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Dan Rather Signs Off
CBS Anchorman says goodbye amid widespread criticism
SALINE, MICHIGAN
, MARCH 9, 2005
CBS News anchorman signed off tonight, 24 years after
taking over the helm of the evening broadcast from Walter Cronkite.
Rather seemed a little tense, stiff (even more than
normal) and a bit choked up throughout his final broadcast of the
CBS Evening News.
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I don't have the transcript from Tom Brokaw's
send-off a few months back, but Rather's final remarks seemed very
similar to the former NBC anchor's. "We shared a lot in the 24 years...thank you to the
thousands behind the scenes...thanks to all the viewers...etc.,
etc.,."
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The remarks were similar at least until Rather reminded us that he
used to end his show with the quirky one word salute, "Courage."
I understand Rather was looking for some kind of clever slogan years
ago, and that's the best he could muster. "Courage."
Seacrest - Out. Perhaps the guy who attacked Rather in the
'what's-the-frequency-Kenneth?' assault of 1986 influenced Dan's
catch phrase? Only Rather knows.
So he rehashed the slogan and then went on
to acknowledge anyone and everyone suffering in the world, whether
it be by the hands of the tsunami, wars, the financial system,
volcanoes, plague, etc. Kind of odd again. Is he an
anchorman or a messiah?
So his send off wasn't
stellar. But is Rather deserving of all of the heat he's been
getting lately, even at the hands of the legendary Walter Cronkite?
No chance. Memo to Cronkite: shut your yapper and give Rather
some respect.
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Cronkite's brilliant suggestion is that Bob
Schieffer should have been handed the anchor position a while back.
Say what? That'll liven up the broadcast.
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Rather's been at this a long
time and worked very hard to get where he ended up. Ok, he
definitely leans left but how evident is that in his
broadcast? He basically reads cards, how much influence did he
actually have over the stories he was reporting?
Was he overly excited about
the President Bush national guard story? Sure. But he
basically paid for it with his job. Remember, that was a piece
on 60 minutes II (not on the Evening News), and only became a news
item when the story was challenged.
Memo to all these people
looking for the spotlight: Lay off and give Rather some
respect.
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