Kerry Spot    [ jim geraghty reporting ]
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Mickey Kaus looks back at Dan Rather's history with Richard Nixon.

Kerry Spot reader Jorge wondered:

"Isn't Dan Rather "resigning" before the independent probe results are in analogous to Nixon resigning before impeachment? That's the impression I got from your quote of the NYTimes story. "In announcing his decision now to quit the anchor desk, Mr. Rather, 73, is seeking to act ahead of an independent panel investigating the journalistic breakdowns that led CBS News to broadcast and then vigorously defend the Guard segment..." They both preempted their judgment day.

If someone said this to Rather, I am sure he would be angrier than a stepped-upon rattlesnake in the middle of a Texas August... insert other Ratherisms here.

Dana Stevens of Slate is giving the Kerry Spot credit for the term "Pajamahadeen" - thanks. Her observation that Rather's style and personality is better suited for a talk show than an anchor desk seems accurate. If Dan Rather were just another talk show host instead of a network anchorman... well, once in a while you will hear folks on the right complaining about Larry King's softball questions. But by and large, viewers expect an interview show to reflect the personality and opinions and tastes of the host - there's a lower bar of objectivity standards.

There's a lot more room for opining on a "Dan Rather Live" than on "The CBS Evening News."

[Posted 11/24 11:10 PM]