THE DAN RATHER TAPES STORY

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 01474431
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2022
• Document Release Date: August 7, 2017
• Case Number: F-2007-00094
• Publication Date: February 5, 1974

Approved for Release: 2017/01/18 C01474431
5 February 1974
MEMORANDUM FOR: Director of Central Intelligence
SUBJECT : The Dan Rather Tapes Story
have looked at all of the stories and broadcasts
that might be connected with the Dan Rather "tapes" story.
Actually, there have only been two distinct stories.
Others have been rewrites.
The first story was the original exclusive Dan Rather
CBS TV story on the 7:00 p.m. CBS Evening News of Tuesday,
29 January. The second one was on the CBS TV 7:00 p.m.
Evening News of Friday, 1 February. It referred to
sophisticated hidden body tape machines". See Tab A and
Tab B if you are interested.
After looking through all of the material there is only
one clue as to the origin of these stories. The clue is the
phrase "investigators believe" or "investigators are con-
vinced".
This, combined with your comments about the senatorial
phone call you got the morning before you talked to Dan Rather,
leads me to suspect that what Rather is talking about when he
says "investigators" is a member of the Ervin-Baker committee
staff.
Considering that no one else has the story leads me to
think that Rather is being spoon-fed this "exclusive". So far
he has had two different angles. Maybe he is going to be fed
a third and fourth. Of course, I may be wrong; he may be
cleverly hornswoggling this out of someone. Both assumptions,
of course, may be incorrect.
Approved for Release: 2017/01/18 C01474431
Approved for Release: 2017/01/18 C01474431
As to what we can do about it: making any counter
statement now would only dust the whole thing up again and
give everyone a crack at the story.
HOWEVER: You may wish to speak to Senator Baker. Say
that you have noticed that Rather is quoting "investigators";
you wonder whether someone is improperly feeding this stuff
to Rather.
If a third or fourth angle dribbles out, I think we
should be prepared with a background comment as soon as we
learn what it is.
Angus MacLean Thuermer
Assistant to the Director
Attachment
cc: Mr. George Cary
Approved for Release: 2017/01/18 C01474431