Having recently agreed to pay perky Katie Couric and her glam gams $15 million per year to anchor their evening newscast out of third place come September, CBS had no desire to let crusty, folksy Dan Rather, 74 — the man who held the anchor job for 24 years — out of the 60 Minutes broom closet where the dust made him sneeze and no one returned his calls.
As a result — and because the feisty Texan can take a freaking hint — Rather announced he is leaving CBS News before his contract expires in November after he and the network failed to agree on a role for him going forward.
Rather was pressured out of the anchor job in March of '05 as a result of "Rathergate," a disputed 2004 60 Minutes II report about President Bush's National Guard service.
Regarding Rathergate, the newsman and the network said, "On Sept. 8, 2004, Rather did a report for the Wednesday edition of 60 Minutes which raised questions about President George W. Bush's service in the Texas Air National Guard. Included in the report were documents that purported to show that Mr. Bush received preferential treatment.
"But after further investigation, CBS could no longer vouch for the authenticity of the documents. Rather apologized for the report: 'I want to say personally and directly, I'm sorry.'
"'We should have been more rigorous in trying to establish the validity of the documents,' said Rather, adding, 'First and foremost is that four people lost their jobs over it. And I never have them far from my mind. I regret every nanosecond when I let anybody at CBS News down, and even more, when I let the audience down. It's painful to me.'"
More painful still was mostly sitting around since then. "I leave now most of all with the desire to once again do regular, meaningful reporting. My departure before the term of my contract represents CBS's final acknowledgement, after a protracted struggle, that they had not lived up to their obligation to allow me to do substantive work there," Rather said in a statement. "As for their offers of a future with only an office but no assignments, it just isn't in me to sit around doing nothing."
Article comments
1 - Scott Butki
Good thorough piece, Eric. I'm glad we got a serious comprehensive piece before the dan haters come in and shout ding ding the witch is dead.
2 - sr
DING DING THE WITCH IS DEAD. NUKE THE UNBORN GAY DAN RATHER'S.
SCOTT, THINK IT'S DING DONG AND NOT DING DING. DONT MAKE A DIFFERENCE, THE WITCH IS STILL DEAD. FOLLOW THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD.
sr
3 - Eric Olsen
Thanks Scott.
Is Dan Rather made out of brown sugar?
4 - sr
DING DONG THE WICKED WITCH IS DEAD.
5 - Rebecca
I fear the days of the serious reporter are gone. The news business seems to be based more on glamour than skill these days. However, with 24 hour news channels, I'm not sure it matters who is anchoring the Evening News. It's been along time since I've had a chance to sit down at hour and watch it. I'm not sure Katie will be the ratings getters CBS is hoping for; morning television is very different from the evening news. I'm not sure I see her in that role.
6 - Scott Butki
Don't look at Katie for the future of journalism.
But there are some good ones too.
7 - MCH
The worst part of the whole deal is the fact that the story on GW Bush's desertion actually was/is true...and they called Willie "Slick"...
(see www.awolbush.com)
8 - Dave Nalle
True except, of course, for the desertion part and the forged documents supporting the bogus theory.
Dave
9 - larr larry
its about time dan rather got out of thebiz he the news biz. he has lost any credibility a long time ago. .
10 - Eric Olsen
the network evening news race will be interesting in the fall with three newish anchors. Rather should probably go the Cronkite, Koppel route and do more long form, emeritus-type work.
11 - Mr. Real Estate
They should hire John Stewart to take Rather's place. Then at least if he gaffe's we can enjoy it.
12 - Eric Olsen
is it possible to revert to "real news" after doing "pseudo news" for so long?
13 - Ray Ellis
Dan Rather is among a dying breed, I fear. The days of journalism with teeth have given way to Stone Philip. It's a new era of "sound and fury, signifying nothing."
14 - Justin Berry
MCH, did you give that story to Dan? How many other people are you trying to get canned with that nonsense?
15 - sr
"SHAZAM!" MCH. GET OVER IT ALREADY.