Disgraced Dan Rather reflects on CBS exit: 'Real news' is what someone in power 'doesn't want you to know'
Former CBS news anchor Dan Rather, 92, returned to the network on Sunday and reflected on his departure from CBS, arguing that "real news" was what "somebody in power doesn't want you to know."
In his first appearance on CBS since he left the network 18 years ago , Rather said he missed it. CBS reporter Lee Cowan said that how and why he left "still stings."
"In the heart of every reporter worthy of their name, Lee, there's a message that news, real news is what somebody somewhere — particularly somebody in power – doesn't want you to know. That's news," Rather said.
Cowan claimed, "And that's what got him into trouble."
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Rather’s exit came after he reported on what would be seen as discredited documents about former President George Bush’s military career. Cowan asked the former host if it was the low point of his career.
"Of course, it was the lowest point. I gave CBS News everything I had. They had smarter, better, more talented people, but they didn't have anybody who worked any harder than I did," Rather said. Cowan said Rather had taken him under his wing when he first joined the network.
Cowan said Rather "found a new, younger audience" on social media after his CBS exit, in addition to doing some of his own reports around the world.
"You either get engaged and you get engaged on the new terms, or you're out of the game," Rather said. "I wanted to stay in the game."
A documentary on Rather's life and career as a CBS journalist, "Rather," is set to hit Netflix in May.
Just ahead of then-President Bush's re-election, Rather ran a "60 Minutes" special citing dubious memos disparaging Bush’s behavior while he served in the National Guard in the 1970s allegedly written by his commanding officer at the time.
Critics charged that these documents were forged as part of a naked attempt to make Bush look bad two months before the 2004 election.
After initially defending the memos, Rather and CBS eventually acknowledged the authenticity of the documents was never verified and shouldn't have been used, Fox News Digital reported.
Rather apologized for the scandal ahead of a CBS investigation into the allegations of journalistic malpractice. He stepped down from his role as anchor of "CBS Evening News" months after the scandal. He eventually parted ways with CBS in 2006.
Fox News' Gabriel Hays contributed to this report.