G O P.com :: RNC Chairman Ed Gillespie Statement on CBS

Here is the response to the "Rather" statement earlier today.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Christine Iverson
202-863-8614
Washington, DC--Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie issued the following statement on CBS's admission today that memos regarding the President's National Guard service are not real.

"We accept CBS's apology for a breach of the journalistic standards that provide the American people confidence in news organizations, but some disturbing questions remain unanswered.

"CBS has now answered questions about the authenticity of the documents but questions remain surrounding who created the documents, who provided them to CBS and if Senator Kerry's supporters, Party committee, or campaign played any role.

"Did Bill Burkett, Democrat activist and Kerry campaign supporter, who passed information to the DNC, work with Kerry campaign surrogate Max Cleland? Did Bill Burkett's talks with "senior" Kerry campaign officials include discussions of the now discredited documents? Was the launch of the Democrat National Committee's Operation Fortunate Son designed with knowledge of the faked forged memos? Terry McAuliffe said yesterday that no one at the DNC or Kerry campaign, "had anything to do with the preparations of the documents," but what about the distribution or dissemination?

"In an effort to regain the trust of the American people CBS should not only investigate the process that led to the use of these documents but they should identify immediately those engaged in possible criminal activity who attempted to use a news organization to affect the outcome of a Presidential election in its closing days."

END

Some of the questioned raised in the RNC statement have been somewhat answered.

Bill Burkett has said that he contacted officials at the Kerry campaign including Max Cleland.

Other stories have shown that staffers at the DNC and the Kerry campaign saw the documents, but had "concerns" about the authenticity. Probably the only people who believed the documents were true were Bush-basher Mary Mapes, producer of the 60 Minutes story, and Dan Rather.

It is likely, based on recent statements by Burkett, that the Kerry campaign passed the documents onto CBS or told Burkett which news organization would be most friendly to the false allegations.

As noted earlier, CBS' credibility has been damaged. Dan Rather's credibility has been further damaged. It is unlikely to regain any hint of "fair" reporting as long as Mary Mapes is a producer AND Dan Rather is managing editor and anchor.

CBS needs to make some serious changes to bolster sagging ratings and advertising revenue. With Dan Rather "in charge" it will be a very tough road.

G O P.com :: RNC Chairman Ed Gillespie Statement on CBS: