So let's see Don, according to the information that you supplied, Mapes went out operating on her own assumption that the "then-Governor" Bush and the sons of politicians and athletes got preferential treatment by personnel in the TexANG. Interviewee after interviewee denied that that was the case, she then found two people who supported her assumption, neither of whom knew GWB in the ANG and obviously who had never served with him. She then contacted Rather and said that she had her story. What she had was presented to CBS and she was told that the material she had collected in no way supported her contention that the "then-Governor" Bush and the sons of politicians and athletes got preferential treatment by personnel in the TexANG.

Have I got that bit right so far Don? Don't worry about the rest I'll get round to it all presently.

"Despite Mary Mapes' sloppy journalism and despite CBS's failure to properly authenticate the documents, the story was true." (Don Firth)

Now taking the above into consideration - That statement of yours is what is incredible!! Mary Mapes sloppy journalism??? Mary Mapes downright lie more like, and the only reason that you give it any credibility is because that is what you want to believe.

Mapes' approach was terribly flawed, if she were really investigating something she should have started out with a clean sheet and an open mind, she didn't and that skewed her perspective on everything she saw or heard.