How about *Dan Rather’s* military service?!
I’ve declined to blog about the CBS Bush documents flap, principally because the story is complicated and has yet to work itself out. (That hasn’t kept the rest of the blogosphere from going nuts on it, both on the left and the right, but that’s another matter.) However, I found this article particularly hilarious in the midst of the entire brouhaha.
In former CBS reporter Bernard Goldberg’s popular book, Bias: A CBS Insider Exposes How the Media Distort the News, he points out that the Metaphor Maestro, Dan Rather himself, has repeatedly lied about his military service. Rather claims he served as a Marine, when in fact he failed out because he could not complete the physical training.
Here, in an interview for the Academy of Achievement, Rather mentions his military service:
The Korean War was at that stage where they were having peace talks. It was on and off, on and off, and the Marines didn’t take me until the start of 1954, although I had graduated in ‘53 from college. I taught journalism in college that semester while I was waiting. I had already volunteered for the Marines but I was waiting to actually go. I went in the Marines, had one of the shortest and least distinguished careers in the whole history of the Marine Corps and came out.
No mention of the fact that he never made it into the Marines in the first place. Now that’s truly pathetic—and hilarious.
UPDATE: Perhaps Rather served in a, uh, “rather” different capacity while in the military.
September 17th, 2004 at 11:51 pm
The URL shown takes the reader to another blog that has more on Rather’s exaggerated military career.
This comment is being posted by a once-a-Marine, always-a-Marine who highly resents Rather referring to himself as a Marine. All ex-Marines who went through boot camp know exactly why guys like Rather didn’t make it….
September 21st, 2004 at 8:45 am
I spent 24 years in the US Navy retiring in 1987.
My son joined the US Marines right out of high school did his 4 years and got out.
The great Dan Rather has dishonors everyone that has serviced this country by not being able to hack it.
Rather is such a jerk, he should be reporting the news not trying to make it.
John D. Cowell,sr
September 25th, 2004 at 7:38 am
I am a Vietnam Vet, I was in the first fighter sqdn to be based in Vietnam (615 TFS, DaNang 1964). I don’t care if Bush tried to evade service in Vietnam, by joining the Guard, if that was the case. Kerry served for six months,was slightly wounded. You are not a hero because you were wounded, you’re just unlucky. What about those who serves without getting wounded. However, Kerry after the war did more damage to members of the military by his protest demonstrations, which prolong the war, getting more Americans killed. Turned popular opinion agaist those who also served to where they were almost spit upon on return home. Now I see Dan Rather was too much of a WIMP to serve.
October 5th, 2004 at 11:31 am
The older I get the more I am amazed at the audacity of some people. Dan Rather is the one who is dishonored not George W. Bush. The President was in the National Guard for 6 years. Kerry was in for 5 months. Let’s not confuse political ambition for gallantry. He was trying even then to “make a heroic background” like John F. Kennedy. Then he sold his brothers out because his working against the war was very popular when he returned. He hoped to ride that wave into office and it worked in the liberal community. I liked John F. Kennedy and John F. Kerry is no John F. Kennedy.
October 27th, 2004 at 9:09 pm
I served in the Corps active from ‘86 to ‘90 as an 0331 machinegunner and was recalled during Desert Storm from the IRR. I was recyced through Parris Island three times before earning the title at age 18. I was abused and brutalized on that Island and for four more years the abuse did not stop. Even when we were promoted we were beaten — every stripe you earned, they lined up the entire Company of 150 men in a guantlet and each man of your new rank or higher got to slug you as hard as he could on both arms, breaking blood vessals and leaving a “tattoo”. When you make corporal in the Corps they add a kick in the flanks (called “earning your blood stripe). This kind of behavior is/was Corps wide and institutionalized — ask any former marine — It is also prevelant in street gangs. My point is, how many of you would stand for being treated like dog meat everyday for years? I have no problem with Dan Rather swimming off that Island! If he didn’t, he would probably be one abusive fuck like me or he would have ended up wearing dresses to bed like J. Edgar Hoover. Oh yea, and those Dress Blues — you had to buy them yourself when I was in!
August 1st, 2005 at 12:43 pm
You have to buy your dress blues now too
April 19th, 2006 at 1:28 am
well, mr hard stripes, it’s good to see that you still have your Marine Corps Values instilled in you!!! Remember Semper Fidelis? by the way it means ALWAYS Faithful!!! I dont think I have ever heard a Marine or Former Marine, since there isn’t any ex marines (but if there was you would probably be one) bitch about something that he should be proud to be a part of!!! How in the hell did they even let you graduate boot camp? oh yeah after three times of trying. they must have just wanted your complaining ass off the base!! Quit being such a fuckin pussy and be proud to be part of something honored and held in such high esteem by every human being in America!!!
SAEPE EXPERTUS, SEMPER FIDELIS, FRATRES AETERNI
often tested , always faithful, brothers forever
July 3rd, 2006 at 10:56 am
HARD STRIPES sounds like a fish story. Never heard of anyone being abused EVERYDAY they were in. Earning your strips and blood strip is NOT being abused everyday. MAybe he was a fuck-up and GOT abused everyday for a reason although I can’t for the life of me figure it out.
As for Rather, he and everyone else knows You earn the title of MARINE after graduating from Boot Camp. I know of no-one who claims the title for standing in the yellow footprints and going home to mommy because they couldn’t hack it.
In the ’70’s, they dressed you in Red, White and Blue, with mismatched cuffs and ill fitting cloths when they sent you home. Ebveryone knew what you were in the bus station dress like that with no hair. A failure! The Marines make men and you don’t get dropped or shipped out unless you give up. You keep getting re-cycled if you try until you make it. It’s an unwritten rule if you show them you are serious and you fight everyday at PI to earn the title, then you will be Marine sooner or later.
July 20th, 2008 at 7:43 pm
Yes. I agree. Hardstripes is attempting to stereotype Marines. The misinformation that some are willing to publish is serious. They fuel hatred through lies, half-truths, and bigotry. It is up to the PEOPLE to discern the propaganda and bull shit from the truth. Hopefully the PEOPLE learn.
July 20th, 2008 at 7:47 pm
Dan Rather, Walter Cronkite, Morely Safer, Jane Fonda, John Kerry, Ted Kennedy…..
all of these folks published misrepresentations to attain personal benefit….they all profoundly hurt the Vietnam Veteran, US Military, and the S. Vietnamese. Hopefully the US PEOPLE are better able to see through their lies and half-truths…and their personal agenda.