Save Those Billing Records

The Baseball Guy ponders the connectons between the Kerry campaign, Bill Burkett, and CBS, and puts together some of the pieces of the timeline.

The DNC seems to be tied to the CBS debacle in part because of the "coincidental" timing of "Operation Fortunate Son". Given Bush's luck with the CBS meltdown, shouldn't that be renamed "Operation Fortunate Son of a B**ch"?

Now, my question - shouldn't it the agency that produced the ad for "Operation Fortunate Son" have a production schedule, a script, maybe records of a script approval meeting, billings records, and so on? That might help establish the timing of the ad, relative to the development of the CBS story.

Secondly, as much as I hate the idea of Ashcroft investigating the DNC six weeks before an election, can the DNC engage legally in file "maintenance and clean-up", i.e., shredding, prior to the announcement of an investigation?

Of course, they only have a million lawyers to advise them on this point.

MORE: There's something about Mary - Mickey thinks that CBS is trying to tag producer Mary "All my faxes come from Texas" Mapes as the fall guy. My regret - instead of faxes, couldn't she have helped the rhyme scheme by using Fed-Ex?

Next, is John Kerry involved? His obvious and convincing defense would be simply to step forward and say "There is no evidence that I have been involved with my campaign or given it direction or guidance at any point."

Finally, rather than sack Rather, there is speculation that CBS will compensate their viewers in the manner frequently employed in the settlement of class-action lawsuits - check your mail for coupons good for discounts on the viewing of upcoming CBS broadcasts.

Comments

[MaDr]

While you're checking agencies, you might want to add Texans for Truth. The similarity in scripts (including Kerry surrogates) has already been noted. Now how about their timing.

[russ]

Hmmm, seems like at the very least, the DNC, Dan Rather, and CBS should be dealt with on level of libel and slander...

I wonder if the state of Texas has laws on the books dealing with the attempt to forge docs in relation the TANG?

[Mimi]

Russ,

I've read in other posts in other Blogs that Texas absolutely does have laws against forged documents in relation to the TANG. So Lucy Ramirez, or whoever did the forgeries, could be subject to prosecution. The question is, will someone actually charge her or will they let it go?

[Scott Harris]

Not that I have a lot of sympathy for Kerry, but isn't it possible that the Kerry campaign was unwittingly played by Burkett and CBS as well. So far, reports indicate that Burkett made contact with upper level Kerry operatives a condition for turning over the documents. So that seems to indicate that whatever coluusion might have taken place, the Kerry campaign was not the source of the documents.

Reagan was asked one time about disagreeable groups who supported him. His response, "Just because someone supports me does not mean I support them."

The coincidences of the CBS Report, the Globe article, and the launching of the Fortunate Son ad campaign makes collusion appear likely. But I can cut the Kerry campaign a little more slack than I can cut CBS. Having no expertise in document verification, I certainly did not immediately suspect the documents. If the Kerry campaign was under the impression that CBS had already vetted the documents, then who can really blame them for wanting to jump all over the story?

The real scandal here remains 1) Someone associated with Burkett or Burkett himself forging government documents in an attempt to unseat a sitting President, 2) CBS failing to properly vet the documents, and 3) CBS obviously choosing sides by initiating collusion with the Kerry campaign. I can overlook Joe Lockhart making a call, and I can understand the Kerry campaign getting excited about some potential dirt on the President. I cannot forgive the gross malfeasance of CBS.

Having said all that, I think Kerry and the DNC set themselves up for this by pursuing the National Guard issue this past Spring, and by focusing so much of the campaign on Vietnam. So in that regard, they were complicit in setting the trap for themselves. Kerry has to be the most incompetent and incoherent Presidential candidate I have ever witnessed. And I will have no sympathy for him on November 2nd when I mark my ballot for President Bush.

[Crank]

Kerry has an alibi - he was in Cambodia.

[TM]

I would not be surprised if the theory put forward by Mr. Harris panned out. IN addition, Ben Barnes was a big part of the CBS story and is a huge Kerry fundraiser, so he might very properly have contacted the campaign to tip them to a CBS story (what CBS was thinking, one can only wonder.)

The problem is, even thought they might be innocent, they also might be "guilty". Our diligent press may pursue that angle.

Put another way, it is possible that Cheney really does *not* conspire with Halliburton.

[bp]

"Now, my question - shouldn't it the agency that produced the ad for "Operation Fortunate Son" have a production schedule, a script, maybe records of a script approval meeting, billings records, and so on? That might help establish the timing of the ad, relative to the development of the CBS story."

The answer is yes, they should have all of that data and more, right down to who did the video editing and when they did it. Subpoena time!

[Birkel]

Here is my analysis of the new Kerry campaign retrenchment/backing away from the CBS fiasco. What do you think?

[leaddog2]

Go to Ballon Juice for their CBS time, DNC, Fraud time line.

CBS Fraud Investigation Help Needed

I wrote this comment there and am asking the question on other blogs. We need to do some more investigation. Who edited the Fortunate Son commercial? When was it finished? It was most likely before September 8th?

Do we have some people on the Blogosphere with film editing and production contacts? I read what Balloon Juice and others say about the Fortunate Son campaign following the day after the CBS report on September 8th.
(Fortunate Son started on September 9th). Film production and editing facilities have employees. Many of them are NOT Liberal. Even some Liberals are NOT America haters. So, let's put out a request for information.

Fortunate Son was OBVIOUSLY finished BEFORE the September 8th date of the CBS FRAUD. Can we find the connection through the blogosphere?

[Dave Perkins]

You are absolutely slaying me. "..no evidence that I have been involved with my campaign or given it direction or guidance..".. ROFL.. I think Kerry, if he did use this defense, would simply be consistent with his previous blamethrowing, e.g. "sonofabitch knocked me down", "conductor failed to stop the train even though I ordered it", " those d!@#ned writers put that into my speech even though I told them to cut it", etc.

It would be one of the few consistencies of his entire campaign season, in fact.

Dave Perkins
Houston

[fb274]

Re:Mimi's posting 9-21-04
"I've read in other posts in other Blogs that Texas absolutely does have laws against forged documents in relation to the TANG. So Lucy Ramirez, or whoever did the forgeries, could be subject to prosecution. The question is, will someone actually charge her or will they let it go?"

The use of the name "lucy rameriz" by Burkett brings to mind, wasn't there a hispanic female on the Bush campagin who sent info to the Algore camp in 2000 and the Bush camp filed suit against her!