In response to his surprise appearance on CBS and flattering Netflix profile, disgraced newsman Dan Rather is conceding that his time in the business was a mixed bag.
“I had my ups and downs during my years at CBS News, but I loved every minute. I remain proud of the work we did together,” he said following a glowing profile on CBS Sunday Morning.
“I very much appreciate this unexpected ‘Sunday Morning’ piece and always hoped that my colleagues there would remember and respect the long track record of news that mattered, speaking truth to power, and holding the powerful accountable,” he added on his blog, Steady.
His main “down” was blowing a story on then-President George W. Bush’s military record. Rather was pushed out of his anchor’s chair after GOP media blew the whistle on his errors.
But on Sunday, he was back, 18 years after his departure and a few days before Netflix airs a documentary on him.
On his blog, he said, “My time at CBS was done 18 years ago. It is almost quaint to look back at the problems we had back then with our American democracy and with journalism. Compared to today, these were issues we could — and mostly did — work through. Now I am focused on our new challenges and even greater threats. I am focused on you, the Steady community, and on having a deeper dialogue and fresh perspective about our new realities.”
He added, “I am looking ahead, not back, at age 92. Thank you for doing the work with me moving forward.”
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The Netflix documentary hasn’t won many positive reviews. Some critics have noted that it’s mostly puff and little criticism of Rather, who won the nickname “Gunga Dan” when he dressed like Afghan mujahideen when covering the war with the former Soviet Union.
“He barely comments on the self-inflicted mistakes that led to his departure from network TV,” the Minneapolis Star Tribune said.
