musing minds

CBS has finally released their report on Ra^thergate. Three executives and Mary Mapes have been fired. CBS version of the story here. Andrew Heyward and Dan Ra^ther have escaped further action.

The Anchoress has the text of Les Moonves’ memo to CBS employees

Michelle Malkin has a post on the connections between Mary Mapes, Col. David Hackworth, Ra^thergate and Abu Ghraib

(CBS) Four CBS News employees, including three executives, have been ousted for their role in preparing and reporting a disputed story about President Bush’s National Guard service.
The action was prompted by the report of an independent panel that concluded that CBS News failed to follow basic journalistic principles in the preparation and reporting of the piece. The panel also said CBS News had compounded that failure with “rigid and blind” defense of the 60 Minutes Wednesday report.
Asked to resign were Senior Vice President Betsy West, who supervised CBS News primetime programs; 60 Minutes Wednesday Executive Producer Josh Howard; and Howard’s deputy, Senior Broadcast Producer Betsy West. The producer of the piece, Mary Mapes, was terminated.
The correspondent on the story, CBS News anchor Dan Ra^ther, is stepping down as anchor of CBS Evening News.
“We deeply regret the disservice this flawed 60 MinutesWednesday report did to the American public, which has a right to count on CBS News for fairness and accuracy,” said CBS President Les Moonves.
The panel said a “myopic zeal” to be the first news organization to broadcast a groundbreaking story about Mr. Bush’s National Guard service was a key factor in explaining why CBS News had produced a story that was neither fair nor accurate and did not meet the organization’s internal standards.
The report said at least four factors that some observers described as a journalistic “Perfect Storm” had contributed to the decision to broadcast a piece that was seriously flawed. “The combination of a new 60 Minutes Wednesday management team, great deference given to a highly respected producer and the network’s news anchor, competitive pressures, and a zealous belief in the truth of the segment seem to have led many to disregard some fundamental journalistic principles,” the report said.

On Fox News this morning Jim Pinkerton highlighted the phrase: “great deference given to a highly respected producer and the network’s news anchor” indicating that this means Ra^ther really, really wanted this to be true and to go forward with it.

The CBS report also states that “the Panel cannot conclude that a political agenda at 60 Minutes Wednesday drove either the timing of the airing of the segment or its content.”

Mary Mapes was also faulted for a clear conflict of interest by coordinating with Joe Lockhart of the Kerry campaign.

They have decided that further action against Ra^ther is unnecessary because he has already stepped down and will no longer be the news anchor come March.

Fox News has a report as well here. pdf of the 234 page report is here.

Amber seems to be cashing in on the tragedy of Laci and Connor. This is sickening. Now she’s “written” a book and is making the rounds to promote it.

Got to extend those 15 minutes of fame (infamy) as long as you can.

And the Winner is…

A disposable toilet brush that states: “Do not use for personal hygiene.”

Read the rest.

(Via Overlawyered)

From La Shawn’s Blog: Social Security Reform as Reparations?

“Would liberals support Social Security reform if they thought of it as reparations for blacks?”

Rich Lowry, editor of National Review, asks a question I’d never thought of asking white liberals. Yet it seems so obvious. Liberals support “reparations” and any other idiotic idea complaining blacks come up with. I’ve always argued that blacks are receiving reparations: welfare, entitlements and all manner of skin color preferences.

She concludes with:

I want the power to use my own initiative, motivation and creativity in choosing how, when and where to invest the money I earn. But we live in an era where the government knows what’s best for us, right?

Attention Washington: Keep the criminals out of my neighborhood and away from me and family, protect us from terrorists and illegal aliens bankrupting the system, and I’ll be just fine. Jack part of my salary for various state duties, if you must, but let me and my brain come up with our retirement plan.

Get off my back and out of my pocket.

Ditto.

What is it with dicators and their portraits? Are they so narcissistic that they must see themselves everywhere?

Captain Ed points us to a story about civil defense orders signed by Kim Jong Il himself directing the movement of his many portraits and busts to secure areas in underground bunkers if the U.S. attacks.

Michelle Malkin has a copy of a spam letter that looks as if it were copied from the infamous Niger letter.

My name is Marco Nula; I am a victim of the recent Earthquake followed by the Tsunami that wrecked our whole society of Banda Aceh Province in Indonesia resulting in painful death of my Parents.

My Late Father Mr. Alfredo Nula is from Paramaribo in Suriname (South America) and my Mother from Banda of Aceh Province in Indonesia, they got married in Suriname because Indonesia like Suriname was a colony of The Netherlands, but they moved to settle in Indonesia when my Sister and I were born and because Indonesia has better economy than Suriname, but my Sister and I was away in School in the Capital Jakarta when this sorrowful incidence happened to my late parents and all other Families affected by the Quake and the Tsunamis all around Sumatra and Aceh Province.
…

Read the rest.

Updated: From two previous posts: Captain Ed at Captain’s Quarters has designated January 12th World Relief Day (direct link to the Captain’s Campaign. As of 7:30 am CST on 1/13/05 it’s at $34,223.16! ) and Donald Sensing at One Hand Clapping forwards a request from Chief Wiggles for Relief Kits that are easy to assemble and FedEx will pick up for free.

Saudi Cleric Muhammed Al-Munajjid in an interview blamed the tsunami on Christmas.

Memri has an excerpt of an interview with him (with video clip #452 [no permalink to video]):

Al-Munajjid: The problem is that the (Christian) holidays are accompanied by forbidden things, by immorality, abomination, adultery, alcohol, drunken dancing, and… and revelry. A belly dancer costs 2500 pounds a minute and a singer costs 50,000 pounds an hour, and they hop from one hotel to another from night to dawn. Then he spends the entire night defying Allah.

Haven’t they learned the lesson from what Allah wreaked upon the coast of Asia, during the celebration of these forbidden? At the height of immorality, Allah took vengeance on these criminals.

Those celebrating spent what they call “New Year’s Eve” in vacation resorts, pubs, and hotels. Allah struck them with an earthquake. He finished off the Richter scale. All nine levels gone.

Tens of thousands dead. It was said that they were tourists on New Year’s vacation who went to the crowded coral islands for the holiday period, and then they were struck by this earthquake, caused by the Almighty Lord of the worlds. He showed them His wrath and His strength. He showed them His vengeance. Is there anyone learning the lesson? Is it impossible that we will be struck like them? Why do we go their way? Why do we want to be like them, with their holidays, their forbidden things, and their heresy?

Why would this “punishment” be given to all the children who lost parents and all the parents who lost children? The people who lost everything they owned? The people who have to worry that they might starve or be stricken by disease after surviving the tsunami? All those who aren’t Christian (many more than are in that part of the world)? Why indeed would God “punish” those celebrating the birth of His Son?

And if the tourists were celebrating New Year’s Eve why “strike” on Christmas – 6 days before?

Update: Welcome Daou Report readers!
Update 2: Welcome Friends of The Anchoress!

My post linked by Lorie at Polipundit and Byrd Droppings is here if anyone’s looking.

Darn Floor has a related post here.

Hugh Hewitt linked to this post which is linked to this one.

Happy New Year!

Donald Sensing at One Hand Clapping points us to another way to help with tsunami aid.

Relief Kits “Recipes” for the “Fill A Plane” Campaign

However, cash donations remain “most effective” way to
contribute

Chief Wiggles (aka Army Chief Warrant Officer Paul
Horton), who founded Operation Give while serving in
Iraq, just announced he has arranged for free FedEx relief flights to aid tsunami victims.

Cash donations are still the best bet and The Captain has designated January 12th World Relief Day.

Wishing you a healthy, happy and prosperous new year!