Transcript for the Piece Audio version of Leaving on a Rather Low Note

I think it's unfortunate that this proud, capable news professional is leaving the CBS Evening News anchor desk on a down. Rather considers himself first and foremost a reporter and will return to "60 Minutes" as a correspondent. Now 73, , Rather apparently had hoped to round out 25 years as the evening anchor. But then -- as he might phrase it -- he put his brand on that report about President Bush's National Guard service. It turned out to be based on phony documents. Rather apologized on the air and then announced his retirement from the Evening News. His conservative critics were overjoyed. For a long time they have denounced him as a symbol of the "liberal media elite" -- which is interesting when you consider that he is the son of a Texas ditch-digger and a graduate of Sam Houston State University. They were angry at him for being disrespectful to President Richard Nixon at a news conference and to Vice President George H.W. Bush in an interview, for being too respectful to Saddam Hussein in an interview and for once speaking to a convention of Texas Democratic Party fund raiser (which I agree showed poor judgment). As for other downs -- He was attacked on Park Avenue by a nut who demanded to know, "What's the frequency, Kenneth?" He walked off the set when a tennis match delayed the start of his newscast, causing the network to go dark for six minutes. For a while he signed off each evening with the word "Courage," which baffled the viewers. He was paired briefly with Connie Chung in a shotgun anchor-desk marriage. His newscast was mired in third place behind NBC's and ABC's. But his career had its ups, too. He was the first to report the death President Kennedy. As a reporter or anchor he covered hurricanes, political conventions, elections and space program disasters. He brought us the news from Russia, Cuba, China and Afghanistan, where he donned a robe and scarf to cover the guerrilla war against the Soviets. He wrote best sellers. Sure, he took a lot of ribbing for his down-home "Dan-isms," such as "This race is hotter than a Times Square Rolex." Yes, he's a bit tense and combative. But for his energy, loyalty and coolness under pressure I salute Rather. I hope he brings us a final big story on "60 Minutes" before taking off his spurs for good. Then he will be able to leave journalism on an up.