Editing Dan Rather (section)

=== Claims of bias ===
Rather's on-screen comments and election-night reporting have come under attack dating back to [[Richard Nixon]]'s presidency. In a June 2002 interview with [[Larry King]], his long-time co-worker (and self-described liberal), [[Andy Rooney]] stated that Rather is "transparently liberal".<ref>[http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0206/05/lkl.00.html Interview With Andy Rooney], ''[[CNN]]'', June 5, 2002.</ref>

During the weeks following the [[Killian documents controversy|Killian documents]] stories, Rather received widespread criticism from other journalists and historians.<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A31727-2004Sep18.html In Rush to Air, CBS Quashed Memo Worries] ''The Washington Post'' – September 19, 2004.</ref> In an interview with commentator [[Bill Maher]], Rather accused [[Fox News Channel]] of receiving "talking points" from the Republican-controlled [[White House]]. Fox News commentator [[Bill O'Reilly (commentator)|Bill O'Reilly]], who had defended Rather during the Killian documents incident, criticized Rather for not offering any evidence to support the claim.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/dan-rather-owes-fox-news-an-apology |title=Dan Rather Owes FOX News an Apology |publisher=FOX News |author=O'Reilly, Bill |date=December 4, 2006}}</ref>

In 2002, [[Bernard Goldberg]] published a book with the title ''[[Bias: A CBS Insider Exposes How the Media Distort the News|Bias]]'', alleging a liberal bias in print and broadcast news organizations. In the book, Goldberg used Dan Rather as a primary example of a news anchorman with a liberal bias. He also criticized the anchor for his criticisms of President George W. Bush's and Vice President [[Dan Quayle]]'s service in the National Guard, rather than the Active Duty military during the Vietnam War, and questioned Rather's own service.<ref name="Biasbook">{{cite book| last = Goldberg| first = Bernard| author-link = Bernard Goldberg| title = Bias: A CBS Insider Exposes How the Media Distort the News| year = 2002| publisher = [[Regnery Publishing]]| isbn = 978-0-89526-190-8| title-link = Bias: A CBS Insider Exposes How the Media Distort the News}}</ref>

[[Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting]] has accused Rather of having "an unwillingness to challenge official power and policy" in his reporting.<ref>{{cite web |title=Rather's Retirement and "Liberal Bias" |url=http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=2460 |publisher=Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting |date=March 2, 2005 |access-date=December 21, 2008}}</ref> Investigative reporter [[Mark Hertsgaard]] characterized Rather as a "stern [[anticommunism|anti-Communist]]" during the [[Presidency of Ronald Reagan|Reagan administration]], for allegedly having "reported the pronouncements of public officials with considerable respect".<ref>{{Harvnb|Hertsgaard|1988|p=167}}</ref>

In April 2001, according to a front-page story in ''The Washington Post'', Rather spoke at a Democratic party fundraiser in Austin, where he was the featured speaker. One of the official hosts for the fundraiser was Rather's daughter, Robin Rather; Rather said that he did not realize that his daughter was a host of the fundraiser. Rather also said that he did not realize that the event was a partisan fundraiser, although he did realize that after he arrived at the event.<ref>{{cite news |last=Kurtz |first=Howard |title=Rather Spoke at Democratic Fundraiser |page=A1 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A34557-2001Apr3?language=printer |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180810150610/https://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A34557-2001Apr3/?language=printer |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 10, 2018 |access-date=September 22, 2011 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=April 4, 2001}}</ref>