Former CBS News anchor Dan Rather rushed to Brian Williams’ defense after the NBC News anchor apologized for falsely claiming that he was on board a helicopter that took rocket propelled grenade fire during the 2003 Iraq invasion.
“I don’t know the particulars about that day in Iraq,” Rather told Politico on Thursday. “I do know Brian. He’s a longtime friend and we have been in a number of war zones and on the same battlefields, competing but together. Brian is an honest, decent man, an excellent reporter and anchor–and a brave one. I can attest that — like his predecessor Tom Brokaw — he is a superb pro, and a gutsy one.”
Although Williams’ apology appears to be enough for Rather, who resigned in 2004 during an investigation into a story he wrote on President George W. Bush’s National Guard service, other members of the media have demanded additional answers from Williams and NBC News.
Williams has told multiple versions of the story on the 2003 attack, and numerous individuals have contested details he shared about the attack. It appears that the helicopter on which Williams rode was not hit with RPG fire, but the pilot of the helicopter claims that the aircraft was hit with small arms fire.
The number of fucks I give about this story is rapidly dwindling.
Media only wants to investigate each other. I
think I’d rather be dry-humped by Steve Doocy as he watches King
Abdullah drop bombs on ISIL than follow this story.
The pilot says William aircraft did receive some small arms fire that day, but the RPG attack was on another chopper in the formation. So, it seems Williams didn’t flat out lie as much as embellish or exaggerate. The pilot knew about the claim years ago, but figured it was just a case of whatever.
My guess is Williams peed his pants when he heard the chopper had taken small arms fire. He had to explain his wet pants some way. Small arms fire absorbed by the bridge they were hauling became an RPG upclose and personal. Cut the guy a break.
“Dan Rather Defends Brian Williams: He’s ‘An Honest, Decent Man’”
He’s also supposedly a “liberal”, which is why this is resulting in him being pilloried instead of a quick round of IOKIYAR.
Dan Rather did not lie, but was deceived and he got a bad deal. He is more forgiving than I would be about how he got treated compared to other journalist who have lied and plagiarized.