OOPS! CBS is in bed with the Kerry Campaign!

Well, so much for CBS' claims of "no bias."



From Yahoo News:



Kerry Aide Talked to Retired Guard Officer

1 hour, 27 minutes ago


NEW YORK - At the behest of CBS, an adviser to John Kerry (news - web sites)
said he talked to a central figure in the controversy over President Bush
(news - web sites)'s National Guard service shortly before disputed
documents were released.

Joe Lockhart denied any connection between the presidential campaign and the
papers. Lockhart, the second Kerry ally to confirm contact with retired
Texas National Guard officer Bill Burkett, said he made the call at the
suggestion of CBS producer Mary Mapes.

"He had some advice on how to deal with the Vietnam issue and the Swift
boat" allegations, Lockhart said Monday, referring to GOP-fueled accusations
that Kerry exaggerated his Vietnam War record. "He said these guys play
tough and we have to put the Vietnam experience into context and have Kerry
talk about it more."

Lockhart said he thanked Burkett for his advice after a three to four minute
call.

Lockhart said he does not recall talking to Burkett about Bush's Guard
records. "It's baseless to say the Kerry campaign had anything to do with
this," he said.

CBS News apologized Monday for a "mistake in judgment" in its story
questioning Bush's Guard service, claiming it was misled by the source of
documents that several experts have dismissed as fakes.

Burkett admitted this weekend to CBS that he lied about obtaining the
documents from another former National Guard member, the network said. CBS
hasn't been able to conclusively tell how he got them, or even whether
they're fakes or not.

Kerry ally Max Cleland, a former Georgia senator, also said he had a brief
conversation last month with Burkett, who told him he had information about
Bush to counter charges against Kerry's Vietnam War service. Cleland said he
gave Burkett's name and phone number to the campaign's research department.

Kerry spokesman David Ginsberg said nobody in the campaign's research
department followed up on Burkett's offer of information.

Lockhart said Mapes asked him the weekend before the story broke to call
Burkett. "She basically said there's a guy who is being helpful on the story
who wants to talk to you," Lockhart said, adding that it was common
knowledge that CBS was working on a story raising questions about Bush's
Guard service. Mapes told him there were some records "that might move the
story forward. She didn't tell me what they said."

*********************************
Yikes. Their true colors (yellow, mostly) are showing!

73,

--
Steve Lawrence
KAØPMD
Burnsville, Minnesota

(NOTE: My email address has only one "dot."
You'll have to edit out the one between the "7"
and the "3" in my email address if you wish to
reply via email)


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