In his familiar “this reporter has been told” style on CBS television, former CBS anchor Dan Rather sends out an “exclusive” report from his home state of Texas. I can hear his gravely Texas voice from his old anchor chair. The good thing about Rather was that he was a real reporter and editor and that shows regularly in his Dan Rather Reports, an excellent one man news operation. I said at the time and I say now that he got a raw deal from CBS. More: that CBS handled Walter Cronkite badly (forcing him to retire at 65) and they handled Rather badly by firing him over a story on President Bush’s MIA days as a Vietnam era reservist. Whether he was right or wrong on the details of this particular story, he had a distinguished record for years of breaking and covering major stories for CBS and 60 Minutes television shows. Scroll down for information on how to sign up for Dan Rather Reports. b3
DALLAS (May 30, 2012)
“DAN RATHER REPORTS” EXCLUSIVE: THE HEALTH OF VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT HUGO CHAVEZ IS “DIRE”
HDNet’s Dan Rather (Anchor and Managing Editor of “Dan Rather Reports”) has filed this exclusive, in his own words:
“This reporter has been told that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has metastatic rhabdomyosarcoma, an aggressive cancer that has ‘entered the end stage.’ The information and the quote come from a highly respected source close to Chavez and who is in a position to know his medical condition and history. This source says the prognosis is dire and that Chavez is now not expected to live ‘more than a couple of months at most.’ Chavez is running for re-election in Venezuela but several sources–including the one who revealed the exact kind of cancer– have told me that they believe it is doubtful the dictator will live to see the results.
Voting is scheduled for October 7th. Chavez has been treated three times in Cuba but the exact kind of cancer has been a closely guarded state secret.
Reporter’s note: There is only one source for identifying the cancer and for the prognosis quoted in the first part of the above story. This is a person whom your reporter has very good reason to trust, but you should know that there is only one source so far; no other immediate confirmation. All sources asked for and were granted anonymity because to reveal their names could place them in danger or, at the very least cost them their positions.
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