'60 MINUTES' Questionable papers on Bush create division

Steve Kroft says the Sunday show wouldn't have made that mistake.
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
NEW YORK -- A war of words has erupted within the halls of "60 Minutes" after Dan Rather's admission that CBS News aired a report on President Bush using questionable documents.
On one side of the battle is Steve Kroft, a veteran correspondent on the Sunday edition of "60 Minutes." On the other is Don Hewitt, founder of the pioneering news show.
Kroft argues it's unlikely the Sunday show would have made the mistake of using the documents that bolstered Rather's report -- which aired on the Wednesday telecast, formerly known as "60 Minutes II."
So much so, that Kroft and staffers on the Sunday telecast want it to be clear that they weren't the ones that were duped.
Biggest concern
"We're all afraid of that, that's our biggest concern," Kroft told the New York Daily News. "We've held off from saying it, we've held off from making any comments as long as there was some hope the documents would prove to be real.
"Now, I think it's our responsibility to try to draw a distinction between the two broadcasts," Kroft said, admitting that the original show had been burned in the past and had learned from its mistakes. "They've done a lot of great work over there ... particularly with the Abu Ghraib story; they didn't rush that story on the air. This one, for whatever reason, they did."
Kroft said he was surprised when "60 Minutes II" dropped the "II" in its name, but noted Tuesday that in CBS' statements regarding the mistake, the show had become "60 Minutes Wednesday."
Contentious project
The second edition of "60 Minutes" was a contentious project from the start. Hewitt, the creator of "60 Minutes," fought against expanding the franchise but was overruled. The second show launched Jan. 13, 1999.
"I think they've acquitted themselves nicely," said Hewitt, who was forced out as executive producer last season. "When I objected to there being a second show, I didn't know how good it was going to be."
He scolded his old crew Tuesday for sniping at their beleaguered colleagues.
"Now, when the other one is in trouble, they're piling on. It's unfair, uncalled for and not the way that grown men should act," Hewitt said.
Kroft is not alone in questioning what led to Rather's having to admit the show made a mistake.
"There's anger in the rank and file that this could have happened," said a CBS News source.
Rather told The Daily News on Monday he was appreciative of those who have expressed support.
"And for those who haven't been, including those who haven't been and thought they needed to anonymously take their shots, I say, I understand," he said.
Meanwhile, attempts to trace the origins of the fraudulent paperwork have foundered on attacks from Democrats and Republicans suggesting that their political opponents concocted them.
USA Today, which also received the papers from anti-Bush activist Bill Burkett, reported Tuesday that Burkett told them he was offered the documents from a woman who identified herself on the phone as Lucy Ramirez.
But when he rendezvoused with Ramirez, an unidentified man showed up instead and dropped them off.
USA Today said it has been unable to trace Ramirez.