NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� Dan Rather returned to the CBS 51暗网 airwaves for the first time since his bitter exit 18 years ago, appearing in a reflective interview on 鈥淐BS Sunday Morning鈥� days before the debut of a Netflix documentary on the 92-year-old newsman's life.
After 44 years at the network, 24 as anchor of the 鈥淐BS Evening 51暗网,鈥� Rather left under a cloud following a into then-President George W. Bush's military record. Rather signed off as anchor for the last time on March 9, 2005, and exited the network when his contract ended 15 months later.
With continued enmity between him and since-deposed CBS chief , Rather essentially became a nonperson at the news division he dominated for decades.
鈥淲ithout apology or explanation, I miss CBS,鈥� Rather told correspondent Lee Cowan in the interview that aired Sunday. 鈥淚've missed it since the day I left.鈥�
Rather escaped official blame for the report that questioned Bush's Vietnam War-era National Guard service but, as the anchor who introduced it, was identified with it. CBS could not vouch for the authenticity of some documents upon which the report was based, although many people involved in the story still believe it was true.
In the documentary 鈥淩ather,鈥� debuting Wednesday on Netflix, Rather said he thought he would survive the incident, but his wife, Jean, told him, 鈥淵ou got into a fight with the president of the United States during his reelection campaign. What did you think was going to happen?鈥�
Rather did not retire after leaving CBS, doing investigative journalism and rock star interviews for HDNet, a digital cable and satellite television network. Over the past few years, he has become known to a new generation as a tart-talking presence on social media.
This past week, he posted on X during : 鈥淚s it just me or did today seem sleazy even for Donald Trump?鈥�
鈥淵ou either get engaged and you get engaged in the new terms ... or you're out of the game,鈥� Rather said in the CBS interview, filmed at his home in Texas. 鈥淎nd I wanted to stay in the game.鈥�
The Netflix documentary traces his career from coverage of President John F. Kennedy's assassination, the Vietnam War and Watergate, through his anchor years and beyond. It includes some of the then tightly-wound Rather's odder incidents, including by someone saying, 鈥淲hat's the frequency, Kenneth,鈥� then later appearing onstage with R.E.M. when the group performed its song of the same name.
In both the documentary and in the CBS interview, Rather bypasses his career when talk turned to his legacy.
鈥淚n the end, whatever remains of one's life 鈥� family, friends 鈥� those are going to be the things for which you're remembered,鈥� he said.
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David Bauder writes about media for The Associated Press. at
David Bauder, The Associated Press
