have shown to someone at the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), who may then have passed the information on to Israeli officials. That’s not a light matter, of course. Classified material is marked secret for a reason. But it hardly rises to the level of CBS’ original claims, which led the evening news broadcast of Aug. 27: 
“‘We start tonight with breaking news,’ Rather intoned breathlessly, ‘a CBS News exclusive, what could be a serious security breach inside the United States Defense Department. Federal agents now believe there is a mole working at the highest levels of the Pentagon, a spy for a major world power who may have been in a position to influence Bush administration policy ? policy on Iran and Iraq.’ Lesley Stahl went on to report: ‘The FBI believes it has solid evidence that the suspected mole’ ? later identified as Larry Franklin, a mid-level analyst with no policymaking input ? ‘supplied Israel with classified material that includes secret White House policy deliberations on Iran.’
“This, declared Stahl, ‘put the Israelis . . . inside the decision-making loop, so they could try to influence the outcome.’ And, she added, there’s another concern: ‘Did Israel also use the analyst to try to influence U.S. policy on the war in Iraq?’ The story, in short, rang all the right bells to gladden a conspiracy theorist’s heart: Israel, AIPAC (the leading pro-Israel lobby) and neo-conservative war hawks ? in particular, Franklin’s boss, Assistant Defense Secretary Douglas Feith, long a chief target of the Bush-bashers. And while Stahl never mentioned Jonathan Pollard, the U.S. Navy analyst caught spying for Israel two decades ago, the comparisons seemed unavoidable.
“But: CBS said arrests were imminent ? yet none have materialized. And no one is talking anymore about moles or sinister forces secretly shaping U.S. policy ? or even about espionage, for that matter. (Both AIPAC and the Israelis deny having done anything illegal or improper.) A grand jury is hearing evidence, but if any charges are leveled, it’s unlikely to be anything more serious than ‘mishandling classified material.’ Still, as Saul Singer wrote in The Jerusalem Post last Friday, ‘the anti-[Israel] cabal doesn’t care if there are any arrests, because they have already succeeded in portraying Jewish power as something sinister, perhaps even treasonous.’
“Pat Buchanan did precisely that on ‘Meet the Press’ last Sunday, when he demanded that officials ‘investigate whether there is a nest of Pollardites in the Pentagon who have been transmitting American secrets through AIPAC, the Israeli lobby, over to . . . the Israeli embassy, to be transferred to [Prime Minister Ariel] Sharon.’ (This came right after Buchanan declared that U.S. support of Israel was the direct cause of 9/11 and all other forms of Islamic terrorism.) In fact, nothing about CBS’ original allegations makes sense. For one thing, Israel has learned its lesson from the fallout over the Pollard fiasco. And solidifying the U.S.-Israeli relationship has been the cornerstone of Sharon’s policy. It’s unthinkable that he would jeopardize it with something like this ? particularly over information that Washington and Jerusalem already share at the highest levels.
“Clearly, much more is at work here, in terms of why the story was leaked now and who provided the information. By all accounts, it wasn’t to pressure any of the supposed targets ? both AIPAC and Franklin have been cooperating with investigators. Suffice it to say, though, that this has less to do with national security than with partisan politics. As Michael Ledeen of the American Enterprise Institute, a friend of Franklin’s, told the New York Sun: ‘When the FBI has a case against someone . . . they indict him and arrest him and put him away. They don’t go to Lesley Stahl.'”
There’s just more that continues to fall out from the way CBS is doing business, doing the news.
END TRANSCRIPT
<a target=new href=”http://www.nypost.com/postopinion/opedcolumnists/28563.htm”>(Eric Fettmann: Rather’s Other Imploding ‘Scoop’)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/morse200409150552.asp”>(NRO’s Anne Morse: Dan Rather has been here before)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.nypost.com/news/nationalnews/28626.htm”>(New York Post: Guard Cheers Bush)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=7114″>(The Washington Prowler: On Life Support)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=7104″>(TAS: Forged Press Credentials)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.nypost.com/postopinion/opedcolumnists/28578.htm”>(Arnold Ahlert: Dan’s New Peers)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/232283p-199485c.html”>(NYDN: Guard treats Bush as old soldier)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/232342p-199286c.html”>(NYDN: Dan’s ”scoop” as shaky as his status)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/232340p-199470c.html”>(NYDN: W memos fact & fiction)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.cnsnews.com//ViewPolitics.asp?Page=\Politics\archive\200409\POL20040915a.html”>(CNS: RNC Suggests DNC Gave CBS the Questionable Memos)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.cnsnews.com//ViewCulture.asp?Page=\Culture\archive\200409\CUL20040915a.html”>(CNS: Media Watchdog Demands Answers From CBS)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.cnsnews.com//ThisHour.asp#CBS Wants Answers – From Bush”>(CNS: CBS Wants Answers – From Bush)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.cnsnews.com/WebNews.asp”>(CNS: Document Expert Tells ABC She Saw Problems ”Right Away”)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.cnsnews.com//ViewCommentary.asp?Page=\Commentary\archive\200409\COM20040915a.html”>(CNS Commentary: The Death Knell for Snob Journalism)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.cnsnews.com//ViewCommentary.asp?Page=\Commentary\archive\200409\COM20040915b.html”>(CNS Commentary: CBS Hurt Kerry Campaign by Trying to Help)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2004/9/14/155001.shtml”>(NewsMax: Bush Praises Guard, Proud of Service)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2004/9/14/152648.shtml”>(NewsMax: Scrambling CBS Brings In New Memo Expert)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://abcnews.go.com/sections/WNT/Investigation/bush_guard_documents_040914.html”>(ABC: CBS Ignored Concerns About Disputed Records)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.weeklystandard.com/Check.asp?idArticle=4624&r=qurho”>(WS: If it’s good enough for 60 Minutes, it’s good enough for the DNC)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/editors200409141633.asp”>(NRO Editors: Schieffer should be nixed from the Oct. 13 presidential debate)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.nationalreview.com/dkonig/konig200409140915.asp”>(Dave Konig: New Bush Guard memo unearthed!)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/conway200409141022.asp”>(George Conway: BREAKING: Young W. bribed Guard officials with $3 bills)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/editorials/la-ed-cbs15sep15,1,3946256.story?coll=la-news-comment-editorials”>(LA Times Editorial: “CBS Was Had”)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.nypost.com/postopinion/opedcolumnists/30280.htm”>(John Podhoretz: CBS Forges Ahead)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.nypost.com/postopinion/editorial/30293.htm”>(New York Post Editorial: Stop The Stonewall, Dan)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.cnsnews.com//ViewPolitics.asp?Page=\Politics\archive\200409\POL20040914a.html”>(Alleged CBS Source May Carry Old Grudge Against Bush)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.cnsnews.com//ViewPolitics.asp?Page=\Politics\archive\200409\POL20040914b.html”>(CBS Critic Bernard Goldberg Compares Dan Rather to Richard Nixon)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.cnsnews.com//ThisHour.asp#Report: Expert Says He Did Not Authenticate Killian Documents”>(Report: Expert Says He Did Not Authenticate Killian Documents)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.cnsnews.com//ThisHour.asp#NY Times: CBS Staffers Deeply Concerned About Rather’s Report”>(NY Times: CBS Staffers Deeply Concerned About Rather’s Report)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=7104″>(TAS: Forged Press Credentials)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2004/9/12/102130.shtml”>(MRC: CBS Won’t Deny Kerry Link to Docs)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.mediaresearchcenter.com/cyberalerts/2004/cyb20040914.asp#1″>(MRC: Dan Rather in Crisis, Day 6 )</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.mediaresearchcenter.com/press/2004/press20040913.asp”>(MRC: Bozell Challenges CBS: Apologize, Come Clean, Expose Forgers)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.mediaresearchcenter.com/notablequotables/2004/nq20040913.asp”>(MRC: The Liberal Media vs. The GOP)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.weeklystandard.com/Check.asp?idArticle=4621&r=pzgwf”>(Weekly Standard: Rather Bad)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.weeklystandard.com/Check.asp?idArticle=4617&r=fgqgo”>(Weekly Standard: The Burden of Belief)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.weeklystandard.com/Check.asp?idArticle=4620&r=rhewb”>(Weekly Standard: The AP: At It Again)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0914/p09s01-coop.html”>(CSM: Campaign panic in perfect Times Roman)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=7099″>(TAS: Here We Go Some More)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A18982-2004Sep13.html”>(Washington Post: Expert Cited by CBS Says He Didn’t Authenticate Papers)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.nationalreview.com/kurtz/kurtz200409131046.asp”>(Stanley Kurtz: From Biased to Partisan)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/13/opinion/13safire.html?pagewanted=print&position”>(New York Times Op-Ed: Those Discredited Memos -William Safire)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.nysun.com/article/1610″>(New York Sun: Laughably Fake)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.nypost.com/news/nationalnews/30241.htm”>(NYP: Bush’s Accuser had “Breakdowns”)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA452516?verticalid=311&industry=Top+of+the+Week&industryid=1024″>Broadcasting & Cable: Rather Defends Memos, But…)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.washingtondispatch.com/spectrum/archives/000568.html”>(Washington Dispatch: Bush Memos Defended by CBS and Dan Rather)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.opinionjournal.com/diary/?id=110005611″>(John Fund: CBS stonewalls as “guys in pajamas” uncover a fraud)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.mediaresearchcenter.com/cyberalerts/2004/cyb20040911.asp#1″>(MRC: Dan Rather Distorts Evidence of Forgery)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.mediaresearchcenter.com/press/2004/press20040910.asp”>(MRC Press Release: CBS Must Come Clean on Fraudulent Memos)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.mediaresearchcenter.com/cyberalerts/2004/cyb20040913.asp#1″>(MRC: Fret Forgery Issue Distracts from ?Bush’s Questionable Record?)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.mediaresearchcenter.com/cyberalerts/2004/cyb20040913.asp#2″>(MRC: More Mainstream Outlets Pursue Evidence CBS?s Memos Are Fakes)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.mediaresearchcenter.com/cyberalerts/2004/cyb20040913.asp#3″>(MRC: Hume: CBS?s Memos ?Look Almost Certainly…Like Forgeries? )</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.mediaresearchcenter.com/cyberalerts/2004/cyb20040913.asp#3″>(MRC: Wash Post, NBC, CNN and FNC Feature Experts Who See Forgeries)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.mediaresearchcenter.com/cyberalerts/2004/cyb20040911.asp#3″>(MRC: Earlier in Day Rather Paints Effort to Suppress Truth-Telling)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.mediaresearchcenter.com/cyberalerts/2004/cyb20040910.asp#1″>(MRC: Nets Concede Memos May Be Fake, But Only After Reciting Them)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.mediaresearchcenter.com/cyberalerts/2004/cyb20040910.asp#2″>(MRC: Less to Forgery Than Content in AM, ABC Suggests GOP ?Set UP?)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.mediaresearchcenter.com/cyberalerts/2004/cyb20040910.asp#3″>(MRC: CNN Fails to Note Left-Wing Views of Prof Cited to Undercut Bush)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2004/9/12/73008.shtml”>(Newsmax: Only One Expert Sided With ’60 Minutes’)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2004/9/12/102130.shtml”>(Newsmax: CBS Won’t Deny Kerry Link to Docs)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2004/9/12/180141.shtml”>(Newsweek: Key CBS Source Was Disgruntled Guard Officer)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2004/9/11/100726.shtml”>(Newsmax: 60 Minutes Hid ”Pro-Bush” Witness)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/13/opinion/13safire.html”>(NYT: Those Discredited Memos)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/12/politics/campaign/12guard.html”>(NYT: An Ex-Officer Now Believes Guard Memo Isn’t Genuine)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=7096″>(The American Prowler: Anatomy of a Forgery)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.cnsnews.com/bozellcolumn/archive/col20010405.asp”>(CNS: Dan Rather, Democratic Fundraiser -04.05.01)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.cnsnews.com//ViewPolitics.asp?Page=\Politics\archive\200409\POL20040910b.html”>(CNS: More Problems Surface With ’60 Minutes’ Documents)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.cnsnews.com//ThisHour.asp#’Shell Shock’ at CBS Over Possibly Fraudulent Documents”>(CNS: “Shell Shock” at CBS Over Possibly Fraudulent Documents)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.cnsnews.com//ViewPolitics.asp?Page=\Politics\archive\200409\POL20040909d.html”>(CNS: 60 Minutes Documents on Bush Might Be Fake)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.cnsnews.com//ViewPolitics.asp?Page=\Politics\archive\200409\POL20040910a.html”>(CNS: Kerry Campaign Denies Coordinating Attacks on Bush’s Guard Record)</a>
<a target=new href=”http://www.cnsnews.com/WebNews.asp”>(CNS: Widow Casts Doubt on Documents Aired by CBS News)</a>
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