I definitely enjoyed this comparison of clarity versus nuance, and whether complexity automatically guarantees greater intelligence.

One of the best parts deals with nuclear waste disposal policy:

"Bush, though, is the complex one on Nevada's Yucca Mountain. That's where the federal government has agreed to deposit nuclear waste.

Kerry wants to drop Yucca. He says transporting the waste from nuclear plants to the site could be dangerous and that the site might not be absolutely safe. Has he considered that nuclear wastes have been safely and carefully transported in this nation for decades without incident? Does he realize that wherever the wastes are sent, they will have to be transported? Is he aware that the wastes pose many times the danger in the 39 states where they now reside than they would in an underground site that has been studied for 20 years, and that it might well take another 20 years to find another site that comes close to being as sound?"

William Safire reminds us that Rathergate may involve criminal acts, and that CBS and its corporate parent owe us an investigation and an explanation The New York Times: First, Find the Forger

And as Drudge reports, it's going to involve a court on some level, if only on a libel charge.

Russ Meyer, the man who brought us such landmark movies as "Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!", passed away.

He also brought us this one

Nice editorial on Rathergate from my old hometown paper. Macon Telegraph: Ignoring the basic rules

The 60 Minutes Sunday crew disassociates themselves from Rathergate:

"I think it is safe to say that the overwhelming feeling among correspondents and producers on the Sunday program is that we would not have made the same mistakes," correspondent Steve Kroft said. He added: "It's hard to know at this point exactly what went wrong, because the Wednesday show is an entirely separate broadcast with entirely different people, and brand-new management. But something clearly went wrong with the process."

The Boston Globe reports on CBS' foibles, but not its own. Boston Globe: CBS says it's sorry for story on Bush

The USA Today reports today that Bill Burkett claims his source was Lucy Ramirez of Houston. The story indicates that she hasn't yet been reached. If she exists, what connection does she have to the players in this drama? USATODAY: CBS backs off Guard story

Just when you think that CBS black eye can't turn any more ugly, something like this turns up. USATODAY: CBS arranged for meeting with Lockhart

Well! CBS producer Mary Mapes called Joe Lockhart to ask him to call Bill 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."

Well, well, well.

Yahoo! News - Kerry Aide Talked to Retired Guard Officer

Indeed, at CBS News the question is, "Where was everybody's judgment on that last day?" The New York Times: CBS News Concludes It Was Misled on National Guard Memos, Network Officials Say

Headline on the Drudge Report: "CBS News Concludes It Was Misled on National Guard Memos, Network Officials Say."

Drudge goes on to say that "After days of expressing confidence about the documents used in a 60 MINUTES report that raised new questions about President Bush's National Guard service, CBS News officials have grave doubts about the authenticity of the material, network officials said last night, the NEW YORK TIMES is reporting in Monday runs. Developing... "

Dandy Don, clear your throat and get ready to sing.

One wonders whether the Kerry campaign will continue to let his family campaign for him after this gaffe down under.

A snippy Dan Rather returns to Dallas, and is captured for a comment by Fox News (hat tip: Johnny Dollar) 'Do You Feel Like You Were Duped?'

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Via Instapundit, this could be considered the "abridged" version of Unfit for Command. Admiral Roy Hoffman on the grand deception by John Kerry

This is a surprising outgrowth of Rathergate. I didn't hear Maloney's broadcast, although I live in the Seattle area. I wonder if Mary Mapes did? AP Wire | 09/18/2004 | Host Says Rather Criticism Got Him Fired

Does Robert Fisk earn a royalty every time the technique that bears his name hits the mark? Perhaps he develops a well deserved headache like this guy gets--and frankly, gives--from those annoying dot com loan commercials.

Antimedia at Media Lies fisks the LA Times here.

CBS continues to flail about, now repeating the tinfoil hat brigade's baseless claim that because "Buckhead" posted his guess that the now discredited Bush documents were in fact forgeries, and that the Republicans are somehow behind it all. CBS News: Bush Guard Docs Flap Marches On

I'd say that CBS' "story" resembles the plot of a Bugs Bunny cartoon except that I believe it would insult Bugs Bunny. Why, it's shocking, shocking I say to learn that REPUBLICANS post comments on REPUBLICAN WEBSITES. Oh, what a scandal!

CBS forgets to mention that experts it hired--but did not listen to--raised questions about the documents before the story aired. http://www.dailyrecycler.com/blog/2004/09/hey-hey-hey-goodbye.html

The invaluable Charles Johnson's Little Green Footballs passes along the judgment of a former IBM Selectric Composer expert on the capability and facility of that machine for the task of producing the forged documents. http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=12694_Composer_Theory_in_Advanced_State_of_Decomposition

CBS' chief remaining "document expert", Mrs. Knox, said that she used an Olivetti machine. I'm still waiting for a news organization to establish the types of machines in use by the TexANG during that period and their capabilities. We can already guess that the answer won't make Dan Rather very happy.

William F. Buckley lays into Rathergate with his usual panache National Review's Buckley says Rathergate is much ado about nothing.

From Corante, we have a very good summary and timeline of the scandal that takes us up to today's insignificant document release and the interesting connection between Burkett, the DNC and Max Cleland.

A connection between Max Cleland, the DNC and retired Lt. Col. Bill Burkett, the most likely candidate to be named the source of the now discredited CBS documents, may exist according to the Washington Post Parallels Drawn Between CBS Memos, Texan's Postings