Thursday, May 19, 2005

 

Revenge of the Neocons against Rather and Newsweek

Dan Rather of CBS and Newsweek Magazine have been caught in the same snare. Both have published stories that seemed to be true. However, the sources of the stories were suspect. Rather relied on documents that were shown to be at best recent copies of old documents and at worst forgeries. Newsweek relied on a single, supposedly reliable source. The story and source were later discredited by the Pentagon.

Everyone has been jumping on Rather and Newsweek for relying on bogus or weak sources. Nobody has been asking whether the stories might in fact be true. Both Rather and Newsweek have been blamed for jumping the gun to get the stories out quickly. They have been blamed for not checking sources more carefully, for trying to find independent corroborators, and other practices of good journalism. The result of the critical attacks on Rather and Newsweek has been to convince part of the public that the stories themselves are utterly false and thus divert attention away from the peccadillos of Mr. Bush and his administration.

Consider Bush's National Guard record. It's been widely publicized that he received some important favors. He was allowed to transfer from the Texas National Guard to the Alabama National Guard so that he could assist a family friend in a political campaign. No one denies the transfer. No one denies his work in the political campaign. He's the son of a rich and politically influential man. It would be surprising if he hadn't received other preferential treatment during his tour of duty in the Guard. Rather's story was entirely credible even though Rather's proof was suspect. Rather should have dug deeper and found other witnesses before airing the story.

The Newsweek apology, published and aired earlier this week, was an admission of regret for the damage that the story might have caused as well as regret for not finding other sources to back up the story. The story itself was credible, since other events of similar nature have been reported in other detention facilities run by the American army. It has been rather common practice to denigrate Islam as a technique to demoralize Muslim prisoners and to make them tell the secrets of the organizations they belong to.

Some seventy years ago a famous mathematician showed that there are theorems in various branches of mathematics that are unprovable but true. In some cases, one has to go to a higher level of mathematics to find the proof. Of course, it has always been the case that there are false theorems that can't be prooved. Journalism is like mathematics in this regard.

Some truths are unpopular. Bush and his neocon and conservative Christian allies have never liked Dan Rather and took the opportunity provided by his haste to air his Bush story to take him down. In fact, they took him out of his job as the anchor for CBS News. They didn't mind the Newsweek story until it seemed that it had caused embarrassing riots in Pakistan. These people don't like the whole truth, just the truth that suits them.
Comments:
Hi Al,
I found you by way of Annie's blog. I like you! I really like you! Those who don't agree with me call me a bleeding heart liberal...like that is a bad name. So be it. I know who I am and am good, really good with it.

So you went to school in Illinois once upon a time? Me too. BS from Western Illinois University 1975. A long time ago, but you beat me:-)

I'll be back to visit again.
 
Hi Lightfeather,
I'm pleased to read your comment. Tell me more about your bleeding-heart opinions. I've been called a bleeding-heart, a parlor pink, a liberal, and an atheist. I will admit to most of them. I'm really not an atheist. I'm a baptized and confirmed Episcopalian who doesn't go to church any more.
 
Come visit my blog anytime. It's the best way to know me and my liberal bleeding heart ways :-)

I was born Catholic, raised Episopalian, and now attend the church of me. Wherever I am, God is! It's a great place to attend.

Smiles!
 
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