Clarifications and Detonations

First, a refreshingly optimistic report from the ground in Iraq at Captain's Quarters.

Second, a few quick thoughts on Rathergate. First, it looks like ABC has found Ret. Col. Walter Staudt, who says he never pulled strings or pressured anyone in regards to Bush. So, now we've got Matlin who says he never verified documents, just one signature, and in his own writing has said that you can't verify authenticity from copies - just originals. We've got other CBS experts who told them there were problems with the documents, and not to run with the story. We've got one disgruntled partisan secretary who says that the memos reflect the thoughts of the CO, but she never typed the memos and he didn't type. We've got the CO's family, who say that he didn't keep personal files. And we've got a person mentioned in the memos who retired months before he allegedly pressured people, and now says he never did. And last but not least, it looks like the memos were faxed from a Kinko's about 21 miles from the house of a known partisan hack. Have I missed anything?

I can't help but think that the enemy isn't CBS, though. A healthy dose of skepticism is what's been lacking. For example, yesterday, when stories of three year olds losing their Bush/Cheney signs to mobs of rampaging Democrats broke, the first thing that went through my head was that it was some kind of scam. When Rathergate broke, my first gut reaction was "This sounds like real black helicopter, tinfoil hat stuff". Skepticism. The 60 Minutes story, it turns out had legs. The three year old and her sign, it turns out, may not (Hat tip to Captain's Quarters).

While it's comforting and easy to sit back at the end of the day and listen to Dan Rather or Peter Jennings, or Chris Matthews or Bill O'Reilly and let them tell you what happened today and why it's important, it gives others control over the information that you get. And that's one reason why I'm ecstatic about blogs. Like the boys over at Powerline have said, blogs link to things so people can click and look and think for themselves. Think for yourself. Decide for yourself. Get some information, look at the facts as best as you can, and don't take my word for it, or Powerline's or Kos' or anybody else's.

Arise from the dust, and be men. Or, in modern parlance, get off the couch, and act like grown-ups.