Old News: Rathergate, Mapes, and 43

I have little to say in favor of former President George Bush, statist that he was and is, but this is interesting, as I have even less to say in favor of CBS. Former CBS newsman Bernard Goldberg says:

Until now, the controversy over the Rather/Mapes story has centered almost entirely on one issue: the legitimacy of the documents – a very important issue, indeed. But it turns out that there was another very important issue, one that goes to the very heart of what the story was about – and one that has gone virtually unnoticed. This is it: Mary Mapes knew before she put the story on the air that George W. Bush, the alleged slacker, had in fact volunteered to go to Vietnam.

Who says? The outside panel CBS brought into (sic) to get to the bottom of the so-called “Rathergate” mess says. I recently re-examined the panel’s report after a source, Deep Throat style, told me to “Go to page 130.” When I did, here’s the startling piece of information I found:

Mapes had information prior to the airing of the September 8 [2004] Segment that President Bush, while in the TexANG [Texas Air National Guard] did volunteer for service in Vietnam but was turned down in favor of more experienced pilots.

Of course, Bernard Goldberg is a disgruntled former employee. How can one believe a direct quote from a CBS internal document?

In any case, "CBS Lied" isn't exactly news.