CBS News pushed back Friday against accusations that its recent report on President George W. Bush's National Guard service record relied on fabricated documents. Anchor Dan Rather, who presented the story on "60 Minutes," maintained that both the witnesses and the documents were genuine.
The broadcast featured typewritten memos attributed to Bush's Texas Air National Guard commander, the late Lt. Col. Jerry Killian, indicating the future president had not met his service obligations. Killian's widow disputed the documents, saying her husband did not type and had regarded Bush as a capable pilot.
Outside experts raised questions about the memos' typography, suggesting the formatting was consistent with modern word-processing software rather than 1970s typewriters. CBS countered that independent analysts had vetted the materials before air and that Killian associates confirmed the documents reflected his views.
The White House said it could not verify whether the memos were genuine, but accused Democrats of running a coordinated attack against the president. Spokesman Scott McLellan dismissed the effort as recycled criticism driven by slipping poll numbers. Republicans pointed to Bush's honorable discharge as proof he completed his military duties.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this AFP wire report, first published in September 2004, in its own words.