| Author |
Message |
Puck
The Texan
Joined: 05 Jan 2004
Posts: 5596
|
 Thu Mar 10, 2005 8:21 am Dan Rather signs off with 'courage' |
|
| Quote: |
Dan Rather signs off with 'courage'
Polarizing figure leaves 'CBS Evening News'
NEW YORK (AP) -- Dan Rather echoed a word he once used every night to sign off the "CBS Evening News" -- courage -- in ending the program for the final time after 24 years as one of America's best known television news anchors.
In a brief statement at the end of the broadcast, Rather paid tribute to September 11 terrorist victims, tsunami survivors, American military forces, the oppressed, those in failing health and fellow journalists in dangerous places.
"And, to each of you," he said. "Courage."
He seemed to savor each word of his signoff Wednesday: "For the `CBS Evening News,' Dan Rather reporting. Good night."
Rather gave his final newscast after enduring a cloud of criticism about a discredited report several months ago on President Bush's military service during the Vietnam War.
Rather had the longest continuous tenure in the anchor chair for a network newscaster, replacing Walter Cronkite. At age 73, Rather is becoming a full-time reporter for the network's "60 Minutes" documentary series.
Among the three major U.S. television networks, CBS ranks last in its nightly newscast in terms of number of viewers. Even in his last full week on the air, Rather finished a distant third in the ratings.
A CNN-USA Today-Gallup poll released Tuesday night said the percentage of people who say they believe all or most of what Rather says has declined to 23 percent, compared with 34 percent in 2002.
The reputation of Rather and CBS suffered after experts questioned the legitimacy of documents used in a September show -- which Rather narrated -- suggesting that Bush had received preferential treatment during his National Guard service three decades ago, during the Vietnam War.
When CBS could not authenticate the documents, the story's producer was fired and three CBS News executives were asked to resign.
Many conservatives said the report supported their claims that Rather has a liberal bias.
Back in 1974, Rather drew the ire of Republicans during a combative exchange with former President Richard Nixon. After Rather -- known as an aggressive TV reporter covering the Watergate scandal -- was applauded when he stood to ask a question, Nixon said, "Are you running for something?" Rather snapped back: "No, sir, Mr. President. Are you?"
Rather had a testy 1988 interview with the former President George H.W. Bush, and conservatives also remember Rather's ill-considered attendance at a 2001 Democratic fund-raiser in Texas.
He also scored several scoops, including anchoring the CBS report that offered the first pictures from the Abu Ghraib prison scandal earlier this year.
Partly because he is viewed as a polarizing figure, Rather made his exit without the wave of goodwill that accompanied Tom Brokaw's as rival NBC's anchor last year.
Contributing to the buzz about Rather's exit was a Monday interview that Cronkite gave to CNN's Wolf Blitzer. (See story)
Although Rather "did a fine job," Cronkite said he would have liked to have seen "Face the Nation" host Bob Schieffer replace Rather a long time ago. Both Cronkite and "60 Minutes" reporter Mike Wallace were also critical of Rather in a recent issue of The New Yorker magazine.
Schieffer begins as Rather's temporary replacement Thursday.
Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Find this article at:
http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/TV/03/09/tv.cbs.rather.ap/index.html
Click Here to Print
SAVE THIS | EMAIL THIS | Close
Check the box to include the list of links referenced in the article.
|
|
|
|
webtaz99
Commodore
Joined: 13 Nov 2003
Posts: 1229
Location: The Other Side
|
| Thu Mar 10, 2005 8:34 am |
|
Welcome a new puppet to the same old strings.
-------signature-------
"History is made at night! Character is who you are in the dark." (Lord John Whorfin)
|
|
|
Republican_Man
STV's Premier Conservative
Joined: 26 Mar 2004
Posts: 14823
Location: Classified
|
| Thu Mar 10, 2005 5:22 pm |
|
Good riddence.
-------signature-------
"Rights are only as good as the willingness of some to exercise responsibility for those rights- Fmr. Colorado Senate Pres. John Andrews
|
|
|
Jemah
Lieutenant
Joined: 04 Mar 2005
Posts: 209
|
| Thu Mar 10, 2005 5:39 pm |
|
dan rather, i am ardently in love with you! 
|
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2002 phpBB Group
Star Trek �, in all its various forms, are trademarks & copyrights of Paramount Pictures
This site has no official connection with Star Trek or Paramount Pictures
Site content/Site design elements owned by Morphy and is meant to only be an archive/Tribute to STV.com
|
Search
FAQ
Log in
