A Rather Expected Departure

We need to be clear about something. Dan Rather departed CBS because he knew a review panel would find that he had violated a cardinal rule of the MSM. Maintain plausible deniability in the liberal coloration of the news. In the quiet watering holes of New York and the private places of their hearts, national journalists know that the scribes and voices of the nation’s major media are colossally more liberal that then the national norm. And they believe that it is honorable to demean the philosophies of the center and right through their work.



They also know that it has to be done in such as way as to maintain deniability. It is a time-tested skill.



Whether because of advancing age or political passion, Rather violated the cardinal rule. He was exposed. The back rooms were aghast at the carelessness. It endangered the honorable quest to undermine the unwashed masses and their silly conservative ideology.



We predicted bloodshed at CBS in this spot on October 29:



“CBS News will emerge from this election the most damaged media entity and it is likely that there will be big changes in the offing. Can you imagine how Edward R. Murrow would feel about his network criticizing soldiers in the field during a time of war. He’s doing somersaults in his grave.”



Even CBS’ comrades-in-arms at the NY Times said today, “Mr. Rather's decision represents an abrupt, somewhat ignominious end to the nearly 24 years that he spent in one of the most visible jobs in journalism.”



Rather had become too obvious, and as such, too dangerous to the cause.

--James Jewell