Dan Rather returned to CBS today for an interview on CBS Sunday Morning, his first appearance coming days before the debut of a Netflix documentary on his life.
Rather was an anchor of the CBS Evening News. He left after an investigation into then-President George W. Bush’s military record raised questions about journalistic methodology. It was a messy situation, one that Dan did not like.
According to the Associated Press, in the Netflix documentary debuting Wednesday, Rather believed he would survive the botched investigation into Bush’s military service and was shocked over his downfall at CBS.
Rather exited as anchor for the last time on March 9, 2005, and left CBS 15 months later when his contract expired.
“Without apology or explanation, I miss CBS,” Rather told correspondent Lee Cowan in the interview that aired Sunday. “I’ve missed it since the day I left.”
Asked what made him want to become a reporter in the first place, Rather said, “I’ve never quite known the answer to that question. All I know is, it’s the only thing I ever wanted to be, was a reporter. I get up every morning and as soon as my feet hit the ground, I say, where’s the story?”
In both the documentary and in the CBS interview, Rather bypasses his career when talk turned to his legacy.
“In the end, whatever remains of one’s life — family, friends — those are going to be the things for which you’re remembered,” he said.
After CBS, Rather did investigative journalism and major interviews for HDNet, a digital cable and satellite television network.
