Rather has praise for 4 dismissed from CBS
By John Cook
Tribune staff reporter
Published January 12, 2005
Dan Rather came to the defense of his former colleagues on Tuesday, praising four employees who were dismissed by CBS News in the wake of a scathing independent report into a flawed "60 Minutes" segment on President Bush's National Guard service.
"My strongest reaction is one of sadness and concern for those individuals whom I know and with whom I have worked," Rather wrote in an e-mail to CBS News staffers. "It would be a shame if we let this matter, troubling as it is, obscure their dedication and good work over the years."
The message was Rather's first statement on the report, which detailed a "litany of missteps" and failures in the vetting process that caused the Wednesday edition of "60 Minutes" to air documents critical of Bush without authenticating them. The 224-page report released Monday was written by former Atty. Gen. Dick Thornburgh and Louis Boccardi, retired chief executive officer of The Associated Press.
"I have read the report, I take it seriously and I shall keep its lessons well in mind," Rather wrote.
Based on the findings of the report, CBS fired the segment's producer, Mary Mapes, and demanded the resignations of three news executives, including the show's executive producer, Josh Howard.
Rather, who served as the story's on-air correspondent, and CBS News President Andrew Heyward were not punished.
Rather made no mention of the episode on Tuesday night's broadcast of the "CBS Evening News," his first since the report's release.
He will step down as anchor in March.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0501120261jan12,1,5202569.story?coll=chi-newsnationworld-hed&ctrack=1&cset=true