MUST READ: Transcript of Bob Schieffer on Face the Nation show TODAY

[steve2470]

<snip>
SCHIEFFER: Finally, some personal thoughts on today's discussion.
Instead of appointing a special prosecutor, what if the president had just called in his top people
in the beginning of all this and said, `Folks, we have a problem here. I need to know who's been
talking to Bob Novak, and I need to know today by the end of business'? That's what presidents
used to do, and they're usually pretty good at finding out when they really want to know.
Not many people had the nerve to lie to Lyndon Johnson when he looked them in the eye, and
Richard Nixon figured out early on who Deep Throat was, and now we know from Woodward
and Bernstein that on that one Nixon was right.


Instead, this White House did what it usually does when challenged: It went into attack mode,
called charges that the White House had leaked the name ridiculous, and allowed the controversy
to boil until a special prosecutor had to be appointed. Now two years and millions of tax dollars
later, the president's trusted friend and strategist Karl Rove has emerged as the top suspect, and
we're left to wonder: Can anything said from the White House podium be taken at face value, or
does the White House just deny automatically anything that reflects badly on it?
This could and should have been dealt with inside the White House long before it reached the
special prosecutor level. Instead, the president's people followed the modern public relations
rule, `Never admit a mistake, just do what is necessary to kill the story before it kills you,' which
often works. What they are learning, though, is that when that involves tearing down the
character of your critics, it can also be very dangerous business.
That's it for us. We'll see you next week right here on FACE THE NATION.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/07/17/ftn/main709608.shtml

[medeak]

1. best part was his commentary at the end

watched it... last line was perfect:

Never admit a mistake, just do what is necessary to kill the story before it kills you,' which
often works. What they are learning, though, is that when that involves tearing down the
character of your critics, it can also be very dangerous business.

[nyhuskyfan]

2. These Republican schmoes can't get off their talking points...

In segment one of the show, Wilson states point blank that he NEVER said that Cheney sent him to Niger.

In segment two of the show, a Republican senator tries to damage Wilson's credibility by saying that Wilson claimed Cheney sent him to Niger.

It would be laughable -- if it didn't consistently work.

[KT2000]

3. That Shieffer said this is amazing

he has not exactly noted that the attacks coming from the WH have been politically motivated in the past.

[dogday]

4. This article explains the time line of events

and shows how Cheney ties into the trip Joe Wilson took....

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1083895,00.html

[Ready2Snap]

5. All hail the successor to Dan Rather

Go get 'em, Bob!

[spacelady]

17. You nailed it, this is payback for those dirty tricks on rather, they've

been waiting and did not have to wait long for the truth to surface.

[FreedomAngel82]

24. I think so too

I also hope so. They ruined a good and decent man and journalist who told a true story. That Bush was an AWOL scaredy cat.

[thebigidea]

6. Nixon certainly never "figured out early on who Deep Throat was"

he speculated re: Felt according to the tapes, but he certainly never knew.

[shelley806]

7. Kick, nominated, and thanks for posting...Let's keep this alive! n/t

[wicket]

8. a-freaking-men!!!!

:kick: :kick: :kick:

[ooglymoogly]

9. bob shiefer is an old style journalist...honest.

[Virginian]

10. Our Government has LIED to us?

How will we ever explain it to the children?

[Stirk]

11. Wow- even shills like Bob Scheiffer are jumping the ship.

[Imagevision]

19. he last thing Bob Scheiffer is, is a shill - straightest shooter out there

[Stirk]

20. You're right- I had him confused with that bald man from AEI.

[liberalla]

27. This is news to me. I don't mean that sarcastically...

but I remember everybody speaking derisively of him last year when he moderated one of the Presidential debates. He really gave bush softball questions and no follow-ups. Everybody was talking about how friendly they were -- they play golf together, etc. (I think Bob's brother is supposed to be very close with bush.)

When Rather left as anchor I was VERY disappointed that Schieffer was the temporary replacement (though it made sense that if they (CBS) were trying to placate and appease the WH, they would put in someone 'friendly' to bush & gang). I really hoped his 'temp' gig wouldn't become permanent.

I have to admit I saw FTN one or two weeks ago and was impressed by his closing thought at that time. While I didn't see this week's show, I am impressed again by what I'm reading here. BUT! I am SO surprised because his being chummy with bush, I thought he would try to protect him or go 'easy' on him.

I hope he keeps at it the way he is!

[wryter2000]

31. I watch him every night

I can't say I'd call him a shill, but I wouldn't say he's been too outgoing with this atrocity until now.

[liberalla]

32. Bob Schieffer's brother is Ambassador to Australia right now...

...just remembered something else.
Bob's brother is Ambassador to Australia right now!

Appointed by George W -- their down home texan buddy.

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/biog/7583.htm

BIOGRAPHY

John Thomas (Tom) Schieffer
Ambassador, Australia
Term of Appointment: 09/29/2001 to present

"Tom Schieffer was sworn in as U.S. Ambassador to Australia on September 29, 2001. He was nominated by President Bush on July 18, 2001 and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on July 27, 2001.

John Thomas (Tom) Schieffer was born to John E. Schieffer and Gladys Payne Schieffer on October 4, 1947. His father was the managing partner of a construction company. His mother stayed home to rear the children. Ambassador Schieffer has one brother, Bob Schieffer, a journalist, who is the Chief Washington Correspondent for CBS News as well as the host for CBS's Face the nation. His sister Sharon Mayes, an educator, was a teacher, vice principal, principal, and administrator before retiring last year to consult for a local school district."

More at Link.

[donco6]

12. Let's see, what would be the answer to this one:

>>Can anything said from the White House podium be taken at face value, or does the White House just deny automatically anything that reflects badly on it?<<

Hmm. Gosh. Thinking, thinking. . .

[Jackpine Radical]

16. Jeez, ain't that Schieffer a sharp one!

After 7 years of watching the Karl & George Show on the national stage, from before the 2000 Selection until now, after the trashing of McCain, all the fraudulent crap of the 2000 election, 9-11,with a closeup view of the same dirty bullshit we all saw, he's starting to twig to the fact that some of the people in the White House aren't entirely straightforward in what they say.

[Algomas]

26. Maybe he is finally mad as hell and not taking it anymore??

[Mnemosyne]

13. .

:kick: :kick:

[rateyes]

14. Still, reading that transcript...

Schieffer makes it sound, IMO, like Bush didn't know a damn thing about it--just loyal to his friends and that bunch of BS. If Bush claims not knowing about all of this before it was printed in Novak's column, and now that Rove has been caught, then either A: He's a damned liar, or B: He's the most incompetent boob that ever held the office, or C: Both of the above.

[GOPFighter]

29. C. Both of the above

He is the most incompetant boob in the WH ever, and he's a liar. No doubt future historians will label this era "the years America hit bottom".

[immoderate]

15. Remember that Schiefer wrote....

"The Acting President," about Ronald Reagan. Bob has never been one of them.

--IMM

[journalist3072]

18. Excellent, Excellent commentary by Mr. Schieffer!

He summed up this current White House excellently!

[Pachamama]

21. Bravo Bob! Who knew? We actually have a man who is a real journalist!

:applause:

Keep it up....maybe you'll inspire a few more out there to speak the truth to power!

:woohoo:

[Mr_Spock]

22. Holy shite!! This was said on national television??

OMG - the truth from the MSM? I'm gonna faint.

[FreedomAngel82]

23. All this is so true

I think this time the Bush gang are over their heads.

[deadparrot]

25. Innocent question: is this what all the hoopla is about?

Forgive my ignorance, but a day and a half ago, while still a major story, the Rove/Plame thing had settled slightly on DU. For a number of personal reasons (when I haven't cooped up working, I've admittedly been reading Harry Potter), I haven't had a lot of time to pay attention to the news. But when I came back ot DU tonight, suddenly the Rove thing is on fire again. Everyone's jubilant, excited about the briefing tomorrow, etc.

I've been scanning the LBN and GD pages, but other than this story (by which I'm a little astounded), I was wondering what, if anything, else happened today?

Please help a fellow, exhausted DUer, who has another long day ahead of her tomorrow. :)

[jsamuel]

28. TIME EXCLUSIVE: “Was It Through My Conversation With Rove That I Learned..

TIME EXCLUSIVE: “Was It Through My Conversation With Rove That I Learned That Wilson's Wife Worked At The CIA? Yes.”

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/

[mod mom]

30. Perhaps CBS (Viacom) wil pick up our current zeitgeist, bring back Rather

and let Rather go after the thugs who broght him down. Wouldn't that be poetic justice?

[liberalla]

33. CBS should run the Ed Bradley 60 Minutes report !

CBS should run the Ed Bradley 60 Minutes report that got bumped for Rathers TXANG story. It was all about the forged Uranium documents. Speculation was Rove set Rather up with the TX Air Natl Guard story just to keep the Uranium story off the air!

The Uranium story ties in very well with the Plame Leak story!!!

"...the now-shelved Bradley piece would have made clear, was just another means of terrifying the public into supporting an invasion. But the heart of the report was a critical examination of how forged documents purporting to show that Iraq had attempted to purchase uranium from the African country of Niger had been used by the administration -- despite doubts about their authenticity -- to help justify an invasion. With anchor Dan Rather having admitted he’d likewise relied on unauthenticated documents about Bush’s Guard duty, Bradley’s solid report was a casualty of the furor around the Rather story, which conservatives blamed on anti-Bush bias at CBS."
http://archive.salon.com/politics/war_room/2004/09/29/bradley/

I'm going to email CBS!