September 20, 2004

Too Little, Too Late

The WaPo says CBS will retract its story on the documents :

"CBS News plans to issue a statement, perhaps as early as today, saying that it was misled on the purported National Guard memos the network used to charge that President Bush received favored treatment 30 years ago.

"The statement would represent a huge embarrassment for the network, which insisted for days that the documents reported by Dan Rather on '60 Minutes' are authentic. But the statement could help defuse a crisis that has torn at the network's credibility."

Remember Tylenol. Johnson & Johnson's prompt response is no a think of B-school case studies. Take the hit, tell the truth, get out in front.

Now CBS has behaved like Nixon. Stonewall. Stonewall. Stonewall. If they have any sense now, Rather and Heyward will be gone by the end of the week. It's not as if he was a draw -- they're third in the ratings.

Pat Caddell has said if the documents are proven false, it's curtains for Kerry. I'm not sure he's right, unless it gets tied to the Kerry campaign. Isn't this still inside baseball? Though Rather is well-known enough for this to get some play.

Hat tip to Allahpundit for the tip.

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