Rather Stepping Down

I can hear the champagne corks popping now.

Dan Rather announced Tuesday that he will step down as anchor and managing editor of the CBS Evening News in March, 24 years after his first broadcast in that position.

Rather will continue to work full-time at CBS News as a correspondent for both editions of 60 Minutes, as well as on other assignments for the news division.

Pity really. What will the author of Ratherbiased.com do with himself now?

Comments

[Dave M]

Presumably Mr. Sheffield will go back to being a student. http://tinyurl.com/6skam

[Jesurgislac]

Damn, it's a shame - if this has anything to do with the memo incident. Not to say ironic: that Bush kept his job despite evident unfitness for it, but Rather lost his job for one minor error.

[Jadegold]

I doubt the memo kerfuffle had anything to do with it; Rather's gotta be 70 and Cronkite retired in his 60s.

The rightwing will gear up their hatred for Rather's replacement.

[Edward]

The rightwing will gear up their hatred for Rather's replacement.

The rightwing seems to hate the media in general. It goes beyond a perception of liberal bias, in my opinion, as well. I'm currently debating over on Tacitus, this very subject. As Harley pointed out in response to yet another anti-MSM rant:

What does it take for conservatives to get over their mewling bwah-bwah paranoia about the MSM? Clearly controlling every branch of the federal gov't is not enuf. A hug perhaps?

[CaseyL]

I'm sure the National Guard story had something to do with it, which is a shame, since no one has ever refuted what the story was actually about.

OTOH, Rather is 73, and he's been fighting the good fight for over 40 years. Man's gotta be weary. He probably doesn't want to be the one to report where the US is going, and I'd guess he's tired of seeing his profession taken over by blithe propagandists.

I think he might also regret following the herd and being a cheerleader in the run-up to the war. Reporting every casualty, every disaster, having to repeat Bush Admin's truth-free statements on the war, knowing how truth-free they are... must keep him up some nights. I wonder how much of the TANG story was an atonement for that.

[Edward]

Great, soon as I post this, Steve updates his Tacitus post to address/nullify my critique...

[crionna]

Geez, all these rich folks workin til they're 70ish. Dan, DAN, there are sandy beaches and Mai Tais waiting for you. Go find'em. You've earned it.

[votermom]

I like Dan Rather. I hope he has a good retirement.

[Doh]

Courage, Dan.

[blogbudsman]

Mr. Rather,

When the wind is howlin' in everyone's ears,
May you hear a soft, lilting breeze.
And if the rain is crashin' down,
May it only be dew at your knees.
If the ground 'neath your feet should quiver and shake,
I hope you'll be standin' with ease.
And never go hungry or wantin' for much;
May God grant you all that you need!

[double-plus-ungood]

While Rather has had an extremely distinguished career, I think that the memo kafuffle was scandalous, and showed a surprising lack of journalistic integrity that I hope was an aberration. He severely damaged his own reputation in doing do, completely derailed the story that was being covered, and destroyed the credibility of any further discussion of Bush's NG service.

[carpeicthus]

Ugh, wingers were so much more fun to read when they weren't happy. Wither thou, late '90s Free Republic?

[judson]

I remember the Nixon press event near the end when he picked Rather for a question and the press corps applauded. Nixon quiped; " Are you running for something?' Rather responded; "No Mr. President, are you?" My jaw hit the ground.

[wonkie]

I wish he wouldn't go. The wingnuts will count his departure as a victory. Maybe it is. If so, then evil has triumphed.

[bob mcmanus]

I can remember the kid reporters Dan Rather and Ted Koppel in camo jackets reporting from Vietnam. We probably need a change of guard that generation has dominated too long, but I am not sure they will have the adequate experience. Jennings is got good via Lebanon.

I am reminded vaguely of a guy called John Hart, was a rising morning news star who went to Vietnam in the early 70's and came back broken. Not so much antiwar as just shaken and shattered. Just a memory, maybe I am mistaken.