WASHINGTON (Map, News) - Jeff Dufour and Patrick Gavin cover people, power and politics in the beltway each weekday. Email them at yan@dcexaminer.com .

For new Hill offices, it’s wading through resumes

Suddenly, it seems every Democrat in America wants to be a staffer. As new members of Congress attempt to meet their new colleagues and learn their way around the Hill, they’ve also been deluged by a storm of resumes.

Adrienne Marsh, press secretary for Sen.-elect Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., says that her office has received “about 175 resumes before we came out to Washington” for orientation, and since then, about 300 more. “I would say we’ve got 500-plus to look at,” Marsh concluded.

The nascent office of Sen.-elect John Tester, D-Mont., had, as of Monday, received exactly 203 resumes. (There are fewer people in Montana, after all). According to press secretary Aaron Murphy, Tester is “looking to build an entire staff from the ground up.”

An aide to Rep.-elect Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., said, “I can tell you what the number is today; it’s 250. We are forming a core team by January that will consist of no more than nine to 10 positions between D.C. and the district.”

The office of Rep.-elect Jason Altmire, D-Pa., is “looking at a foot-high stack of resumes,” said his press secretary, who added that “that’s not including the 25 to 50 we still need to print out from online.”

Rep.-elect Joe Donnelly’s, D-Ind., office has received somewhere between 300 to 400 resumes, going both to their home district office and the New Member Service Center in D.C., according to an aide.

The office of former Redskins quarterback Heath Shuler, D-N.C., has received applications in the “close to the hundreds range,” according to Shuler’s press secretary, who said he and several other staff members in the office has received dozens of resumes each. Shuler will be a representative from North Carolina’s 11th District.

At the office of Rep.-elect Joe Sestak, D-Pa., we were told that the amount of applications was “not overwhelming, but surprising.”

And the sifting process isn’t nearly complete. None of the campaigns we spoke with had hired anyone yet beyond the core group that worked the campaign.

Washingtonians, future Council member pay tribute to troops

Most Washingtonians are addicted to e-mail, but there are plenty who still know how to write a letter the old-fashioned way (you do remember “pen and paper,” don’t you?).

And many folks did just that this past weekend and for a very good cause. Hundreds of Washingtonians headed to the American Legion (Post 8) on Capitol Hill Saturday to pen letters to D.C. National Guardsmen and women currently serving in Iraq. In addition, attendees boxed care packages full of such goodies as phone cards, deodorant, chapstick, Twizzlers, stamps, mix CDs and socks.

D.C. Council Member-elect Tommy Wells stopped by and said, “It’s important for all of us in this community to support those men and women from the District of Columbia who are serving in Iraq. This sacrifice is truly appreciated, and I want to thank the American Legion for hosting such a worthwhile event.”

Put down that ax, Mr. President!

Hold the gravy — turkeys across America are imploring, “Don’t gobble me!”

Just a day before President Bush pardons the traditional Thanksgiving turkey, members of the nonprofit group United Poultry Concerns called for a far wider pardoning of birds.

They cooked up a vegetarian Thanksgiving on Tuesday in front of the White House, handed out literature and wielded a banner emblazoned with the slogan, “Turkeys: Meet One, Don’t Eat One.”

UPC prez Karen Davis explains that Americans can both give thanks and show respect for the feathered fowl by opting for vegetation recipes Thursday. UPC’s pamphlets conveniently include a vegan recipe for “Mrs. Gobble-Good’s Golden Brown Pie,” a bird-friendly entree option.

Davis told us that she’s been accused of being anti-Thanksgiving due to her animal rights work.

She tells Y&N, however, “I do believe in Thanksgiving!” Davis herself is a practicing vegan.

Speakeasy

“He could not do greater harm to this country were he a paid agent of bin Laden.” – MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann, speaking about just-resigned Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld in the current issue of GQ

Media Mix

Former Republican Sen. and Attorney General John Ashcroft now heads the Ashcroft Group LLC. His latest book is “Never Again: Securing America and Restoring Justice.” We caught up with him via e-mail last week.

Q: What book are you currently reading?

“1776” by David McCollough.

Q: What Web site do you visit first thing in the morning?

www.foxnews.com

Q: What’s the last CD you bought?

[I don’t] normally buy CDs. [I] recently purchased Willie Nelson CDs to teach myself the mandolin.

Q: What’s the last movie you saw?

I don’t go to movies, as I’d prefer to watch ESPN.

Q: What’s the one TV show you can’t live without?

“King of the Hill”

Kelly Mahon and Andrew White contributed to this page.

Comments from Examiner Readers

11:32 AM MST on Mon., Oct. 29, 2007 re: "Yeas and Nays: Monday, Oct. 16"

eddie said:
I'm calling on an all out boycott,like the one Martin told and rallied The Black Alabamians in the Bus Boycott is needed now cause theirs no Actual Real black leader that has the rallying mind besides whom you're reading and it's me,baby,it's me,oh,oh,oh,I'm going to rally the homeless to show real blackness and the only blackness, where I'm writing now for bussinesses in the area and supporting will feed the homeless while we boycott daily,wherever we may be and it just may be I as I've been doing gladly and with JAH blessing I with AIR to breathe,so I know the people see ones rallying and daily and not in soup lines you would have to come off your jobs and either bring your 10% that all of you owes Eddie as I speak thinking I'm this while all of you are weak,so lets stop letting atrocities happen for a slave job's sake that won't feed your children for forcing them to unwarranted wars caused by all over 6'ers over stayed unwelcomed and needs to pay for all ATROCITIES comm

381 agree | 374 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

1:02 PM MST on Wed., Oct. 24, 2007 re: "Yeas and Nays: Monday, Dec. 4"

eddie said:
I be trying to tap into I people for some action taken on the fate of Blackness,people,culture society,security,prosperity,growth,agriculture,civility,LAW,order and for the upcoming generations not to go through the way I know Eddie has being muzzled from the truth and having a duty to not only recognize right from wrong but exercising it all the time,at every chance given,in order to produce godly seed to replenish the earth to live longer and grow wiser,to maintain family and structure and for 39yrs and counting it seems as GOD haven't appeared nor have any of you read the BIBLE to get godly counsel being the only true way of surviving an ever poisoning society,with no civility in public places,and need to see at least Citizens of all and conceerned nationalities to write P.O.Box 6301,Alexandria,Va.22036 or leave message at [202]638-7424 and join what's already is taking place and that's The LOBBYSHIP Party,with poetry,Civil Rights Act of 1964,and a hand written copy of both

418 agree | 643 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

12:36 PM MST on Wed., Oct. 24, 2007 re: "Yeas and Nays: Monday, Dec. 4"

eddie said:
If any of you are godly beings theirs not any difference in white folks being forced from their living than anyone else be it a white woman led force in unwarranted foreign countries killing innocent children and for what than white folks families and dogs being forced out by FIRE,and white racist media isn't giving the children no godly results either in the name of a job be they colored and enslaved like Clarence Thomas and in public eye and still jealous of King Jr.and vows to JAH never to help poor,needy children and folks like that needs not to be in public with their ungodliness for sure regardless of religion or Legions disease,to where everybody who hostilly put Bush in,for knowing about the plot on Citizens and mostly white to start a war none had no concern,nor can any Produce good and godly seed and are disgruntled with life and vows to destroy everyone elses lives and all and everybody over 6 one year term must leave immeadiately before all of all of your ATROCITIES come

480 agree | 435 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

9:13 AM MST on Sat., Oct. 13, 2007 re: "Yeas and Nays: Monday, Oct. 16"

eddie said:
When I wrote Bubba Clinton,prior to them being in the Oval,demanding they do Civil Rights and after they got in and chose Jesse Jack yellow face slave sellout ,and the world seen how they both shouldn't be in public now for their wives dismantling both of them for not during the civil rights act but instead waging war on America as we see now that the world needs civil rights and is crying out for it but not willing to pay Eddie,for civility training,courses,procedures in any function that's public even police depts.all for the people to be treated like people instead of aniimals which is another subject but same topic,in the diminishing of the Black family for their never to be a white anything especially family unless your child comes up hating your butt for giving them no option to serve GOD whole heartedly, Al Gore sold out knowing he's nothing but a loser for failing the Country for not knowing his CIVIL RIGHTS to give Bush the oval from a racist bunch of PROHIBITED TRESPASSE

438 agree | 429 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

6:46 PM MST on Sun., Sep. 30, 2007 re: "Yeas & Nays: Wednesday, May 16"

Examiner Reader said:
Can somebody tell me how can someone like Obahma even be in the running? Has the country gone mad? The man is a radical Muslim! It's like electing a president by the name of Adolf Hietzler during WWII. Wake up America! The 3 leading dems are not even fit to lead a marching band. Read "Bankrupt" and get the real story--the story the left doesn't want you to know about. In 2008, remember your ABCs--Anybody But Clinton---if you wanna scrape the bottom, vote for Rodham. The Queen is a socialist through and through and we can't have her destroying America!

468 agree | 498 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

11:36 PM MST on Fri., Sep. 28, 2007 re: "Rather chokes up, and hunkers down"

francowilliams said:
dan, if you still need a job, maybe the Houston Cougars need a radio announcer for football. Or surely the Reagan HS Bulldogs will still have you back.. hehehe

825 agree | 453 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

8:37 PM MST on Thu., Sep. 27, 2007 re: "Rather chokes up, and hunkers down"

Examiner Reader said:
Dan, your viserial hatered of Bush made you use the forged documents. Every year of his six years Bush had over 50 service points to meet his service commitments (300 points over what was required) Mary Mapes had found evidence that Bush volunteered for service in Vietnam but Dan kept that information out of story.

457 agree | 408 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

6:51 PM MST on Thu., Sep. 27, 2007 re: "Rather chokes up, and hunkers down"

Examiner Reader said:
If news is a contactr sport- this bird needs to be clipped at the knees--People like him will turn you off watching the news PERIOD

415 agree | 414 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

6:29 PM MST on Thu., Sep. 27, 2007 re: "Couric weighs in on Iraq, Rather"

Examiner Reader said:
As far as I can tell, "media" these days in the U.S. is, in great part, about "Big Business" and satisfying the stockholders. Just how many of the media companies which might fall under this profile do you actually believe are CEO'd by looney, left-wing liberals or right-wing nutjobs? Get real, people, resist buying into the hype.

588 agree | 699 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

3:00 PM MST on Thu., Sep. 27, 2007 re: "Rather chokes up, and hunkers down"

Its Not About Me said:
It is about You , Dan! You can't ignore Carter's Pardoning of the Liberal Draft-Dodger's; Clinton's Draft Dodging, Kerry's Treason in giving Aid and Comfort to the Enemy ( Treason ) while taking their money and orders for his anti-war group and then talk about how Bush might have missed some training. Those 4 things aren't equal in severity!!! Carter's pardon means that questions about Bush's service are no longer relevant. Clinton's draft dodging makes Bush look like Audie Murphy! And Kerry's Treason means Bush is George Washington. Dan Rather has simply showed himself up for what he really is with his Bush story. - - - A far left liberal who glosses over problems with his own party in order to fault a Republican for not crossing a T or dotting an I. Any reasonable Independant voter would realize that Dan Rather lost all his supposed objectivity and revealed network news in all its liberal bias glory.

694 agree | 444 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

2:38 PM MST on Thu., Sep. 27, 2007 re: "Rather chokes up, and hunkers down"

Examiner Reader said:
'Ol Dan is trying so very, very hard to stay relevant. If he keeps working at this maybe, just maybe he will find the frequency.

713 agree | 466 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

1:59 PM MST on Thu., Sep. 27, 2007 re: "Rather chokes up, and hunkers down"

Examiner Reader said:
I hope Dan calls 'Lucy Ramirez" as his first witness, whoever or whatever they may be. Then perhaps surprise witnesses like Judge Crater or the one armed man from "The Fugitive"

407 agree | 451 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

1:45 PM MST on Thu., Sep. 27, 2007 re: "Rather chokes up, and hunkers down"

Examiner Reader said:
Maybe Dan didn't answer the question, no matter what he had in his eye, because testimony from either Bush would have nothing to do with his lawsuit. His hangs on whether or not his filing a story using faked documents supplied by an avowed Bush hater justified his firing by CBS. Had he just been an anchor I would say he has a case but since Rather insisted on being the managing editor of the evening news I would say he doesn't

682 agree | 417 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

12:51 PM MST on Thu., Sep. 27, 2007 re: "Rather chokes up, and hunkers down"

Examiner Reader said:
This anonymous blog is great. It isn�t often that a San Franciscan gets to publicly state �I love America.� Our media always skirts the real issues. (On purpose, I don�t know.) The real issue is: If a puppet or dictatorial government allows safe haven to terrorist under the guise of a sovereign state, those terrorist can and will sit back, plan, and then execute actions against us. After the action they will return to the security of the safe haven under the sovereignty of said government which is not bound by our or any rule of law. The first job of our government should be to protect us, as in protecting people in the USA first. Huge job. Published on Wednesday, July 25, 2001 in the Guardian of London Police officers in Georgia said yesterday that four men had been arrested trying to sell a large quantity of enriched uranium, raising the fear that it may have been destined for a terrorist group or country classified by the US as a rogue state. In January 2001. Google it.

404 agree | 430 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

12:41 PM MST on Thu., Sep. 27, 2007 re: "Rather chokes up, and hunkers down"

Hank said:
why so long after the incident is he filing and sounds like he still beleives his story was accurate, just not the documents. "Oh" the liberals just can't be strait they have hate in there hearts and always try to distort the facts. Get a life Mr. Rather.

679 agree | 421 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

12:23 PM MST on Thu., Sep. 27, 2007 re: "Couric weighs in on Iraq, Rather"

Walter said:
I can see, Danny, I�d Rather Not, Rather, is doing some of the most recent posting to puff himself up. Amazing, he finally learned how to use a computer. CBS is just as blank as Rather and Couric. When this mess first surfaced it was so obvious a fabrication took place any sensible employer would have booted him day one. Of course CBS is still employing Couric so that sez a lot for incompetence. Then there is coconspirator Mary Mapes with a Seattle history of a far Left Liberal. Now we have Danny the Dolt suing because of his lack of knowledge about so many things. I�m sure when the heat finally causes CBS to ditch whack job Couric she�ll sue too. Democrats are such a fun group and the Liberal Democrats are hard core comedians.

426 agree | 655 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

12:18 PM MST on Thu., Sep. 27, 2007 re: "Rather chokes up, and hunkers down"

Examiner Reader said:
"After evidence emerged that the story�s primary documents were possibly faked or forged, ..."? "[P]ossibly faked or forged"? ROTFLMAO! Rather again served as a useful idiot for like-minded, militant, virulent leftists who attempted to pass off 2004 Microsoft Word produced, hysterically crude forgeries as 1970s era "Texas National Guard" "documents". Also, I love Rather's claim that "people might come around when they find out what really went on." What really went on is Dan Rather cooked up a laughable hoax with fraudulent documents, and the only people who believe Rather are tin-foiled hat wearing, America hating fools, freaks, kooks and dupes.

537 agree | 381 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

11:50 AM MST on Thu., Sep. 27, 2007 re: "Rather chokes up, and hunkers down"

Examiner Reader said:
Read the PNAC Report on the web. PNAC stans for PRIVITIZATION OF THE NEW AMERICA CENTURY. All of the players that drafted this report became part of Bush's staff. That is why it was so important for Bush to become president. Bush, Wolfawicz, Rumstfield, Chaney and others drafted this report to preemptively invade Iraq in the 1990's but could not preemptively invade Iraq until we had a catastrophic event (9-11). Look at the expression on Bush's face when they told him about plains crashing into buildings. His expression said "I don't believe they actually did it". Would any other president continue to read a book to first graders while plains were crashing into building? Why wasn't he rushed out of that classroom. READ THE PNAC REPORT.

401 agree | 656 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

11:37 AM MST on Thu., Sep. 27, 2007 re: "Rather chokes up, and hunkers down"

Examiner Reader said:
In regards to the Dan Rather article on Bush's military service. Isn't it true that when you go to the military you attend boot training and you live in barricks with at least 30 other milieary recruits. If Bush was was in fact in the military why can't you find at least 8 people that trained with him and remember him being there? Where are these people that served with Bush? I've been out of high school for over 35 years, and I can find more than ten people who attended school with me.

492 agree | 719 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

11:22 AM MST on Thu., Sep. 27, 2007 re: "Rather chokes up, and hunkers down"

Examiner Reader said:
Reporters should check facts but, that's not the real world. The bulk of reports from biased positions. The postions vary but are always there. True reporting probably never took place throughout mankind's history. On Rather, the man is a service dodger (I'm sure most of you have seem the mug shot when he was arrested by the military police) and has never been someone who's opinion I'd be interested in listening to. I've always found it ironic the way his career ended. Now he just needs money to maintain his lifestyle...

498 agree | 643 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

11:17 AM MST on Thu., Sep. 27, 2007 re: "Rather chokes up, and hunkers down"

Examiner Reader said:
Dan Rather has lost his mind. He's obsessed with the story on President Bush and can't admit the story is false. Dan needs to get some mental help very soon.

771 agree | 672 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

11:13 AM MST on Thu., Sep. 27, 2007 re: "Couric weighs in on Iraq, Rather"

Examiner Reader said:
So, She's uncomfortable using "we" referring to Americans? Heck, I agree. I'm uncomfortable considering her to be an American as well. Lovely that we can find room to agree in this day and age. We both wish she wasn't an American... can't we find a way to build on that to foster more agreement?

768 agree | 425 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

11:02 AM MST on Thu., Sep. 27, 2007 re: "Couric weighs in on Iraq, Rather"

Examiner Reader said:
A link on Drudge sure does bring out the right-wing crazies. I didn't think anybody still admitted they voted for Bush until I read these comments. You people need some help for your irrational man-love for the war criminal Bush.

709 agree | 823 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

10:59 AM MST on Thu., Sep. 27, 2007 re: "Couric weighs in on Iraq, Rather"

Examiner Reader said:
Katie Couric does not speak for me. I think she has "no clue." That is me speaking for me.

458 agree | 420 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

10:26 AM MST on Thu., Sep. 27, 2007 re: "Couric weighs in on Iraq, Rather"

mark said:
Bottom line is she's a lightweight and what her opinion is should not matter. She should go back to the Today show and do what she's good at, fluffy chatter.

817 agree | 439 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

10:10 AM MST on Thu., Sep. 27, 2007 re: "Couric weighs in on Iraq, Rather"

Examiner Reader said:
Katie C is biased ... she uses phrase like: "I�ve never understood" ... in lieu many believe ... she uses phrase like, "Everyone in this room would agree" ... in lieu of most likely a majority of persons would agree ... Katie C lives in a small world of cultural elites; and simply does not understand, that many others have opinions that vary from her own .... In her limited circle of elites, she still has not met anyone who voted for GW Bush.

488 agree | 418 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

10:01 AM MST on Thu., Sep. 27, 2007 re: "Couric weighs in on Iraq, Rather"

Country Rick--Minnesota said:
Ms. Couric speaks for herself and basically proves what most people have been saying about the big media for 25 years. It should be no surprise to anyone in the news business why the common people of this land are unsubscribing and turning off their sets in droves. I think that most good people (liberals and conservative) can only stomach so much of the anti-american slant in the media. It just plain grates on you after a while. The "news" these days seems more oriented towards entertaining the Hollywood types and folks on both coasts. The rest of us have been gone for a long time.

517 agree | 432 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

9:56 AM MST on Thu., Sep. 27, 2007 re: "Rather chokes up, and hunkers down"

Examiner Reader said:
Dan Rather is a wierdo, he is not rational. He has been like this for years. John

641 agree | 406 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

9:54 AM MST on Thu., Sep. 27, 2007 re: "Rather chokes up, and hunkers down"

Examiner Reader said:
There comes a time, Rather said, when you have to say "it's just time to go." YES! Now Follow Your Own Advice and Go Away Dan.

496 agree | 612 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

9:54 AM MST on Thu., Sep. 27, 2007 re: "Couric weighs in on Iraq, Rather"

Masonman said:
"Someone is unable to think for ones self. Quoting Ann Coulter is hilarious" I could say the samething about you, but insert Michael Moore, Geoge Soros, or Stewart Smiley. LOL. Besides, this is not from Annie, it is from our "Great Leader" El Rushbo!

750 agree | 418 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

9:51 AM MST on Thu., Sep. 27, 2007 re: "Rather chokes up, and hunkers down"

mary said:
Dan Rather has been telling the truth right along. This country is becoming communist under King George. He is taking our rights away as American Citizens. He gave the head of the Swift Boat ads a big government job. Is anyone out there still supporting this liar? He will go down in history as the worst president this nation has ever seen.

801 agree | 683 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

8:46 AM MST on Thu., Sep. 27, 2007 re: "Rather chokes up, and hunkers down"

Lou - Paradise MD said:
Man, rather can't have it both ways. When the story was manufactured, he was saying he stood by his sources and his investigation. Then, the network fired a coupla people and forced him out. Now he wants to say he was only reading the news and was not responsible. I think he is either senile or is trying to insert himself in the news again, because he's no longer a big deal reporter. After making up news, he gets no breaks. Just fade away quietly. Hints at calling the President - HA - he just can't admit he's lost it.

486 agree | 452 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

8:40 AM MST on Thu., Sep. 27, 2007 re: "Couric weighs in on Iraq, Rather"

Examiner Reader said:
I think Ms. Couric just signed her own pink slip.

717 agree | 432 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

8:34 AM MST on Thu., Sep. 27, 2007 re: "Rather chokes up, and hunkers down"

Examiner Reader said:
I find it amazing depending on where one lives in this country the level of stupidity. I also find it amazing how so many can be so damn gullible about people in positions of power. Wake up America, if the media is corporately owned. i.e., If it's ownership is consolidated, and in the hands of a few, and the only way people can get into our government is by having enough money, what makes you all so ready to believe our elected officials are not pandering to special interests???!!!!! DDDUUUHHHHHHH. It's true that Rather should have dotted his I's and crossed his T's. But he didn't. And it is only my opinion that this man was so overcome with moral outrage brought on by the lies of this administration and the TOTAL IDIOTIC acquiescence on behalf of the people in congress and this country not to ask the hard questions, that he sought to bring this man down before he did anymore damage. Do you actually believe the US needs to fear anyone else on this planet??!!! So COMPLETELY stupid!

460 agree | 473 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

8:15 AM MST on Thu., Sep. 27, 2007 re: "Rather chokes up, and hunkers down"

Mad Man Moon said:

"When will the public finally rise up and DEMANDING an honest media that represents the views of the country?!"

She was honest. The media is not supposed to represent the views of the country. That would be "state" media. Then again, you probably would have preferred that the media had continued to support the racist segregation of blacks given that most of the country, at that time, supported it.

The media is supposed to report the news. If the news puts the United States in a poor light, then so be it. The truth is what matters. Not the viewpoint of the public.

580 agree | 649 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

8:03 AM MST on Thu., Sep. 27, 2007 re: "Rather chokes up, and hunkers down"

mda said:
Interesting, all the media is hounding Bush and all see the fake documents but still some want to believe the docs are real!!! Kind of reminds me, "I didn't have sex with that woman." If there was a shred of truth, ALL of the media would have stuck it out. But only Dan (working for that ultra-liberal outlet) still believes it. I'm more suspicious of his sanity then any corporate agenda...

725 agree | 410 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

7:57 AM MST on Thu., Sep. 27, 2007 re: "Rather chokes up, and hunkers down"

Examiner Reader said:
Dan Blather sounds more and more like Nixon....daily he sinks down into a dismal expression of what he has personally created - the modern, anti-intellectual, anti-investigative reporter.... oh, they still exist, just not within the old-stream media.... If you want to see the height of corruptiion, look at Dan...

476 agree | 430 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

7:55 AM MST on Thu., Sep. 27, 2007 re: "Couric weighs in on Iraq, Rather"

Stanford Student said:
It's obvious why very few people listen to this left wing kook.

465 agree | 405 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

7:51 AM MST on Thu., Sep. 27, 2007 re: "Couric weighs in on Iraq, Rather"

Rman said:
"Dan Rather is one of the few journalist left who has integrity, and he is attempting to shine a little light on what has happened to our corporatized media." WHAT? GOOD THING THEY DON"T DO DRUG TESTING HERE! Come on .. you can't be serioius??

490 agree | 458 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

7:47 AM MST on Thu., Sep. 27, 2007 re: "Couric weighs in on Iraq, Rather"

Drudge Reader said:
"The whole culture of wearing flags on our lapel and saying �we� when referring to the United States and, even the �shock and awe� of the initial stages, it was just too jubilant and just a little uncomfortable." At least Katie no longer disguises her hatred for America. When will the public finally rise up and DEMANDING an honest media that represents the views of the country?!

481 agree | 683 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

7:40 AM MST on Thu., Sep. 27, 2007 re: "Rather chokes up, and hunkers down"

Mad Man Moon said:

"it took me 15 minutes on the internet using google and ebay to determin that an IBM Selectric II could produce the leaked document"

It took less time to determine the Yellowcake documents were fake considering that the were "signed" by a leader who had not been in power for quite some time. Yet, the administration went with them anyway.

If you are this confident that the rather documents are forgeries, than you should encourage an investigation, not discourage it.

689 agree | 420 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

7:33 AM MST on Thu., Sep. 27, 2007 re: "Rather chokes up, and hunkers down"

Examiner Reader said:
it took me 15 minutes on the internet using google and ebay to determin that an IBM Selectric II could produce the leaked document, could type the special characters and had a wide variety of fonts available. The documents were not forged by the standards used to declare them forged. I must have some fantastic journalism skills to discovery in 15 minutes what no other journalist in the whole damn country could do.

444 agree | 405 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

7:14 AM MST on Thu., Sep. 27, 2007 re: "Rather chokes up, and hunkers down"

Mad Man Moon said:

"mad moon man seems to be a little weak on the whole history and constitution thing"

If you are going to try to throw something like this out there, how about rebutting with facts? I assure you that I know the "whole history and constitution thing," how about you showing me where I am wrong? Otherwise, you simply show yourself to be one of the many simple minded fools, unable to back up your ignorant statements.

I also assume that you believe that Bruce Fein, conservative constitutional scholar is truly a liberal? I assume that, in your mind, the CATO institute is a bastion of liberal thought? You have no idea what is liberal and what is conservative. You only believe that anyone who rejects Bush's philosophy is a liberal.

765 agree | 433 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

7:05 AM MST on Thu., Sep. 27, 2007 re: "Couric weighs in on Iraq, Rather"

Examiner Reader said:
Hey Dan, Here's one you can prove.