Dan Rathers Scandel

The Dan Rather scandal, also called “Memogate” is a scandal surrounding the 60 Minutes story aired on CBS September, 8th, 2004 just a few weeks before the presidential election. The scandal surrounded George W. Bush's time while in the National Guard service. In the scandals there were memos that provided information about claims that were supposedly created in 1973. They were found in the files of Lieutenant Colonel Jerry B. Killian, who died in 1984 (2004, para.1). Experts and bloggers investigated documents which were made available to the public on the CBS website, and found them to be poor forgeries created on a modern era word. Four CBS employees lost their jobs over the report. Dan Rather defended the report, claiming the memos might be "fake, but accurate" and later went into early retirement.

The scandal started when Mary Mapes told her superiors that the information was authenticated by four experts she had consulted, but neither of them could tell that it was fake or not because they were copies. Major Bobby Hodges also confirmed that the continents in the documents were true but he later told the panel he never did. Bobby Hodges then told Dan Rather’s that the documents were ok and that then gave Rather’s the green flag to proceed with the live televised show even though they were not sure of the validity of the documents.

Their findings were contained in a 224-page report made. While the panel said it was not prepared to brand the Killian documents as an outright forgery, it raised serious questions about their authenticity and the way CBS New handled them. The panel identified five essential claims made about Bush's Guard service.

1. President Bush received special treatment to get into the Texas Air National Guard

2. President Bush received special treatment to transfer to Alabama

3. President Bush skipped a required physical which violated a direct order.

4. President Bush failed to report to his new duty station.

5. President Bush didn’t...