And Now Your Expert on CBS Fiction, Dan Rather

February 28th, 2011 6:55 AM

Sunday's Washington Post magazine recommended  in its "Going Out Guide" that people catch "The Insider" when it shows at the Newseum as part of the "Reel Journalism" series with Nick Clooney, father of George Clooney and failed Democratic candidate for Congress. The added "bonus" is Mr. Phony Documents, Dan Rather:

When Jeffrey Wigand blew the whistle on his former big-tobacco bosses on 60 Minutes, he paved the way for major controversy and, eventually, this 1999 Academy Award-nominated film based on that controversy. The screening of the Russell Crowe/Al Pacino drama, part of Nick Clooney's ongoing series on journalism, will be followed by a Q&A between Clooney and former CBS newsman Dan Rather. We trust Rather will have a thing or two to say about CBS handles dicey news stories.

That's really polite in negotiating around the anchor's disgrace, like suggesting Pee Wee Herman "will have a thing or two to say" if he showed up at a pornographer's convention.

Two things are guaranteed about this event: First, the movie is less fictional than Rather's National Guard documents on George W. Bush. Two, Rather will tee off on how "The Insider" was probably not fair to his pals like Mike Wallace, but that CBS has buckled and is buckling to Corporate Power, that the media in general needs a "spine transplant." Whoever keeps inviting him to events like he has any credibility left needs a brain transplant.