After Caving, Rather Resumes Silence on Condit-Levy Story

After Caving, Rather Resumes Silence on Condit-Levy Story

Phil Brennan and Chuck Noe
July 2001

Update: Monday, July 30 - The Condit-Levy story continued to dominate cable TV news, but Dan Rather continued to ignore the story on CBS and again failed to explain or apologize for his "Buckwheats" slur.

Update: Friday, July 27 - To just about every person and every news organization it's news when police interview a U.S. congressman about a notorious missing-person case. But not to Dan Rather.

"Condit Talks To Cops Again," says a story prominently featured on CBS News' own Web site, but Rather continued his embargo against news about the California Democrat on "CBS Evening News."

And, as usual, Rather failed to explain or apologize for his "Buckwheats" slur.

Update: Thursday, July 26 - On "CBS Evening News," Dan Rather yet again failed to mention or apologize for his "Buckwheats" comment and ignored all developments in the Condit-Levy story.

"Still Another Woman in Condit's Life" is a prominent headline on CBS News' Web site, but Rather's dwindling number of viewers heard nothing about that or about reports that authorities want another interview with Rep. Gary Condit's wife and are looking into obstruction of justice by a Condit aide.

Update: Wednesday, July 25 - As usual, Dan Rather refused to report on "CBS Evening News" information on the Condit-Levy story that CBS's own Web site and other media are reporting.

"Condit To Help FBI Profile Chandra," a story prominently displayed on CBS's site is headlined, but you heard nothing about it if you sat through Rather's show.

Once again, Rather refused to apologize for or even comment on his "Buckwheats" slur, which is attracting national attention.

Update: Tuesday, July 24 - Once again, CBS News' Web site reported news on the Condit-Levy story that "Evening News" anchorman Dan Rather failed to note. As expected, Rather also failed to mention or apologize for his "Buckwheats" racial slur.

The CBS Web site, along with Fox News Channel and other U.S. news outlets, reported today that Chandra Levy's neighbors are not helping the police investigation and that Rep. Gary Condit has agreed to a fourth interview with police.

When authorities do interview the California Democrat, surely the embattled Rather will deem that news worth a mention - or will he?

Update: Monday, July 23 - Dan Rather continued to ignore the Condit-Levy story on "CBS Evening News." Even though police want to interview Rep. Gary Condit for a fourth time, it was the top story on Fox News Channel and even CBS's Web site covered the story, Rather deemed this news not newsworthy.

Nor did Rather mention or apologize for his notorious "Buckwheats" comment - but at least he didn't use any more racial slurs.

Update: Friday, July 20 - Dan Rather again reported nothing about the Condit-Levy story on "CBS Evening News."

On Fox News Channel's "The O'Reilly Factor" Thursday night, Bill O'Reilly and National Journal columnist Howard Mortman discussed Rather's strange silence.

Mortman expressed puzzlement about Rather's attitude and asked what element of the story was not newsworthy, especially with Rep. Gary Condit lying to investigators and thus hindering the investigation of Chandra Levy's disappearance.

"They never get that," O'Reilly said. "... He knows that he's getting pounded everywhere. ... He thinks he's the old-guard bastion of journalism."

"I do think they're out of touch on this," Mortman agreed.

Update: Thursday, July 19 - Dan Rather reverts to silence on the Condit-Levy story. He refuses to report CBS's own poll showing Democrat Rep. Gary Condit in trouble with his constituents.

Update: 7 p.m. EDT Wednesday, July 18 - Caving in to widespread criticism led by NewsMax.com and its readers, Dan Rather's "CBS Evening News" tonight finally stopped ignoring the Condit-Levy story.

Even after 11 weeks of silence, Rather didn't deign to tell the news himself. Instead, he impudently prefaced the story by saying there was an update on "one of tens of thousands of missing persons" in the U.S. From Washington, Jim Stewart reported the FBI would investigate the disappearance of Chandra Levy and take the focus from Rep. Gary Condit, D-Calif.

After Stewart's brief report, Rather, who embarrassed himself by being caught speaking March 21 at a Democrat fund-raiser, showed his disapproval of the media spotlight on Condit, whose lack of candor has hindered the Levy investigation. No one has been accused of breaking any laws, Rather claimed - even though investigators are considering charging Condit with obstruction of justice and suborning perjury, according to the New York Post, Fox News and other news sources.

Other media have followed NewsMax.com's lead in exposing Rather's blatant bias in refusing to cover a Democrat scandal:

The nation's largest news wire service, the Associated Press, wryly noted tonight, "After pointedly staying away from a story that has gripped other news outlets for weeks, the CBS Evening News with Dan Rather aired its first report Wednesday on the case of missing intern Chandra Levy."

AP reported that Rather thought the attention paid to his broadcast's refusal to air the story was a "waste of time" and a result of the slow summer news period.

"What I hope won't be forgotten is that this is the case of a missing young woman," AP quoted him as saying. "Who covered what, when and how is a story that I've never had much time for. Here's a family that has a missing daughter. That's where the focus should be" - and where his focus has not been.

The New York Post today, under the headline "RATHER'S SILENCE STILL DEAFENING," reported that "CBS News insiders are split over whether Dan Rather should continue ignoring the Gary Condit-Chandra Levy case on the 'CBS Evening News.'"

Guests on Neil Cavuto's Fox News business program today noted that Rather the Democrat fund-raiser would eagerly report the Levy story if it involved a conservative such as Rep. Chris Cox, R-Calif.

In the liberal Washington Post on Monday, Jonathan Yardley mocked Rather, who "still fancies himself the very embodiment of Scoop Shoeleather, Boy Reporter," for assuming high-minded pretentions.

Yardley wrote: "The hunch here is that CBS got beat on the story and decided that, rather than lumber in late with yesterday's news, it would corner the high road by going holier than thou. This would score points with all the usual people who had commenced making all the usual complaints about 'salacious and irresponsible' journalism and thus would enable Rather and his colleagues to get into Heaven with a wink and a nod from Saint Peter. ...

"The only trouble is, the tale of Condit and his amours is news. It is not a pretty story, but it has just about all the ingredients of what anyone except a terminal prig would readily accept as news ...."

The Washington Post's noted media critic, Howard Kurtz, said to radio host Don Imus on Tuesday: "D.C. cops searching a congressman's apartment, a privately administered lie detector test, a 24-year-old missing woman, another woman who said she had an affair with the congressman and he urged her to cover it up, she says, not talk to the FBI. I mean, that's not worth a sentence or two from Dan Rather's lips?"

Fox News star Bill O'Reilly on Tuesday night blasted CBS for ignoring the story and failing to alert the public to an abuse of power.

Note to Rather: Those other 200,000 missing persons would be big news if a congressman lied and delayed an investigation of their disappearance. Dan, if you can't recognize news, even if it negatively involves a politician from the party you favor, it's long past time to retire.

NewsMax readers have flooded CBS with complaints about Rather and helped force him to break his silence. Contact CBS About Dan Rather.

Update: Wednesday, July 18 - Once again, Dan Rather refused to mention the Condit-Levy story on "CBS Evening News" Tuesday night, 78 days after Chandra Levy's disappearance.

Rather has portrayed his refusal to report the story as a CBS decision that he supports - yet the Web site of CBS News did have a related story Tuesday, "Chandra Levy's Not The Only One." This article mentioned the search for Levy in Washington's Rock Creek Park and went on to complain that other missing persons don't get such attention. Note to CBS: That's because they weren't involved with a duplicitous congressman.

A check of cable news networks Tuesday night found that CNN, MSNBC and especially Fox News Channel continued to give the Condit-Levy story heavy coverage.

As Fox News star Bill O'Reilly noted, the case reveals a dramatic difference between the old Big Three networks (CBS, NBC, ABC) and the newer cable news networks. While CBS might be content to ignore or cover up the story, pressure from Fox News and other upstarts forced the District of Columbia police to finally investigate Rep. Gary Condit, D-Calif.

Dan Rather ought to know that even the liberal establishment newspapers such as the New York Times and the Washington Post are covering the Condit-Levy story. So once again it must be asked: Why isn't he?

Tuesday, July 17, 2001 - If, God forbid, your only source for news is Dan Rather's "CBS Evening News," the names Gary Condit and Chandra Levy will mean nothing to you. After 77 days, the names of the two main characters in a burgeoning scandal still have not passed the lips of Dan Rather on his nightly telecast.

As the savvy Media Research Council has reported: "The weekday CBS Evening News has yet to mention the Chandra Levy/Gary Condit story ...

"Friday night the CBS Evening News under Executive Producer Jim Murphy and anchor Dan Rather ignored Levy, but found time for stories on how anthrax is killing deer in Texas, another shark attack update and even 19 seconds to recount how the guy who threw a dog into an oncoming car received a three year prison sentence."

The notoriously biased Rather, whose well-documented leftist leanings are on display five nights a week, has studiously avoided reporting one of the year's most sensational stories - the mysterious disappearance of a 24-year-old former Washington intern who was romantically involved with a married Democrat congressman. As the feisty Ratherbiased.com Web site has reported, Rather "has decided to ignore the story that has been reported on by every network and major publication, as well as CBS's morning show. The disappearance of the intern, who was also a paramour of Democratic Congressman Gary Condit, has not been mentioned on the CBS Evening News."

Bill O'Reilly Blasts CBS

But fortunately the cable news shows and the Internet are telling the news, forcing most of the old-time competition to do likewise. Fox News star Bill O'Reilly last night noted that if the Big Three non-cable networks still had their way, there would be a cover-up on Condit just as there was with Ted Kennedy's Chappaquiddick.

"CBS News is not doing their job," O'Reilly fumed on his top-rated "O'Reilly Factor" Monday night, blasting the network for not reporting on what he referred to as Condit's abuse of power.

In addition to ignoring the story on his nightly newscast, Rather has had the gall to lambaste the rest of the media for reporting on the Condit-Levy mystery.

The media, he sneered during his radio commentary, "titillate themselves, and they hope you, with the latest rumors and speculation about what they believe is a 'sexual scandal.'"

Rather says he "believes in honest, straight reporting," in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Plainly speaking, he has allowed himself to become what amounts to a shameless shill for the dominant Marxist wing of the Democrat party. Among the more recent examples of his blatant bias as reported by Ratherbiased.com:

When Republican Rep. Charlie Norwood broke with President Bush and Capitol Hill Republicans by supporting a Democrat version of a so-called "Patient's Bill of Rights," instead of a version introduced by Republicans, Rather called Norwood's move "a big shot in the arm for your consumer and medical rights" - though even supporters of the legislation admit it will cost consumers.

Appearing on the "Late Show with David Letterman" to promote his book, Rather promoted the Democrat line that an inept Bush is dependent on his vice president. He told Letterman how Bush has an "Uncle Cheney, who runs an awful lot of things."

Rather said that President Bush eliminated repetitive motion regulations because he was "under pressure from his business supporters," but did not say the same about former President Bill Clinton, who had promulgated the rules at the behest of labor interests.

Reporting on alleged campaign finance violationsof Sen. Robert Toricelli, D-N.J., Rather immediately added that the uproar is "what [Toricelli] sees as a Republican-motivated" attack. However, when then-House Speaker Newt Gingrich came under criticism from Democrats for allegedly violating tax laws, in several reports Rather never said what the Georgia Republican thought of his accusers.

Asked about Bob Zelnick, a former ABC journalist who says he was fired because he was conservative: "[T]he idea that there's some internal prejudice against reporters who have, quote, a 'conservative' point of view" is false, said Rather.

The Lewisnky scandal that resulted in the impeachment of the president of the United States was simply a "so-called scandal."

Rather and CBS run an egregiously biased report condemning George W. Bush's environmental policies while governor of Texas.

Bernard Goldberg: 'Dan Can't Help It'

Bernard Goldberg, a highly respected former CBS correspondent who left the network last year, blasted Rather in the Wall Street Journal. "Dan can't help it. He doesn't know he's biased," Bernard Goldberg writes.

"Rather, Brokaw and Jennings don't even know what liberal bias is. I concede this is hard to believe, but I'm convinced it's why we keep getting these ridiculous denials."

In recent years he has all but stopped masquerading as an unbiased journalist, making such outrageous charges as that Bush is rushing to "cozy up to big-money special interests," because of his principled opposition to the McCain-Feingold campaign finance bill that most legal scholars agree is unconstitutional. Rather does not refer to Democrats' kowtowing to their special interests, such as Big Labor, Big Education, Big Government and Big Law. Appearing on Fox News Channel's "The O'Reilly Factor" to promote his book, Rather defended himself against accusations that CBS was being soft on Clinton by doing fewer investigative reports than during GOP administrations. Incredibly, he criticized those who questioned Clinton's trustworthiness, saying: "I think at core, he's an honest person. I think you can be an honest person and lie about any number of things."

He also tried to deflect charges of his bias because the "CBS Evening News" mentioned unsubstantiated allegations of past drug use by Bush more than twice as many times as it mentioned rape charges (judged as credible by NBC) against Clinton.

In another example of his willingness to shill for the Democrats, he sides with them in their criticism of Bush's budget and tax plans. "It does not say how it's possible" to cut taxes "while also spending more for education, defense and other things, including drug coverage for seniors," Rather says.

A report on Rather's 20-year record at CBS clearly reveals him to be a longtime, unashamed propagandist for leftist causes.

NewsMax.com reported March 24 a scathing examination of Rather's unabashed liberal bias, including "20 Years of Liberal Spin From Gunga Dan," a study from Media Research Council's Media Reality Check.

The report revealed what it called "a few of the many liberal outbursts that have animated Rather's tenure:

Republicans favor sleazy fund-raising. "Republicans kill the bill to clean up sleazy political fund-raising. The business of dirty campaign money will stay business as usual. ... Good evening. Legislation to reform shady big-money campaign fund-raising is dead in Congress. Republican opponents in the Senate killed it today." (CBS Evening News, Feb. 26, 1998)

Hillary Clinton is a genius. "I hear you talking and, as I have before on this subject, I don't know of anybody, friend or foe, who isn't impressed by your grasp of the details of this [health care] plan. I'm not surprised, because you have been working on it so long and listened to so many people." (Interview with Hillary Clinton, "48 Hours," Sept. 22, 1993)

The liberal Supreme Court Justice David Souter was branded a right-wing woman hater. "Senator Simon, is there any doubt in your mind that [Souter's] views pretty well parallel those of John Sununu's, which means he's anti-abortion or anti-women's rights, whichever way you want to put it?" ("CBS Evening News" interview with Democrat Sen. Paul Simon, July 23, 1990)

The Clintons are terrific! "If we could be one-hundredth as great as you and Hillary Rodham Clinton have been in the White House, we'd take it right now and walk away winners. ... Tell Mrs. Clinton we respect her and we're pulling for her." (To President Clinton, via satellite, at a CBS affiliates meeting, referencing new co-anchor Connie Chung to the "Evening News," May 27, 1993)

No need for proof before alleging GOP dirty tricks. "Al Gore must stand and deliver here tonight as the Democratic Party's presidential nominee, and now Gore must do so against the backdrop of a potentially damaging, carefully orchestrated story leak about President Clinton. The story is that the Republican-backed special prosecutor, Robert Ray, Ken Starr's successor, has a new grand jury looking into possible criminal charges against the president growing out of Mr. Clinton's sex life." ("CBS Evening News," Aug. 17, 2000, the final day of the Democrat convention. The next day, a Carter-appointed federal judge revealed he had inadvertently leaked the news.)

Competitors to CBS News are morally inferior. "It is not just Congress that is taking a sharp turn to the right. The surge to the right on Capitol Hill is making waves all over the country on openly politically partisan, and sometimes racist, radio." ("CBS Evening News," Jan. 4, 1995)

Hillary Clinton should run for president someday. "I would not be astonished to see Hillary Clinton be the Democratic nominee in 2000. ... Hillary Clinton is the Person of the Year in that - you talk about a comeback kid - she makes her husband look like Ned in kneepants in terms of comeback from where she was early in the Clinton administration. You know, you add it all up and you can make the case that Hillary Clinton might, might - mark the word - be the strongest candidate for the Democrats." (Interview with CNN's Larry King, Dec. 3, 1998)

Dictator Fidel Castro cares about the Cuban people. "While Fidel Castro, and certainly justified on his record, is widely criticized for a lot of things, there is no question that Castro feels a very deep and abiding connection to those Cubans who are still in Cuba. And I recognize this might be controversial, but there's little doubt in my mind that Fidel Castro was sincere when he said, 'Listen, we really want this child back here.'" (CBS News live coverage of the Elian raid, April 22, 2000).

Before becoming anchor, Rather told the San Francisco Examiner and Chronicle that anyone "who just watches TV news cannot be well-informed."

And anyone who watches Dan Rather and his "CBS Evening News" can also expect to be misinformed, or in cases such as the Condit-Levy case, completely uniformed and kept in the dark.

As NewsMax.com's Chris Ruddy has written, it's time for CBS to dump Rather.

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Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:
Dan Rather/CBS
Levy-Condit
Media Bias

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