Page 29 - ATD 23OCT,2015
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PEOPLE & ARTS A29
Friday 23 October 2015
Years after CBS scandal, answers to Bush questions elusive
DAVID BAUDER In this image released by Sony Pictures Classics, Dan Rather, from left, Mary Mapes and Robert positive proof.
AP Television Writer Redford appear on the set of “Truth.” Whether scared off by
NEW YORK (AP) — Rushing doubtful documents, dead
to meet a deadline proved Associated Press ends or political heat ap-
to be the downfall of Dan plied to CBS, other news
Rather and his CBS News Mapes had obtained Mapes were ordered off chaired by former Attor- organizations rapidly lost in-
team when their story ques- the documents less than the story. She was later fired ney General Richard Thorn- terest in pursuing the story,
tioning former President a week before the story and he left the network. burgh and Louis Boccardi, said Mark Feldstein, a Uni-
George W. Bush’s military aired, two months before OTHER QUESTIONS RAISED former chief executive of versity of Maryland profes-
record collapsed in 2004, Bush was up for re-election. Although doubts were later The Associated Press, said sor who is writing a book on
a media scandal that is In one of the first online at- raised about those initial it could not determine journalism scandals, includ-
the basis of the current film tacks prompting action by attacks — there were some whether they were real. The ing the CBS story.
“Truth.” a mainstream news orga- 1970s era typewriters that panel couldn’t trace how “Nobody wanted to get
As it turns out, 11 years may nization, bloggers immedi- had the character in ques- they came into the hands into that tempest,” he said,
not have been enough ately questioned whether tion — other serious ques- of CBS’ source and, with with one exception — a
time: Many uncertainties the documents were fake. tions remained about the Killian dead, couldn’t find 2012 Texas Monthly maga-
remain. Rather and his They suggested Killian’s let- documents’ authenticity anyone who could vouch zine article.
producer, Mary Mapes, ter contained a computer and the reliability of CBS’ for their creation. But details of Bush’s military
still believe in what they character inconsistent with source. It was essentially im- “You can argue that we service before his October
reported and even some typewriters at the time. CBS possible to get a reputable never got to the original 1973 honorable discharge
who found CBS’ initial story initially defended the story, expert to definitively state documents,” Rather said in have proven elusive.
a journalistic disaster think then apologized when its they were real given that an interview. “But nobody Rather said the documents
their account of Bush’s executives realized they CBS did not have the origi- has ever proven that they got too much attention
service may be right. But couldn’t vouch for its ac- nal documents and copy- were anything other than and were only part of the
barring a change of heart curacy, and picked an in- ing causes deterioration, what they were purported reporting that Mapes and
among people who knew dependent panel to inves- Mapes wrote in her book, to be.” The panel consid- the CBS team did. “The sto-
Bush when he served in the tigate what went wrong. “Truth and Duty: The Press, ered that view years earlier ry is true,” he said.
Texas Air National Guard in Following the frantic and The President and The Privi- and said that while it might The film is based on Mapes’
the 1970s, or Bush himself unsuccessful effort to back leges of Power.” make a good argument, book, advancing her belief
addressing his record, the up their work to their boss’ The panel that studied it doesn’t pass journalistic that the documents are le-
story is probably at a dead satisfaction, Rather and CBS’ actions on the story, muster because it lacked gitimate, and character-
end. izes the panel looking into
Prior to CBS’ report, several the story as being more in-
news organizations pur- terested in assessing blame
sued stories about wheth- than in the story itself, and
er Bush’s National Guard protecting CBS’ corporate
unit was one where elites interests. Boccardi, who
landed to avoid being hasn’t seen the movie yet,
sent to the Vietnam War, said he doesn’t want the
and whether Bush essen- extent of CBS’ journalistic
tially skated through his last failures in the “60 Minutes”
year of service. It was trum- report overlooked. He did
peted as a breakthrough note that there were con-
when CBS reported on tradictions, and changed
documents supposedly stories, among people fa-
written by Bush’s former miliar with Bush’s military
commander, Lt. Col. Jerry record. “Thornburgh and
Killian, saying Bush did not I know what happened in
take a mandatory physical the gathering of that story
exam and that Killian felt and in the airing of that sto-
pressured to sugarcoat an ry and the aftermath of it,”
evaluation. he said.q
Sanders, Burton, Shepp
named 2016 NEA Jazz Masters
WASHINGTON (AP) — Saxo- which assists musicians in sage on the 1972 albums In this Feb. 2009 file photo, vibraphonist Gary Burton poses
phonists Pharoah Sanders need, received the Jazz “Attica Blues” and “The Cry backstage with his award for Best Jazz Instrumental Album, In-
and Archie Shepp and vi- Masters Award for advo- of My People.” dividual or Group for “The New Crystal Palace” at the 51st An-
braphonist Gary Burton are cacy. Burton, who opened a new nual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.
the newest recipients of the Sanders gained promi- musical vocabulary for the
nation’s highest jazz honor. nence in John Coltrane’s vibraphone with his four- Associated Press
They have been chosen band, going on to record mallet technique, has won
as the 2016 Jazz Masters the spiritually themed, free seven Grammys, mostly for
by the National Endow- jazz album “Karma” (1969). his duets with pianist Chick
ment for the Arts, it was an- Shepp blended avant- Corea.
nounced Thursday. garde jazz with African in- The awards will be present-
Wendy Oxenhorn, execu- fluences on “The Magic of ed on April 4 at a concert
tive director of the Jazz Ju-Ju”(1967) and delivered at the Kennedy Center in
Foundation of America, a powerful civil rights mes- Washington.q
