SwiftVets.com

[DenisC]

This new C-BS story is incredible! This could put Kerry in the Whitehouse.
GEEEEEEZE.

CBS Does It Again
Network Uses Phony Documents to Promote Draft Conspiracy
September 28, 2004 20:41:03 EDT

Daniel Irvin Rather must be a masochist. You'd think that in the midst of the terrible publicity he is currently getting for working closely with a partisan Democrat bent on bringing down President Bush that Dan Rather would have the good sense to lay off the liberal bias for a while. But common sense seems to be in short supply at CBS News these days.

Three weeks after he denounced the internet as being "filled with rumors," the embattled CBS anchor ran a story on his Tuesday "Evening News" program hoping to stir up fear of an impending military draft.

In a story that was a textbook example of slipshod reporting, CBS reporter Richard Schlesinger used debunked internet hoax emails and an unlabeled interest group member to scare elderly "Evening" viewers into believing that the U.S. government is poised to resume the draft.

At the center of Schlesinger's piece was a woman named Beverly Cocco, a Philadelphia woman who is "sick to my stomach" that her two sons might be drafted. In his report, Schlesinger claimed that Cocco was a Republican and portrayed her as an apolitical (even Republican) mom worried about the future.

Schlesinger did not disclose that Cocco is a chapter president of an advocacy group called People Against the Draft (PAD) which, in addition to opposing any federal proscription, seeks to establish a "peaceful, rational foreign policy" by bringing all U.S. troops out of Iraq. Like Schlesinger's Cocco, the group portrays itself as "nonpartisan"although its leadership seems to be entirely bereft of any Republicans.

The group's domain is registered to a man named Jacob Levich, a left-wing activist who in a 2001 essay compared the Bush Administration to the totalitarian government portrayed in George Orwell's 1984.

PAD also lists Anita Dutt, a Green Party activist who is also a member of an anti-war group called Bronx Action for Justice and Peace. In a March 3, 2003 New York Times profile of the group reprinted on the organization's web site, Heidi Hynes, one of its leaders, said of her fellow members that "none of us are Republicans."

Also left out of the CBS story was the fact that while there are two bills in Congress that are seeking to reestablish the draft, both of them (S-89 and HR-163) are sponsored exclusively by Democrats and have been pronounced DOA by the Republican leadership.

Much more on this to come but in the mean time, click read more to see the transcript or watch the clip by clicking on the picture to the right.

DAN RATHER: It's no secret: The all- volunteer U.S. Military, especially the Army, Marines and many reserve units, are stretched thin in Iraq and Afghanistan. So what about bringing back the draft? A lot of Americans are worried about that. Where do the presidential candidates stand? CBS's Richard Schlesinger tells you in the "Eye on America" election series, "What does it mean to you?"

SCHLESINGER: Beverly Cocco has spent most of her life protecting children in Philadelphia.

(Footage of Cocco in job as crossing guard)

SCHLESINGER: She usually worries about other people's kids.

(Footage of Cocco in job as crossing guard)

SCHLESINGER: But as Election Day approaches, it's her own two grown sons who Beverly is most worried about.

BEVERLY COCCO ("Pennsylvania Voter"): I go to bed every night and I pray, and I actually get sick to my stomach. I'm very worried. I'm scared. I'm absolutely scared. I'm petrified.

SCHLESINGER: Beverly is petrified about a military draft, and she's not alone. Mass e-mails are circulating among worried parents. But neither president bush nor john kerry has said he will re- institute the draft. In fact, they both say they will not.

Sen. JOHN KERRY (Democratic presidential candidate): I will give us a foreign policy that absolutely makes it unnecessary to have a draft for this country.

SCHLESINGER: Kerry says he'll try to get allies of the U.S. to send troops that could relieve American soldiers in Iraq. The Bush Administration says that is pure fantasy. The president wants to train more Iraqi troops to take over for the Americans.

Pres. GEORGE W. BUSH: The war on terror will continue. It's going to take a while and no, we don't need a draft.

SCHLESINGER (voiceover): But Beverly's not buying it. She's a Republican, but she's also a single issue voter.

(on-camera) Would you vote for a Democrat?

COCCO: Absolutely. I would vote for Howdie Doody if I thought it would keep my boys home and safe.

SCHLESINGER (voiceover): In fact, there are at least three votes in this house riding on the draft: Beverly's and her sons,' Carmen [sic] and Nick.

(on-camera) Are you guys worried about being drafted?

NICK COCCO (College senior): Yeah. It's the talk. The talk's there. Though people aren't actually coming out and saying it, it's, it's there.

SCHLESINGER: The machinery for a draft is already in place and the acting director of Selective Service believes he could start drafting people quickly.

JACK MARTIN (Selective Service System): I think we could do it in less than six months if we got the call.

SCHLESINGER: This time there would be no long deferments for college students and a lot more people could be eligible for the draft than ever before. Men and women aged 18 to 26 could be called up.

Of course, there hasn't been a draft since 1973. But that's not much comfort to Beverly Cocco. So she is keeping a sharp eye on the political traffic. She's a Bush supporter today, but if she doesn't like what she hears between now and November, Beverly could easily cross over. In Philadelphia, I'm Richard Schlesinger for Eye on America. (Lies on America)
http://ratherbiased.com/news.html

note: Topic edited
_________________
DenisC
173rd Airborne, RVN '65-67'

[Chuck Z Ombie AC2000]

Is there some reason this story is never linked and why i dont se it on the news?
_________________
John Kerry, R.I.P. (Rot In Paris)

[dmackto]

I can only hope people are not watching that horse manure.
_________________
Deborah
The FROZEN CHICKEN Journal

This is no time for ease and comfort. It is the time to dare and endure.
- Winston Churchill

[reconflyer]

I know the draft thing is floating around, but I don't watch much TV, so I don't know.


reconflyer
_________________
Active duty AF 1986-Present
Enlisted Aircrew 1990-Present

[bsjracing]

[muggedliberal]

http://www.ratherbiased.com/

Here's a link to the article ....

~mugged~

[Chuck Z Ombie AC2000]

thx
_________________
John Kerry, R.I.P. (Rot In Paris)

[Chuck Z Ombie AC2000]

Ok i watched it, what gall Rather has to even post that garbage. Everyone knows Kerry is the one who is accusing Bush of bringing back the draft. Rather is blatantly working in collusion with the Kerry campaign again dammit. that bastard needs to be fired and fired now.
_________________
John Kerry, R.I.P. (Rot In Paris)

[ArmyMedicsMom]

I saw the piece, I've had enough and this is what I emailed them:
_______
About the little piece on Security Moms....The new draft is the Democrats idea....I am or rather...was a democrat...not anymore....and I won't be watching your news program anymore either, not after the forged document fiasco. I only watched it tonight because I was flipping through channels and saw the mention of the Security Moms. I don't believe you give a rats a** about honest research anymore...don't you know that most of us have computers/internet and can find the truth. But I guess you don't give a damn about the truth anymore.

http://www.congress.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d108:HR00163:@@@P

________

(Swift Boat Vets...I am sorry about my potty mouth)

[RMalloy]

Sent e-mail. Should just put their stinkin address in my book.
Head of Viacom has eye on CBS News, embarrassing to him,
need to find the best way to contact him or his office. Let em
know CBS News has no intention of stopping it's partisian
reporting - Fair and Balanced - My Ass>>>>

[fanningp]

Just do what I did and go to rathergate.com and post a PRODUCTIVE commentary about your complaint about the story, not an angry outburst, into the form they have, and it will be sent to all 200+ affilliates of CBS, including your local CBS affiliate. That will help apply some pressure.

The important thing here is, be curteous...don't be some yelling, screaming person otherwise that'll be the quickest way to the delete key. Before you send it, cut and paste it to your regular email package and send the same body to:

evening@cbsnews.com
_________________
Pete Fanning
US Navy, DP1, '84-'92
http://peterepublic.org

[Nutso]

2 thing in this story make me sick.
First is another poorly researced, intentionally biased 'report' by SeeBS in their ongoing effort to elect Kerry. I will call it like it is, they are part of the Kerry campaign and are commiting fraud to try and sway America's election. CBS execs and Rather should spend the rest of their life in prsion for tampering with our freedoms.
Second is these people that think they should enjoy the freedoms in this country, but never risk anything for them. There is no room in a country for this type of stance during war, and we are at war. Time to call em what they are - COWARDS. They are traitors to this country and I can see why they relate so strongly to Kerry.
Thanks for letting an old man vent his anger.

[fanningp]

This is what I sent CBS and their affilliates this morning:

[The Balloon Artist]

The draft is the dems ultimate anti-war weapon. Heard a quote somewhere. I think it was the REverrrand JAckson stating if the draft revived, Antiwar sentiment would increase.
_________________
What about John Kerry's four months in Vietnam qualify him to be president?
Al Gore was there for five.

[Paul R.]