Rather Mistaken

So, Dan Rather is suing CBS for $70,000,000 (that 70 million dollars) for firing him. While I could understand feeling betrayed after giving 44 years of your life to a company, and then having them point to the door, I think this lawsuit is a mistake.

Those who worked with Dan Rather have said that he is doing this to try to defend his reputation, that he feels has been tarnished by the firing and the controversy leading up to it. This makes sense in some ways, and is the most believable reason for the suit, considering that he doesn't actually need the money. I also don't think he cares much about whether he wins or not, since he's really after vindication. But I think this will backfire, if it hasn't already.

Remember that Dan Rather was the face of the "CBS Evening News" for 24 years, so he is forever entrenched in the memories of many Americans, but so much more so for my generation, who grew up having known nothing before the Rather years. A great many Americans will remember him fondly on the basis of those memories alone, and no one can take that away from him. No one, that is, but himself.

It's really no secret that Dan Rather is an unapologetic Liberal, and that liberal bias seeped into much of his career in news, and yet I liked the guy. I think a lot of people liked the guy. You always saw him as someone with character and charisma, someone you could trust... more or less, but suing over being fired makes him look petty, vindictive, cantankerous, and not at all graceful.

He could have slipped quietly into a happy retirement, maybe written a few books, made a few speeches and the like, and been remembered for his long career in broadcast journalism, which would have minimized the impact of that careers turbulent end. Instead, however, he has chosen to fight a battle that is better left alone, and forever tarnish his legacy, and destroy whatever respect the American Public still had for him.