What's the Frequency, Kenneth?

It's obviously not, "Deep research and verification of facts to the point of unquestionable validity." (Otherwise there wouldn't be any question about the memos.) That should be Dan Rather's mantra. But is it? We've got to keep watching the headlines to be sure. But wait -- if we aren't certain the news facts are accurate in the Bush National Guard Memo story, how can we know the facts surrounding the facts are accurate?

NEW YORK (AP) - CBS News continued to defend the legitimacy of its recent story about President Bush's Vietnam-era service in the Texas Air National Guard, even as two experts it hired to examine records CBS used told ABC they could not vouch for their veracity. Meanwhile, a former secretary in the guard said Tuesday she believed the documents in question were fake, although they accurately reflected the thoughts of one of Bush's commanders.

I for one choose Mulder's mantra:

Trust No One.

Maybe Dan has some lingering brain damage from that beating he took in the 80s. Or maybe he's just too old, too egotistic and too rich to be an objective journalist anymore? Can someone say, "It's OK to retire, Dan. Make room, my boy, make room."