Friday, September 10, 2004

Rather Unconvincing

Dan Rather defended the documents in tonight's CBS Evening News (transcript here). It was rather unconvincing.

For the moment I want to ignore the whole issue of fonts and superscripts and proportional spacing and centering and kerning (for more on that, see Little Green Footballs and Hugh Hewitt--and if you're still not convinced, you can try to win $10,000 by reproducing the memo using equipment available in 1972!). Instead, I'd like to point out a few facts that Rather conveniently failed to mention. As you read this, keep in mind that a CBS statement released today says that they are relied, in part, upon "individuals who worked closely back in the early 1970s with Colonel Jerry Killian and were well acquainted with his procedures, his character and his thinking."
  • Killian's widow, Marjorie Connell, has called the records a "farce," has said that the wording does not sound like her husband's words, has said that her husband didn't keep files, and has said that her husband didn't type. [Sources: Washington Post and ABC News]
  • Killian's son, Gary Killian, who served in the Guard with his dad, said that Killian didn't keep private files like this, and has said that the documents didn't come from any family members. [Source: ABC News]
  • Killian's personnel chief, Rufus Martin, who knew him for 17 years, said that he believer the documents are forgeries, and doesn't think Killian would do this. [Source: NY Post]
  • Killian's superior, retired Maj. Gen. Bobby Hodges was cited by Rather in an interview today as one of two people whom CBS used to verify the documents, and that Hodges told CBS they were consistent with what he knew of Killian. But Hodges "tells ABC News that he feels CBS misled him about the documents they uncovered. According to Hodges, CBS told him the documents were 'handwritten' and after CBS read him excerpts he said, 'well if he wrote them that's what he felt.' Hodges also said he did not see the documents in the 70's and he cannot authenticate the documents or the contents. His personal belief is that the documents have been 'computer generated' and are a 'fraud'."
  • Col. Walter "Buck" Staudt--who, according to the memo dated 18 August 1973, was purportedly interfering with officers' negative evaluations of Lt. Bush's service--was honorably discharged on 1 March 1972, 17 months earlier. [Source: Dallas Morning News]