The Weeks Review

DAN RATHER TO STEP DOWN FROM ANCHOR POSITION IN MARCH
"Meet the New Boss, Same as the Old Boss"

Upon hearing of Dan Rather's departure, I was reminded of the line from the Who's song Won't Get Fooled Again: "Meet the New Boss, Same as the Old Boss".

After 24 years of shading his broadcasts to fit his personal agenda, he is reduced to promulgating outright lies in an effort to influence the presidential election. Is he fired in disgrace? No. Is he disciplined? No. CBS was to investigate itself concerning the shabbily forged documents that Rather employed in an effort to scuttle the President Bush's campaign, promising results "in weeks, not months." Have you heard any more about it? No. How long have they been "investigating"? Months.

While I wish Mr. Rather good riddance and bid him to not let the door hit him in the backside on the way out, I really don't think this changes much of anything. Mr Rather has made millions spewing his liberal bias and will, more than likely make millions more writing books based on his reputation as an "elder statesman" of journalism, even though he has never been anything more than a self-serving partisan hack.

Will he, or CBS, ever admit the truth; that Dan Rather couldn't have cared less whether the documents were real, as long as they could prevent President Bush's reelection? No way.

No admission. No disciplinary action. No firing. No real comeuppance whatsoever. In fact, CBS is keeping him on "60 Minutes", where the falsified documents were aired in the first place! So where is the justice in any of this?

As for his replacement, does anyone actually believe that he will not be replaced by someone with a similar mindset? Don't hold your breath. The rot at CBS did not begin and end with Dan Rather, he was only the smell.