Dan Rather isn't Sad

This morning I watched a CNN show where they discussed Dan Rather's law suit against CBS News. Over the course of the piece they called both the suit and the man sad, embarrassing, old, & pathetic.

First off, I don't think any of that really counts as decent commentary, and it certainly isn't news.

They were going on about how he was doubling over himself and trying to save his tarnished reputation and how it was all about how he appeared to the public.

I have another thought.

Maybe, after the time has gone by, he is absolutely disgusted with himself. Maybe after the time has passed he feels like he didn't do us justice and that at the time he should have fought harder. Maybe, with time to explore the idea, he really does think that the organization's largest unethical act was quashing the National Guard story rather than airing the suspect documents. Maybe, after reflection he is very concerned that a news organization would move so radically to placate a sitting administration, or perhaps he even feels undo force was brought to bear and wants to expose it.

Isn't it possible, likely, that instead of a disgraced old man trying to salvage his reputation that what we are seeing is a distinguished elder statesman trying desperately to undo the worst mistake of his career? And when I ask that I don't mean the mistake was going with the documents, the mistake wasn't fighting to get the underlying story out anyway.

Isn't it possible, likely, that as someone that stood up to business, government, individuals and organizations alike that we're seeing someone genuinely concerned at the chilling effect he actually went through, and that as a result feels duty bound to step up and say so?

After what Vice President Cheney, Rove, Libby, and Addington did to someone as obscure as Joe Wilson and his wife, would it surprise anyone for even a second if perhaps at some cocktail party somewhere one of the administration's people sidled up to one of CBS News' people and suggested that things might go easier for them if they just found an avenue to make Rather go away - "we wouldn't want another Plamegate, would we..."

I know I wouldn't.

It does seem strange that now is the time Rather has decided to litigate this. But let's not be too quick to say we understand his motivations. Let's do remember that for someone with as long and as storied a career as his, he was shown the door in a fairly expedited matter. Let's not forget that it has been alleged, established, and even admitted that the administration does try to pressure the media.

And please let's never forget that even though the specific nature of the aired documents was debunked that the substance of the story has never really been established as false.