The CBS Killian Memos

• Story is from September 2004
• CBS News gets memos about George W. Bush. Supposedly typed in 1973.
  • Memo #1
  • Memo #2
  • Memo #3
  • Memo #4
• CBS News airs a story using the memos
• What we know:
  • CBS got memos from Bill Burkett
  • Burkett says someone else gave them to him
  • Burkett initially lied to CBS about memos' origin
  • Document examiners warned about authenticity
  • Typographic analysis indicates hoax
  • CBS ignored the warnings
  • CBS defended the authenticity of the documents
  • The memos are low-grade forgeries
  • CBS ultimately apologized for using the documents
  • CBS brought in outside investigators to see what happened
  • The show's producer was fired
• What we don't yet know
  • Who actually created the forged memos?
  • Was Burkett aware that the memos were fake?
  • What was the motive for the hoax?
  • Why were the documents such low-grade forgeries?
  • Why did CBS fall for those low-grade fakes?
  • Why did CBS continue to defend the memos?
• Genuine Bush document typed in 1973