BELATED COMMENTS on the RATHERGATE REPORT

Although the 'expert' that was cited in the appendix of the report regarding the fake TANG memos said unequivocally that the memos in question were not authentic, Thornburgh et al still insisted that there was no evidence that the memos were fake.

It seems that the same evidence that was in the report could simply have been described differently. Rather than saying (it's paraphrased here) that:

"...there is no evidence that the memos were fake"

the same data could alternately be described as:

"... there is no evidence that the memos were authentic"

Not opting for the latter formulation hints at the presence of some hidden agendas. The report is reminiscent of Arthur Anderson's audit of Enron. The available facts were mostly there, but the appropriate conclusion was absent.

Keep in mind that while the NYT did a more genuine 'Mea culpa' than CBS, as did the BBC (remember 'sexed-up WMD intel' ??), and both sacrificed a few bodies, that does not seem to have altered the way they go about their business today.

What's important in this case is that while the mighty MSM (Main Stream Media) dinosaurs seem to have dodged a bullet via this 'whitewash', it's plain to see that 'the mammals are eating (blogging?) their eggs'.

* CBS/RATHER AIR FORGED MEMOS... RATHERGATE? (09-13-04)
http://members.fortunecity.com/veritas1/aopedp12.html#PART12SEP05

* MEDIA BIAS AND FREEDOM OF SPEECH ISSUES
http://members.fortunecity.com/veritas1/aopedix1.html#media