{{date|November 22, 2004}}

{{w|Dan Rather}} has announced that he will retire on March 9th, 2005 as anchor of [[CBS News|CBS]] Evening News. He will continue to be a correspondent for both of the [[60 Minutes]] shows.

It is reported that Rather's leaving has nothing to do with a report in 2004 regarding US President Bush's National Guard service that was widely reported to be factually false. A CBS panel is looking into that report. 

Others believe that Rather is stepping down due to this report and investigation. Howard Kurtz, a reporter for the {{w|Washington Post}}, states that "It's pretty clear that Dan Rather faced a very unpalatable choice... His contract had at least two more years to run. [Should he] step down now before the outside investigative report, commissioned by CBS News expected in the next few weeks about his botching -- and the network's botching -- of that story about President Bush's National Guard service? Rather [decided] today that it would be better for him to step down on his own terms."

Dan Rather, 74, has been the anchor for ''CBS Evening News'' for 24 years, succeeding {{w|Walter Cronkite}}. Rather is the third most watched anchor on United States television. 

{{haveyoursay}}
=== Sources ===
All links dated November 23, 2004.
* Dan Collins, [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/11/23/entertainment/main657295.shtml "Dan Rather Stepping Down"], ''[[CBS News]]''.
** Blogs: [http://journalism.nyu.edu/pubzone/weblogs/pressthink/2004/11/23/rather_exit.html Jay Rosen], [http://fafblog.blogspot.com/2004_11_21_fafblog_archive.html#110124449536796183 Medium Lobster], [http://www.celluloid-wisdom.com/pw/index.php?/weblog/entry/breaking_and_so_in_march_of_2005_ill_be_as_gone_as_the_last_drops_of_water_/ Jeff Goldstein], [http://nomoremister.blogspot.com/2004/11/dan-rather-stepping-down-for-as-long.html Steve M.], [http://www.captainsquartersblog.com/mt/archives/003150.php Captain Ed], [http://xnerg.blogspot.com/2004/11/whats-frequency-dan-dan-rather-has.html Skippy], [http://www.rantingprofs.com/rantingprofs/2004/11/goodness_gracio.html Cori Dauber], [http://polipundit.com/index.php?p=5390 DJ Drummond], [http://www.thespoonsexperience.com/archives/003381.php#003381 Christopher Kanis], [http://www.hayekcenter.org/prestopunditarchive/005063.html Greg Ransom], [http://jimtreacher.com/archives/001218.html Jim Treacher], [http://www.indepundit.com/archive2/2004/11/rather_to_quit.html Smash], [http://politicalwire.com/archives/2004/11/23/rather_will_step_down.html Taegan Goddard], [http://obsidianwings.blogs.com/obsidian_wings/2004/11/rather_stepping.html Edward], [http://www.crosswalk.com/news/weblogs/kmc/?adate=11/23/2004#1298268 Kevin McCullough]
* [[Associated Press|The Associated Press]], [http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=277721 "Rather to Resign 'CBS Evening News' Post"], ''[[ABC News (US)]]''. [http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=276583 Earlier article]. 
** Blogs: [http://www.laobserved.com/archive/002759.html Kevin Roderick], [http://www.damianpenny.com/archived/003535.html Damian Penny], [http://vodkapundit.com/archives/007203.php Will Collier], [http://andrewsullivan.com/index.php?dish_inc=archives/2004_11_21_dish_archive.html#110123650892732204 Andrew Sullivan], [http://www.rogerlsimon.com/mt-archives/2004/11/best_proof_of_t.php Roger L. Simon], [http://www.pejmanesque.com/archives/008579.html Pejman Yousefzadeh], [http://instapundit.com/archives/019404.php Glenn Reynolds], [http://www.pandagon.net/mtarchives/004051.html Jesse Taylor], [http://yglesias.typepad.com/matthew/2004/11/whats_the_frequ.html Matthew Yglesias], [http://www.qando.net/details.aspx?Entry=500 Jon Henke], [http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=13701 Charles Johnson], [http://ace.mu.nu/archives/056097.php Ace]
* {{w|Jacques Steinberg}}, [http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/23/business/media/23WIRE-RATHER.html?oref=login&hp=&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1101238985-e6lWmfH9C5uDQ9nC6Po5tQ "Rather to Step Down in March After 24 Years as CBS Anchor"], ''[[New York Times]]'' (registration).
** Blogs: [http://journalism.nyu.edu/pubzone/weblogs/pressthink/2004/11/23/rather_exit.html Jay Rosen], [http://powerlineblog.com/archives/008698.php Hindrocket], [http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=13703 Charles Johnson], [http://rittenhouse.blogspot.com/2004/11/rathers-departure-coincidence-or-spite_23.html James Martin Capozzola]. 
* [http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,139391,00.html "Dan Rather to Step Down as CBS Anchor"], ''{{w|Fox News}}''.
** Blogs: [http://www.captainsquartersblog.com/mt/archives/003150.php Captain Ed], [http://www.indcjournal.com/archives/001326.php Bill at INDCJournal], [http://powerlineblog.com/archives/008698.php Hindrocket]
* [http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/TV/11/23/rather/index.html "Dan Rather to leave anchor desk in March"], ''{{w|CNN}}''.
** Blogs: [http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/8197 James Joyner], [http://andrewsullivan.com/index.php?dish_inc=archives/2004_11_21_dish_archive.html#110123816818061158 Andrew Sullivan]
* [[The Associated Press]], [http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041123/NEWS08/41123015/-1/NEWS "CBS's Rather Will Step Down"], ''{{w|Toledo Blade}}''.
* [[The Associated Press]], [http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/tv/aptv_story.asp?category=1401&slug=TV%20Rather%20Chronology "A Chronology of Dan Rather's Career"], ''{{w|Seattle Post Intelligencer}}''.
* [http://www.theiowachannel.com/politics/3944761/detail.html "Iowans Sad, Happy that Dan Rather Will Step Down"], ''{{w|Iowa Channel.com}}''.
* Jonathan L. Schwartz, [http://www.forbes.com/work/2004/11/23/1123autofacescan04.html "Viacom's CBS Network Loses Top Anchor To Retirement"], ''{{w|Forbes}}''.
* [http://www.wnct.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WNCT/MGArticle/NCT_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031779317915&path= "Dan Rather Stepping Down"], ''{{w|WNCT}}''.
* [http://news.google.com/news?ned=tus&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=dan+rather&btnG=Search+News More articles on Dan Rather] at {{w|Google News}}.
* [http://www.technorati.com/cosmos/search.html?rank=links&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbsnews.com%2Fstories%2F2004%2F11%2F23%2Fentertainment%2Fmain657295.shtml More blog commentary on Dan Rather's resignation] at {{w|Technorati}}.
* [http://groups.google.com/groups?scoring=d&q=dan-rather Usenet discussions of Dan Rather] at {{w|Google Groups}}.
* [http://news.search.yahoo.com/search/news/?c=news_photos&p=dan+rather Photos of Dan Rather] at {{w|Yahoo! News}}.

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[[Category:United States]]
[[Category:Culture and entertainment]]
[[Category:Journalism]]
[[Category:60 Minutes]]
[[Category:CBS]]
[[Category:CBS News]]
[[Category:North America]]
has announced that he will retire on March 9th, 2005 as anchor of CBS Evening News. He will continue to be a correspondent for both of the 60 Minutes shows.

It is reported that Rather's leaving has nothing to do with a report in 2004 regarding US President Bush's National Guard service that was widely reported to be factually false. A CBS panel is looking into that report. 

Others believe that Rather is stepping down due to this report and investigation. Howard Kurtz, a reporter for the , states that "It's pretty clear that Dan Rather faced a very unpalatable choice... His contract had at least two more years to run. Should he step down now before the outside investigative report, commissioned by CBS News expected in the next few weeks about his botching -- and the network's botching -- of that story about President Bush's National Guard service? Rather decided today that it would be better for him to step down on his own terms."

Dan Rather, 74, has been the anchor for CBS Evening News for 24 years, succeeding . Rather is the third most watched anchor on United States television.