MyMediaFeed

It might be an overstatement to say that former CBS anchor Dan Rather’s recent discussion of his lawsuit against CBS will further tarnish President Bush’s legacy.  However, Rather is engaging in new interviews on the topic, and is trying to push the scandal back into public attention.  As reported by NPR, Rather is still disgusted by being pushed out of the network for reporting during the 2004 election that President Bush had dodged military service while young men fought in Vietnam.  Rather is reiterating his claims that CBS tried to rig its investigation into his reports in order to shift blame, and even considered placing ideological conservatives on the review’s panel.  Though Rather left the network in 2006, he claims that he was forced out, a victim of political pressure.  His $70 million lawsuit raises some interesting questions.

But first, see some of Rather’s statements on this topic in the following videos:

Discussion Questions:

1.  What’s at stake for Dan Rather in his lawsuit against CBS?  Is this all about money?

2.  What ramifications would this lawsuit have for journalism if Rather was successful?  What would it mean for journalism as it has been practiced over the last eight years?

3.  Was Rather wronged?  What do you think?