In a remarkable turn of events, renowned newsman Dan Rather made a striking return to CBS News, eighteen years after his contentious departure. His reappearance centered around an introspective interview on the esteemed “CBS Sunday Morning,” aptly timed just days preceding the unveiling of a Netflix documentary delving into the life of the nonagenarian journalist.
A stalwart of CBS Network, Rather had spent an impressive 44 years there, including 24 years as the anchor of the coveted “CBS Evening News”. But his exit was anything but peaceful, following a severely criticized investigation into George W. Bush’s military record during his presidency. On a memorable day, March 9, 2005, Rather bid farewell as anchor and would leave the network 15 months later when his contract culminated.
The wake of his departure saw continued hostilities between Rather and CBS’s since-ousted chief, Leslie Moonves. This animosity rendered Rather virtually persona non grata in the news division he had held sway over for so long. Recounting his feelings to correspondent Lee Cowan, Rather confessed without a tinge of regret, “Without apology or explanation, I miss CBS. I’ve missed it since the day I left.”
In spite of evading official culpability for the report that cast doubt upon Bush’s military service during the Vietnam War era, Rather’s name got infamously associated with it, being the anchor who had anchored it. CBS refrained from corroborating the veracity of some documents the report was based on, but numerous persons involved with the story still uphold its truthfulness.
In the upcoming Netflix documentary eloquently titled “Rather,” Dan Rather confessed that he had believed he would weather the storm. However, his wife Jean had a different take, claiming, “You got into a fight with the president of the United States during his reelection campaign. What did you think was going to happen?”
Despite his departure from CBS, Rather didn’t hang up his journalistic boots. He remained actively involved in investigative journalism and interviewing prominent rock musicians for HDNet, a digital cable and satellite television network. Over recent years, he has earned a new fanbase courtesy of his scintillating commentary on social media.
Just last week, he decisively commented on former President Trump’s hush money scandal, quipping: “Is it just me or did today seem sleazy even for Donald Trump?” He echoed this sentiment in his CBS interview recorded in his Texas home, stating, “You either get engaged and you get engaged in the new terms … or you’re out of the game. And I wanted to stay in the game.”
The Netflix documentary paints a vivid picture of his illustrious career, highlighting seminal events such as coverage of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination, the Vietnam war, and the Watergate scandal, through his anchoring years and more. It also touches upon some strange encounters in his life, incorporating stories like his assault in New York City by someone saying “What’s the frequency, Kenneth,” to a dramatic on-stage appearance with R.E.M when they played the song bearing the same line.
However, when it comes to discussing his legacy, Rather preferred to shift the focus away from his illustrious career, choosing instead to concentrate on the personal aspects of his life. “In the end,” he mused, “whatever remains of one’s life — family, friends — those are going to be the things for which you’re remembered.”