RATHER NOT
Dan Rather critics blast ‘inventor of fake news’ as ousted anchor returns to CBS for first time since reporting scandal
Rather is best known for his involvement in the 2004 Killian documents controversy
AS Dan Rather returns to CBS for the first time in nearly 20 years, critics of the disgraced broadcaster have taken to social media to blast his legacy.
Rather, 92, was ousted from the network in 2004 as his career as an anchor and managing editor was rife with controversy.
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During a Sunday appearance on CBS This Morning, Rather reflected on his career and legacy.
"The closest you can do about legacy is not think about your work," the once highly celebrated journalist said.
"Think about what you did as a person. Those important questions of, who am I? Why am I here? What can I contribute?
"Those are the important questions, not how well one did or didn't do as anchor or managing editor of the 'CBS Evening News.'"
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Rather is most well-known for his involvement in the 2004 Killian documents controversy.
At the time, Rather reported on a series of memos that criticized former President George W. Bush and his record in the Texas Air National Guard.
Bush was seeking reelection at the time and the authenticity of the memos was quickly brought into question.
The memos were claimed to have been written by Bush's former commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Jerry B. Killian.
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Their authenticity was questioned when viewers claimed the typeface of the memos was too modern.
Some claimed that the text should have been written with something like a 1970s typewriter, however the text appeared to have been written with Microsoft Word on a computer.
Dan Rather’s life after CBS ousting from launching show with Mark Cuban to incendiary Jim Crow remark and social posts
While CBS originally stood by the reporting, the network pulled the story and blasted its source as misleading.
YOU'RE FIRED
Rather was ultimately fired from the network in 2005, after being there for 44 years.
In Sunday's interview, Rather called the incident "the lowest point" of his career.
"I gave CBS News everything I had," he said.
"They had smarter, better, more talented people, but they didn't have anybody who worked any harder than I did."
Timeline of Dan Rather's career
In 1950, Rather got his first job working for the Associated Press in Texas.
In 1960, he joined CBS but stayed in Texas to work a variety of positions.
In 1982, Rather started working as an anchor for the media company.
He was one of three major anchors to guide Americans through 9/11.
In May 2005, he was fired from CBS, months after the Killian documents scandal.
In 2006, Rather joined American businessman Mark Cuban's network AXS TV to host Dan Rather Reports.
He stayed hosting that program until shifting to the show The Big Interview, which ran until 2021.
On April 28, 2024, he appeared on CBS Sunday Morning.
As Rather made his return to the network, critics have continued to blast his career as a journalist.
"Dan Rather, the inventor of fake news," one viewer wrote on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
"He should be referred to as 'disgraced anchor'," another said.
"That piece of garbage should’ve retired 64 years ago," one chimed in.
A fourth posted, "Misinforming the American public for 44 years."
Meanwhile, another said, "wasn't he fired?"
AFTER CBS
After leaving CBS, Rather continued to work as a journalist, primarily doing investigative journalism.
In 2006, he collaborated with businessman Mark Cuban to host and produce a weekly news program called Dan Rather Reports for AXS TV.
The program ran until 2013 when Rather was 81 years old.
I have my flaws and I've made my mistakes, but I've always loved covering news, and I have a passion for covering news.
Dan Rather
At the time, he told the Associated Press that retirement was nowhere near in sight.
"I love to work," he told the outlet.
"I have my flaws and I've made my mistakes, but I've always loved covering news, and I have a passion for covering news.
"I'd much rather wear out than rust out."
Rather also hosted The Big Interview for AXS TV until 2021.
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On Wednesday, Netflix will be releasing a documentary about Rather's life and career, touching on the big stories he covered including former President John F. Kennedy's assassination, the Vietnam War, Watergate, 9/11, and more.
The documentary is called Rather.
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