Cynical Nation: Rather sticks to his guns

My conservative friends have been telling me that CBS was going to cover up this forged document business, but I scoffed. I felt that the story had assumed such proportions that CBS would be forced, reluctantly or not, to launch an investigation in order to salvage their credibility (and, at least according to Beldar, to avoid legal liability.) I went to bed thinking I'd been vindicated. But now this:

DAN RATHER, CBS NEWS ANCHOR: I know that this story is true. I believe that the witnesses and the documents are authentic. We wouldn't have gone to air if they would not have been. There isn't going to be -- there's no -- what you're saying apology?

QUESTION: Apology or any kind of retraction or...

RATHER: Not even discussed, nor should it be. I want to make clear to you, I want to make clear to you if I have not made clear to you, that this story is true, and that more important questions than how we got the story, which is where those who don't like the story like to put the emphasis, the more important question is what are the answers to the questions raised in the story, which I just gave you earlier.

Maybe I'm naive, but I'm stunned. Not just so much that Rather is standing his ground, but the rationale (or rather lack thereof) that he gives: I'm Dan Rather. Trust me.

Un. Fucking. Believable.