Dan Ra^ther Now Using Fake Emails For News Peg

It's unbelievable, but it's true. Even as Dan Rather is being investigated for peddling transparently-sham forged documents, CBS News airs a story using already-debunked emails as the peg upon which to hang its draft-scare story.

RatherBiased has the full story. I'll just tease it.

Rather introduces a story "reported" by Richard Schlesinger. The "report" features video footage of these emails:

which can be read in their entirety here, and which have been thoroughly debunked as the typical dishonest wives'-tale chain letter at FactCheck.org.

Contrary to the claims in the email -- promoted by CBS News -- that the Selective Service is upping its budget in anticipation for a draft, the budget is actually flat:

The Selective Service Budget has not been increased. The scare story also gets it wrong when it claims the budget for the Selective Service is being increased by $28 million in 2004. In fact, the Selective Service System's budget is flat. Its total operating budget was $26 million in fiscal year 2003 (which ended last Sept. 30), and is $26 million for fiscal 2004 as well. Furthermore, the President is asking for $26 million again for fiscal year 2005, and the Office of Management and Budget actually projects that the agency will shrink in size from 161 employees to 156 next year. That's hardly gearing up for a draft.

Furthermore, it is not the Bush Administration, nor anyone actually interested in restoring a draft who has introduced the two "draft bills" in Congress. Democrats "pushing" bills to reinstate a draft, chiefly as a political stunt. Even the Democrats -- or especially the Democrats -- don't want a draft; they are "introducing" bills to reinstate the draft to call attention to whatever the hell it is that animates them these days.

The report publishes images of these emails as if they are genuine and their contents can be relied upon. Nowhere in the report does it state that the basic facts "reported" by the emails is in fact completely wrong. It features Bush and Kerry denying any interest in the draft, but then returns to a supposedly "Republican woman" -- aren't they all? -- being unconvinced.

After all-- she's got her emails. Emails that CBS News just publically endorsed.

Is this just another case of "aggressive journalism," or "journalism happening," as liberal media apologist Richard Cohen claims?

posted by Ace at 04:39 AM

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