Rather

As Dan Rather remarked "If you want a friend in the reporting business, get a dog." It is a brutal, competitive occupation as shown in this absorbing documentary about Dan Rather, his climb to fame, his one big failure, and his reemergence as a social media icon. He covered all the big stories of his era, civil rights, Kennedy assassination, Vietnam, Watergate, 68 Democratic Convention, Afghanistan, Iraq war, and other world shaking events. Brought back a lot of memories of the second half of the 20th century. Rather could ask the tough questions and wasn't particularly liked by most of the presidents he covered, especially Richard Nixon, and the Bush family. He was a polarizing figure, one reason for some of the one star reviews on this site, but he was courageous, not afraid to be on-site in Vietnam. Afghanistan, & Iraq. He is considered one the great reporters of the 20th century. Well worth a watch.

In an age before community-sourced fact-checking there was one source for news and people had no alternative other than their own historical memory of events.

Dan Rather told his stories which were wholly partisan and designed to create news rather than report on what actually happened. He used his position and image to foist his opinions and personal political views on an unwise and unsuspecting audience who gave him their trust and faith based on his promise to "tell it like it is."

He became the role model for budding journalists who learned their craft at his knee. His protogé, Rachel Maddow, took Rather's schtick and has run with it. Rather, like Maddow, exemplifies the worst of journalism, opinion and hit pieces masquerading and honest news reporting.

Dan was exposed as a hack and a fraud in 2004 when he relied on his reputation to support his false and libelous reporting on George W. Bush. His credibility was shot and he retired. 18 years later, he crawls out from under his rock to play on his reputation that only liberals respect. Dan tells us, "real news" was what "somebody in power doesn't want you to know." Well, he should know. He had the power to frame the narrative to his liking and he did not want you to know it.

Don't support him or his cronies now. Invest your time with something else, something with some truth in it.

This is a story conjured up to simply be nothing more than slight of hand tactics with manipulation in mind. A story of a man who sold his soul to the highest bidder . A truth teller he is not. He chose to be a manipulative voice for indoctrination of things to draw the most views for the money grubbing moguls who try to push agendas. Facts do not contain opinions. Facts speak for themselves. Rather uses opinions(personal and other flawed views) to manipulate the truth for his own glorification as a supposed newsman. His news is nothing short of propaganda to change beliefs backed only by opinionated jibberish. A glorified prop for those who seek to skew the truth.

In an era where journalism is often under fire and trust in media is waning, there's something deeply nostalgic and reassuring about immersing oneself in the long career of a reporter present during pivotal moments in history. From the assassination of President Kennedy to interviews with Martin Luther King, questioning Nixon, and Bush W., "Rather" (2023) is a poignant reminder of the power and impact of journalism.

"Rather" (2023) is a documentary about Dan Rather long career in journalism, which includes his falling from grace in the early 2000s and his re-emergence in later decades in social media and many other platforms. In his 90s, Rather continues to be a reporter. He is and will be a reporter until his last breath. But watching this documentary also takes us on a trip through the United States history, at least modern history, from segregation in the late 1950s to our days. Rather has seen so many things, covered them all, and has been witness to history. And this film shows us that.

"Rather" (2023) is a meticulously crafted documentary that offers a compelling narrative about a man who has played a significant role in many US history chapters. It's a film that informs and engages, leaving the audience with a deeper understanding of the events that have shaped our world.

I'd been a fan for a long time for all his dedication to facts and fairness, but had no idea how instrumental he was in so many important events, like Watergate. And while he definitely had some missteps throughout his career, he stood fast in the onslaught of those who sought to discredit him for their own personal and political gain.

Overall structure of the documentary is well-paced and pretty in-depth, and shows away from glorifying him as a saint. Those that were interviewed were interesting and the balance taken was of someone who loves their job, works hard and won't let disinformation stand up to the truth. I'm glad he's turned to social media for discourse these days. We need more intelligent people engaging the young.