Washington Post TV critic Tom Shales can’t possibly believe the fraudulent CBS memos might be genuine, can he? (Hat tip: froggy.)

Tireless press critics during war or peacetime, the conservatives were handed a valuable new weapon when CBS News fumbled a report detailing the president’s shoddy record as a member of the National Guard back in Texas. The report was attacked virtually the moment it aired on “60 Minutes”; documents used to bolster the allegations were condemned by conservative critics as phony and forged, though no forging has yet been proved.

CBS News announced formation of an independent panel to produce a report on the report (when it’s unveiled, conservatives are sure to circulate their own report on the report on the report) and, sadly, “CBS Evening News” anchor Dan Rather moved up the planned date of his retirement from the anchor chair. “NBC Nightly News” anchor Tom Brokaw’s departure occurred a short time later — with barely a peep of controversy.

Psst. Tom. If this illustration doesn’t get it for you, go read Dr. Joseph Newcomer’s exhaustive technical analysis. (And by the way, Dr. Newcomer isn’t a “conservative critic.” He was a Kerry supporter.)

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