Rather Sues CBS, Saying It Made Him a ‘Scapegoat’

[DeclinetoState]

By JACQUES STEINBERG (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/s/jacques_steinberg/index.html?inline=nyt-per)
</NYT_BYLINE>Published: September 20, 2007

<NYT_TEXT>Dan Rather (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/r/dan_rather/index.html?inline=nyt-per), whose career at CBS News ground to an inglorious end 15 months ago over his role in an unsubstantiated report questioning President Bush’s Vietnam-era National Guard service, filed a lawsuit this afternoon against the network, its corporate parent and three of his former superiors.

Mr. Rather, 75, asserts that the network violated his contract by giving him insufficient airtime on “60 Minutes” after forcing him to step down as anchor of the “CBS (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/companies/cbs_corporation/index.html?inline=nyt-org) Evening News” in March 2005. He also contends that the network committed fraud by commissioning a “biased” and incomplete investigation of the flawed Guard broadcast and, in the process, “seriously damaged his reputation.”

The suit, which seeks $70 million in damages, names as defendants CBS and its chief executive, Leslie Moonves (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/m/leslie_moonves/index.html?inline=nyt-per); Viacom (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/companies/viacom_inc/index.html?inline=nyt-org) and its executive chairman, Sumner Redstone (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/r/sumner_m_redstone/index.html?inline=nyt-per); and Andrew Heyward, the former president of CBS News.
NY Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/20/business/media/19cnd-rather.html?_r=2&hp=&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1190226880-ou+TDELicQBcfWAyZjv0pQ&oref=slogin)

A liberal newspaper reports on a liberal journalist suing a liberal employer.

Before Dan goes too far, he might want to read something that's been in my signature for quite awhile (and no, I'm not talking about the Paris Hilton quote).

[Maggie_T]

Oh, boo-hoo-hoo. Another liberal who tries to justify his foot-in-mouth disease by wailing "Not my fault! They made me do it, mommy!" Typical.

[Beowulf]

Dan, you asked for it. Nuff said!

Go cry to someone who gives a shit.

[Lubbock]

Could be Rather has stepped in it. Big time.

If this suit doesn't settle out of court, we're going to learn more about Rathergate and forged documents than we ever dreamed possible.

[DesertFox]

Go for it, Rather. You and CBS, the liar and his enabler. Ejaculate all over each other. Defecate all over each other. Urinate all over each other. Expectorate all over each other. Hemorrhage all over each other. Pollinate each other. Then lick it all up and do it again. And again. And again.

[Beowulf]

Could be Rather has stepped in it. Big time.

If this suit doesn't settle out of court, we're going to learn more about Rathergate and forged documents than we ever dreamed possible.

Good point, Lubbock. The world would find out just how much of a liar Rather is and he would even lose face with his Liberal allies.

[Elgalad]

Newsbusters.org (http://newsbusters.org/blogs/ken-shepherd/2007/09/19/dan-rather-sues-cbs-70m) has a great write up on this... :thumb:

Check out this oh so appropriate video... (http://img531.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ratherzj9.flv)



Oh and by the way, What IS the frequency, Kenneth (http://www.ifilm.com/video/2478584)? :evilgrin:



-E

[Rhino]

They were talking about this on Fox this morning. The suit actually requires him to prove that the Bush National Guard story was in fact true, and that CBS conspired with the White House to discredit it.

[Naturalized-Texan]

Let me get this straight:

Dan Rather is suing CBS because he was fired for knowingly using forged documents to smear President Bush during the 2004 presidential election campaign.

What's wrong with this picture?

[mateusrosé]

He's getting no sympathy from this corner. And that scandal was just his swan song, anyway; Rather had had many contentious moments with CBS brass long before that came around. As I recall, he left the newscast with 5 or 6 minutes of dead airtime (a huge no-no in a broadcast) when he stormed off the set for one reason or another. Then, pointing to his personal idiosyncrasies, there's always "What's the frequency, Kenneth?"

Dan Rather simply wants to try to erase that asterisk that'll always be next to his name, as well as resurrect the GWB issue for himself and his liberal buddies. Gimmeabreak.

[HomeschoolrsRUs]

I must have missed something, could someone please explain this to me:

"What's the frequency, Kenneth?"

[Rhino]

The title refers to the question one of two unknown assailants (one later identified as William Tager) asked CBS anchorman Dan Rather while assaulting him on Park Avenue in Manhattan in October 1986. The phrase Rather reported actually hearing was "Kenneth, what is the frequency?"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What's_the_Frequency,_Kenneth%3F

[HomeschoolrsRUs]

From the Wiki-cite:
"The phrase Rather reported actually hearing..."

This appears that the question was different than what Rather reported actually hearing. So what was the actual question? Or was it poorly stated in the original article? It's very misleading/confusing.

[Rhino]

Probably just paraphrasing.

[Maggie_T]

Let me get this straight:

Dan Rather is suing CBS because was fired for knowingly using forged documents to smear President Bush during the 2004 presidential election campaign.

What's wrong with this picture?

Same thing that's wrong with the country: liberals.

[Lazarus]

Let me get this straight:

Dan Rather is suing CBS because he was fired for knowingly using forged documents to smear President Bush during the 2004 presidential election campaign.

What's wrong with this picture?Its the same logic that says Six black thugs beat a single white kid to unconsciousness, and Jesse Jackson leads an invasion of the town demanding that the thugs be aquitted of any charges...

That kind of logic...

This Rather/CBS fight should provide some good family entertainment - Both parties deserve each other...

[Suzie]

It's Bush's fault.

[Air Force Guy]

Could be Rather has stepped in it. Big time.

If this suit doesn't settle out of court, we're going to learn more about Rathergate and forged documents than we ever dreamed possible.When that realization sets in, one or both parties are going to walk away from this with a profound sense of "YIKES."

Neither side wants to let the fact that the "Father of Lies is on their side" out of the bag.

Wouldn't it be cool though if Dan spoke "liberally" of how he and execs at CBS would sit down over drinks and fabricate news "facts" in the past...citing examples. I'm sure Dan's got some serious "chin music" to lay waste to CBS if he wants to.