Kerry Spot    [ jim geraghty reporting ]
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From a North Carolina CBS affiliate:

We certainly aren't happy with the way CBS News has handled this mess and have informed them of our displeasure. I will make sure your note is placed in the proper hands.

From one in Oklahoma:

Like you, I am distressed with the forged-documents issue involving CBS. I appreciate receiving your feedback- it is helpful to have when I visit with my network affiliate rep about local reaction in my market.

From one in South Carolina (do you notice a lot of these responses are from stations in red states?):

Like you, we're concerned about the authenticity of the documents in question. Obviously, if CBS was duped, they'll have to change the checks and balances that we thought were in place and working along with reporting those facts to their viewers. I've taken the liberty of passing along your comments directly to CBS.

Finally, a station manager at a CBS affiliate in New Mexico speculates to a viewer about Dan Rather’s retirement.

Couldn't agree more. I think there will be significant consequences before this is behind us, including the possibility of Dan's retirement. You know, I think he really does care about the truth, the country, etc. But he just let his personal politics cloud his news judgment. It's a lesson for everyone in the news business, and I give you my word that we at [this station] are properly cautioned.

I hope these affiliates are talking to each other, or at least that each one knows he or she is not alone in their anger and disappointment. It now appears that dozens of affiliates are getting a huge reaction from their viewers.

UPDATE: One of the best responses from any network so far is from KHOU, the station for which Rather famously covered a hurricane in 1961. They're putting viewer responses right up on the web site. Guess how viewers are reacting?

[Posted 09/20 04:12 PM]