Courage!

Icouldn't help myself last night, I was trying hard, really hard not to fall in front of that moving train called "Dan's Last Night As Anchor." But, I was unsuccessful. Like most addicts, like most that are afflicted with Schaden-FRAUD, I had to watch Dan's last broadcast (video here) as Anchor of CBS News.

I wasn't disappointed Dan performed with all the smarm that I and many others have come to expect. I did not remember his use of the word "Courage" on his first broadcast and I'm surprised at the number of bloggers who did. Although I watched his first broadcast as anchor (remember, 20+ years ago the three networks -ABC, NBC and CBS were about all that were available in terms of "news") on the boob-tube.

Today, we can get news from a variety of sources, the internet, BLOGS (for rather/blog appearal look here at "IHeartBloggers. Com), CNN, Fox, other cable outlets etc. But back then, if you watched Uncle Walter sign off with "And that's the way it is..." you naturally wanted to watch Dan when he took over Uncle Walt's gig.

What I got out of the last-cast was a load of smarm and Dan's poor attempts to tie himself to something memorable by his reportage of 9/11's aftermath. Interviews with survivors, members of Ladder 6, the fear generated by the crashing of the Twin Towers into rubble.

Dan's last act was one more example of the "lack of courage" he has exhibited during much of his reportage over the years. His obvious attempts to sway public opinion are well documented. The collections of "Ratherisms" is astounding. You can find many of the collected "wit and wisdom" of the ratherism here, here, and here

The only think I could think of when Dan signed off (and no, I DID NOT watch his retrospective - I had to take something for nausea and it took a while to work) was this (with apologies to Bert Lahr as the Cowardly Lion in the Wizzard of Oz):

Life is sad, believe me Missy,
When you're born to be a sissy
Without the vim and verve.

But I could change my habits,
Nevermore be scared of rabbits
If I only had the nerve.

I'm afraid there's no denyin'
I'm just a dandylion
A fate I don't deserve.

But I could show my prowess,
Be a lion not a mowess
If I only had the nerve

If I were King of the Forest, Not queen, not duke, not prince.
My regal robes of the forest, would be satin, not cotton, not chintz.
I'd command each thing, be it fish or fowl.
With a woof and a woof and a royal growl - woof.

As I'd click my heel, all the trees would kneel.
And the mountains bow and the bulls kowtow.
And the sparrow would take wing - If I - If I - were King!

Each rabbit would show respect to me. The chipmunks genuflect to me.
Though my tail would lash, I would show compash
For every underling!

If I - If I - were King!

Thank God and BLOGGERS you're gone,
I didn't know how much longer TRUTH could go on,
Watching you take the respect AND TRUTH OUT OF US,
Watching you make a total wreck out of US,
That big BLOG0SPHERE is playing OUR song,
Thank God and BLOGGERS you're gone!

AND THAT'S THE WAY IT IS, TODAY, MARCH 10TH, 2005