A Look At Rather's Past Coverage Of Politics

Marlon Manuel, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution 19 Sept.2004

Dan Rather has been a lightning rod before.

Long before the flap over the authenticity of documents concerning President Bush's military service rocked CBS News, Rather was a veteran of controversy.

At a new conference in 1974, Rather, then CBS's White House correspondent, drew jeers and cheers when he stood and pressed President Nixon on Watergate.

"Are you running for something?" Nixon asked.

"No, sir, Mr. President," Rather replied testily."Are you?"

Rather, 72, has anchored the"CBS Evening News" since 1981, when he replaced Walter Cronkite, who was called"the most trusted man in America."

"Dan Rather is viewed as a master corporate politician who outfoxed Roger Mudd to replace Walter Cronkite but who has left a lot of bodies along the way," said David Margulies, a former NBC reporter who now runs a public relations firm in Dallas.

"Peter Jennings has not been a lightning rod because he was overseas for many years. Tom Brokaw spent a number of years on the 'Today' show before taking over 'Nightly News,' which allowed him to show a softer and more human side."

Tough or arrogant?

Rather has become known for what his admirers would call toughness and his critics would describe as gruff arrogance.

* In 1987, Rather stormed off the news set for six minutes when it was suggested a U.S. Open tennis semifinal would run long and cut into his broadcast. The match ended early, leaving more than 100 stations to fill more than six minutes of dead network air.

* In 1988, Rather engaged in a shouting match with Vice President George Bush over the Iran-Contra scandal.

Rather:"I don't want to be argumentative, Mr. Vice President."

Bush:"You do, Dan."

Rather:"No. No, sir, I don't."

Bush:"This is not a great night, because I want to talk about why I want to be president, why those 41 percent of the people are supporting me. And I don't think it's fair to judge my whole career by a rehash of Iran. How would you like it if I judged your career by those seven minutes when you walked off the set in New York?"

* In 2001, Rather came under fire for appearing at a Democratic fund-raiser in Austin. Texas, that his daughter co-sponsored. After his presence was revealed, Rather said he"wouldn't be surprised" if critics used the incident to call him a closet Democrat."I'm going to get that criticism whether I deserve it or not," he said.