Last weekend I posted links I thought explained why Dan Rather stonewalled for nearly two weeks before admitting his documents were, at the very best, fishy. Now, BummerDietz at Scylla & Charybdis puts a little kink in my reasoning, though it still fits with the "I really believed they were bona fide 1970's TANG memos" defense should there be a lawsuit. (via LGF)
However, Rob at Fine? Why Fine? points to a source saying there may be no denying actual malice in Dan's case. As TigerHawk points out, it's just a rumor that somebody
...heard that the evidence contained in the aforementioned preliminary report included emails from Dan and others on the show that revealed, shall we say, malice aforethought. Basically, the TigerHawk Source -- who characterizes his or her information as "rumor" -- says that these emails reveal a clear intention to nail the President.
Hey, I'm just a blogger in pajamas (and I just left the bathroom) so what do I know? There are so many smoking guns laying around CBS, there's just gotta be a fire somewhere. (If I were a 'real' journalist, I would never mix metaphors... only drinks.)
Even if it eventually comes out that the CBS legal department, Dan Rather, Mary Mapes... and the evening cleaning crew all knew the documents were fakes (not forgeries, fakes) they will get away with it because GWB won't sue. After all, they helped him win the election.
