[link|http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20040921/1a_cover21x.art0.htm|An entertaining account of Rathergate from USA Today]

Excerpt:


Burkett's own doubts about the authenticity of the memos and his
inability to supply evidence to show that Ramirez exists also raise
questions about his credibility. Burkett has strong anti-Bush views. He
has posted comments on Internet Web sites critical of Bush and has
chastised Sen. John Kerry's organization for what he called its inept
campaign.

Burkett's emotions varied widely in the interviews. One session ended
when Burkett suffered a violent seizure and collapsed in his chair.
Earlier, he said he was coming forward now to explain what he had done
and why to try to salvage his reputation. In the past week, Burkett was
named by many news reports as the probable source of the documents.

'It's time,' Burkett said. 'I'm tired of me being the bad guy. I'm tired
of losing everything we've got,' a reference to his financial and health
struggles since he left the Guard. Turning to his wife, Nicki, he said:
'We've lost it all, baby. We've lost everything.'

I say:

Cue world's smallest violin...

Excerpts:

Sitting in a rocking chair in his weathered ranch house south of Baird,
Texas, Burkett recounted his continuing efforts ' beginning before he
was discharged from the Texas Army National Guard in 1998 ' to clean up
what he saw as Guard corruption and mismanagement. He said that activity
led to a telephone call in March from Ramirez and her offer to provide
documents damaging to President Bush...

As Burkett told his story, he appeared overwrought, fatigued and unsure
of how to deal with what he characterized as the extreme pressure of
national attention. He spoke of being under a severe strain.

At one point Thursday, as he spoke on a cellphone to his San Antonio
lawyer, David Van Os, Burkett's voice froze in midsentence and his body
convulsed in a violent seizure. He was helped to the floor and then to a
couch. He has had such bouts sporadically over the past several months,
but this one was worse, his wife said.

The next day, Burkett resumed the interview. He lay on the couch with a
wet cloth on his forehead.

Conn, the Texas Guard friend Burkett initially identified as the source
of the documents, denied any connection in an e-mail exchange with USA
TODAY. He wrote: 'Know absolutely nothing about the Killian memos.' Conn
declined to be interviewed further.

Pressed about the inconsistency between his initial account and the
story of Ramirez, the mysterious Houston source, Burkett confessed that
the Conn story had been a lie to throw reporters off the trail.

'I just pushed too far,' Burkett said. 'I implied that George had
something to do with this. I lied to you.' He said he told the same
story to CBS, but asserted that all his other dealings in the documents
case had been honest. 'I honest to God can't remember anything else I
feel bad about,' Burkett said.

Burkett voiced frustration that his effort to call attention to what he
believes are legitimate questions about Bush's military service is now
being obscured by a new story line: 'that I am some kind of nut.'

'The only reason I'm going on the record is because I've got to tell
the story to save my name.'

I say:

To save your what? Bit late to start worrying about your good
name, you big fat liar.

Oh boy, what can I say to top this? Well, let's move on. This whole
episode is an unqualified victory for the Hayekian fact-checking
power of the blogosphere, and a triumph of truth over the Wall of
Lies that the Bush haters are constantly erecting. (Wall of Lies -
that was a great band. Stan Ridgway with his harmonica... oh wait.
That's Wall of Voodoo.)

USA Today itself is hardly an unimpeachable source. But if this
interview is made up, it's at least true to character. We've all known
the type. What's that expression? Oh yes. "Fake, but accurate."

Or maybe Bill Burkett is a Karl Rove mole.

[link|http://www.angelfire.com/ca3/marlowe/news.html#20040921|Home link]

Yes, the "debunking" really was that lame.