Dan Rather retires from the anchor chair at CBS evening news tonight. Good riddance. His departure has been largely devoid of the glowing tributes and worshipful retrospectives that accompanied Tom Brokaw's goodbye. Instead, the conversation has focused on declining viewership for network news, CBS's third-place position in a three-way race, and Rather's ideologically-fueled gullibility in falling for a Bush-bashing hoax last year. The first two phenomenon are linked to the third. Dan Rather is a political hack disguised as a newsman. Because viewers want news when they turn on the news, they turn off Dan Rather. Visions of him adding the prefix "so-called" when saying "Christian Coalition" and highlighting non-existent Republican budget cuts persuaded me long ago to avoid Rather's newscasts when possible. Rather's liberal bias has been thoroughly documented, examples of which can be found here, here, here, and especially here. It's this partisan zeal that eroded his credibility and his viewership.

Dan Rather is the human symbol of the network news. The world has passed him by just as it has passed by the CBS, ABC, and NBC newscasts. The big three no longer have the market cornered. There's cable news, talk radio, and the Internet, for starters, that have emerged. For the networks, this meant an inevitable ratings decline. For Dan Rather, this meant an inevitable credibility decline. Network news anchors can't get away with inaccuracies and bias on March 9, 2005 the way they could get away with it on March 9, 1981. Dan Rather, as evidenced by the George W. Bush Memogate fiasco, never understood this. He continued, as network news has in general, oblivious to the changes in the media industry. And this is why he's leaving his anchor chair before he wanted to.

"Bush Bashing Hoax"... how about the Iraq war for a hoax

Talk about a hoax!

How about when you stole that cow...and your friend tried to make it with the cow....I wanna party with you, cowboy!

You're a madman!!!!

Hey truth...how about supporting yourself with, let's say, a logical argument based on fact, ana*ysis, and reasoned opinion, instead of spouting your illogical dribble that we have come to expect from you. YOU ARE A JOKE!

As far as Rather, don't let the door hit you on the way out.

It's funny, I don't have to watch CNN, MSNBC, or any other cable outlet for more than five minutes before I see liberal bias. In general, I don't even bother to view their garbage.

The only place I can find reasonably balanced news is FOX. The place where I go to find entertainment and dirt, is Glenn Beck and Michael Savage. Everything else sucks.

CBS sucks, indeed. Who could possibly watch that trash? But I can't watch FOXNews, either. MSNBC is the best news channel, as silly as that sounds. Some of it is liberal trash (Countdown) but Scarborough is better than Hannity or O'Reilly (who are self-obsessed, self-serving wierdos whose brains seem to be controlled by slogans). Matthews is by far the best in the genre.

As much as libs talk about the consolodation of the media in a few big businesses, it's really the opposite. I can't imagine trusting the nightly network news for my info. Libs just wanted things to forever stay the way they were, say, in 1973.

Rather: goodbye to bad rubbish.

So, this is the way it works for the other side.......

http://www.humaneventsonline.com/article.php?id=6790

Lets take a poll on what is the best news channel???

I am with short... I like MSNBC as well.. Screw FOX!!!

I half agree w/ Short. For regular programming MSNBC is much better than Fox, even if for no other reason b/c Buchanan has a semi-regular home there.

But strangely, FoxNews is amazingly good at covering big news events with dignity and reserve. FN blew away the competition in reporting on the Iraq War as it was being fought, there footage was simply incredible. FN was the best in covering Reagan's funeral, the other network talking heads could just not shut up for even 2 minutes to allow the dignity and seriousness of the scene play itself out uncommentated upon. Chris Matthews was horrible about this. Then on election night FN blew everyone out of the water again in terms of ana-lysis and calling states accurately and they took the time to justify each and every call they made giving the viewer an inside look into the process that was extremely helpful.

But come on, seriously, who needs the big 3 anymore?, especially when I have FlynnFiles!

(Dan, when you make t-shirts I expect one in return for this shameless plug).

The best in this order:

#1 MSNBC: Hardball is by far the best show on tv. Chris Mathews knows his stuff despite interupting a little too much. Plus, Mathews likes Pat Buchanan and Dan Flynn! Scarborough is a cool show, but he was a better congressman. I loved the pre-motorcycle accident voting record of Scarborough.

#2 Fox News: Hannity and Colmes smells - Bill O' does a great service to our country but he is not for me. I enjoy the straight up news segments of Fox.

#3 CNBC: Had to find another news program to be ahead of cnn. But really, CNBC does air Meet The Press which everyone who is everyone watches religously on Sunday mornings.

#4 NECN: New England Cable News - good weather information and coverage on the local scene.

#5 Fox25: Despite being interviewed by them they tend to be more tabloid-ish. Well, I guess Willington World is a tabloid!

#6 (do i have to say it?) CNN: I hate Ted Turner, Crossfire did suck (love the past tense). The only thing they have is Lou Dobbs who seems to be a unique mix which is refreshing.

ABCBSNBC - its all the same. Corporate filtered stuff. They don't let you know shitt

SICK SICK SICK people you are indeed. AND THERE IS NO LIBERAL BIAS. BY ANY MEANS... This is a double blind.

Hey - now I get it! Truth IS Dan Rather!

Courage.

ABCBSNBCNN - The only news network

What kind of truth is Truth. Certainly not correspondence. He's not even coherence. To call him pragmatist would be an insult to Americans everywhere. Let's label him an unspecified deflationist.

Or maybe he should just change his name.

I must amend slightly: Dobbs is great, and the only good thing about CNN. And Shepherd Smith is AWESOME, and is the only thing that makes FOXNesws any fun.

PS. My vote goes to Brad for the funniest blog comment ever.

I, too, like CNBC. Cnn is a joke but I like Lou Dobbs more every day. Matthews is good at what he does but every now and then he needs to be taken down a notch, ala Zell Miller.I miss Crossfire with Pat and Kinsley and old school Mcgloughlin Group. I wish I could be like Truth and get all of my information from underground newspapers, shortwave radio, clandestine information drops and gay porn.

I sense a little bit of homo-erotic supression going on in the mind of one mr. oatmeal. I like how Shepard Smith ends every show with the "stay brave, stay strong in the war on terror" bit. What a total freakin joke. That guy is about as brave as and knowledgable as Sean Hannity.

Truth, you said you live in Massachusetts. I was curious what bridge you live under?

Call me an old fogy, but I like Hume and Angle for straight news. It seems that Fox does not have the data collecting apparatus that the 3 old networks have, but their 2 lead reporters are the best in the business. ABC & CBS are just way too biased. Haven't seen enough of Brian Williams yet.

Hannity & Colmes just never get anything productive done. I may often agree with Hannity, but he doesn't converse or discuss.
Matthews is the most entertaining of the unabashedly slanted folks. He is willing to grant his opposition points when they are there.

As for Truth, please stop shouting. I never run into people who think Bush blew up the WTC, so I am curious as to whither all these fanciful notions. He speaks of the government as if it is not his. Everyone but him is crazy or sick. Once he referred to posters as "foolish humans." I think we may have a nervous ET here. What can the truth be?

Stop making fun of truth....I love him!

I just love the way be backs up all his opinions!

He's so funny, so smart, and such a good looking kid!

Good riddance to Rather. Lying, egotistical, duplicitous, mean spirited liberal front man.

Should have pushed him out as unceremoniously as he pushed Cronkite out.

Bet all ten fans in his final audience were heart broken.

Truth lives under the Chappaquidick bridge. Remember, a woman died and the Hero lied!

Don't you be going and dissing' ScubaTed now.

Truth doesnt live under a bridge...He crawled from underneath a rock. The place I go to find entertainment and dirt is Truth's blogs. They make me laugh so hard I wet my pants.

C'Mon Truth come smoke me some more so you can start ranting and raving again with all your liberal bias rhetoric gibberish. You entertain FlynnFiles bloggers so much better after you smoke me.

Truth has been hittin' the same "peace pipe" as Ward Churchill.

Truth doesn't like mary jane all too much. However, truth has nothing against the plant or its users. Truth thinks people who use mary jane go to prison for way too long and in an unjust fashion.

Hey James, Truth thinks Churchill is pretty darn ignorant; and I would like to ask you if you have something against peace? Or do you prefer war, death and carnage? Oh yeah, Truth respects traditional Native American philosophy and culture, and does not fancy negative connotations directed towards it.

Robby, I just have to reply to something you said about Bill O'Reilly doing great services for our country. I (surprise surprise) disagree. Bill calls people who are ant-war and anti-patriot act, "unamerican." I see this as a very close minded and a volitile stance, in its relation to true democracy.

"Truth is stranger than fiction... judgy wudgy"

Hell ya I like war better than peace. At least with war on there is something good on the nightly news when Im eating my dinner. You shouldnt think Churchill is ignorant, you basically think the same way he does. You both hate America, you panzy girlie-man. Oh and by the way Truth, I served in the Army's 3rd Infantry Division in Baghdad back in the summer '03 and I will dedicate those many terrorists I shot to hell just for you my good friend! Airborne all the way, HOOAH! Enjoy!

You poor kid, you can't even understand the true reason for you being sent their. You and your war buddies are being gravely misinformed; or not informed at all. If you like war better than peace, than volunteer for "Uncle Sam" again, enjoy. Its a dirty oil war you fool. A war designed by the elite/rich, for the elite. You are expendable, they don't care about you, wake up. I know that you want to believe with all your heart that you putting your life on the line was for the greater good, but it wudn't..(a Bushism). If you (or us all) are still alive in 40 years, you will look back upon you days of aggression and hostility and say to your self, man was I foolish. Or maybe not, some people have a difficult time learning.
Oh yeah, about that part about you liking war because it gives you something good to watch on TV?, your ignorance speaks for itself. Maybe you might try getting rid of the television? You would be amazed at what your mind is capable of.

So Truth, what's your big push in life? To pontificate, protest and intellectualize while sitting in Starbucks sipping lattes? Some people do; some people talk about doing.

However seemingly misguided it might seem to you, people like the SGT (if there really is a SGT) are making their own impact in their own way.

Way I look at it, people like the SGT will look back in years to come and recognize a fuller more productive life that you.

asdf, you do not know anything about me. Standing up for someone who is for mindless pro-murder, is pathetic. I have never been to a starbucks or had a latte. I don't even know what one is. I have my own experiences and you have yours, some of mine are pretty vast and most likely likewise with yourself. All I am trying to do is just stimulate a couple people out there in new directions of thinking... outside the box, as it were.

Short:
Chris Matthews is entertaining but he is delusional. Today he said that 'the democrates represent men who drive trucks and work with heavy machinary, while the republicans represent business men in law firms.' If that is what he concluded from the election of 2004 then he is crazy.

DoctorSchmocter: Chris Matthews can be a retard sometimes -- last summer, election season and all, he said many insane things. But as far as his characterization of Reps and Dems goes, he's wrong, but the opposite is no more true (unfortunately).

Truth, Im not a mindless killer. Im a killer that has a mind. Ive put my GI Bill to good use. I dont give a crap if the "Big, Bad" Bush Administration cares about me. You dont know anything about me or what Ive seen and done. Has it ever occured to you that I like killing Islamo-Fascists, especially after what they did on Sep 11th. People like you will never understand Camaraderie, Honor, Integrity, SELFLESS SERVICE, Unit Cohesion. People like you make me sick, all the "Draft Dodging" Bill Clinton types. So why dont you and the rest of you Bible bashing, reige Volvo driving, tree-hugging, Hippie Elites just sit back in your comfy cozy recliners in your penthouse apts, while you sip on your lattes, and leave the defending of this great country to us MEN.

Your government engineered 911. Wake up. www.supportthetruth.com

"Terrorism is the best political weapon, for nothing drives people harder than a fear of sudden death." --Adolf Hitler

Hey big "macho" boy. In retrospect, you are not defending anything. You are a pawn in a war game designed for profiteering and greedy motives. And one truly does not need to enjoy killing other human beings to experience, "Camaraderie, Honor, Integrity, and SELFLESS SERVICE". Honestly now. This is not personal however; Ignorance is not your fault, it is the bi-product of cultural conditioning.

you need to move to France. 'nuff said I have spoken.

Very profound statement there SGT. Why move to France when I can right here help myself to some "freedom fries"... lol
oooooaah

No YOU need to move to France. You said MY government engineered 9-11(your full of crap though), if its MY government and not YOURS, than you need to move the f@ck out!