Editing Dan Rather (section)

=== JFK assassination to Watergate ===
In his autobiography, Rather noted that he was in Dallas in November 1963 to return film from an interview in Uvalde at the ranch of former Vice President [[John Nance Garner]], who celebrated his 95th birthday on November 22.<ref>{{harvnb|Rather|Herskowitz|1977|p=113}}</ref> He happened to be "on the other side of the railroad tracks, beyond the triple underpass, thirty yards from a grassy knoll that would later figure in so many conspiracy theories".<ref>{{harvnb|Rather|Herskowitz|1977|p=114}}</ref> His job was to fetch a film drop from a camera truck at that location, and take it to the station for editing. He did not witness the shooting of Kennedy, and knew nothing of the events until he reached KRLD, having run through Dealey Plaza. He later wrote: 
<blockquote>The moment I cleared the railroad tracks I saw a scene I will never forget. Some people were lying on the grass, some screaming, some running, some pointing. Policemen swarmed everywhere and distinctly above the din, I heard one shout, 'DON'T ANYBODY PANIC.' And of course, there was nothing but panic wherever you looked.<ref>{{harvnb|Rather|Herskowitz|1977|p=115}}</ref></blockquote>

In his autobiography, Rather said he was one of the first to view the [[Zapruder film]] showing the assassination, and the first to describe it on television.<ref>{{cite episode
| title = Oswald's Ghost
| series = American Experience
| series-link = American Experience
| date =November 17, 2008
| season = 20
| number=1
}}</ref> Rather reported the fatal headshot as forcing Kennedy's head forward, but it was thrown backward.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Plot to Kill 'JFK' |url=https://fair.org/extra/the-plot-to-kill-jfk/ |website=fair.org |date=March 1992 |publisher=FAIR |access-date=August 11, 2019}}</ref>

Later, he reported that some Dallas schoolchildren had applauded when they were notified of the president's death.<ref name="WeeklyStandardCBS" /> Administrators said they had announced that school was to be dismissed early, and did not mention the assassination. However, teacher Joanna Morgan confirmed that students had cheered at the news that Kennedy was shot.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2512&dat=19631127&id=BKZIAAAAIBAJ&pg=1110,3298364 |title=Morning Record: Dallas Students Cheer Shooting of Kennedy|publisher=Dallas Morning Record |access-date=January 10, 2013}}</ref> This story infuriated local journalists at then-CBS affiliate KRLD-TV (now Fox-owned-and-operated [[KDFW-TV]]).<ref>{{cite web |last1=Simnacher |first1=Joe |title=Eddie Barker, Dallas radio, television journalist who announced JFK death, dies at 84 |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/obituaries/obituaries/2012/07/23/eddie-barker-dallas-radio-television-journalist-who-announced-jfk-death-dies-at-84 |website=dallasnews.com |publisher=The Dallas Morning News, Inc. |access-date=August 16, 2019 |date=July 24, 2012}}</ref>

Rather's reporting during the national mourning period following the Kennedy assassination and subsequent events impressed CBS News management. In 1964, they selected him for the network's [[White House]] correspondent position.<ref>{{cite web |title=Political Coverage {{!}} Dan Rather |url=https://danratherjournalist.org/political-analyst/white-house-correspondent |website=danratherjournalist.org |publisher=The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin |access-date=August 10, 2019}}</ref> When White House correspondent, he contributed to the subsequent events following the Kennedy assassination. In 1965, he contributed to the reporting of return to Washington from Dallas by Charles von Fremd during a conversation that NBC Director Max Schindler, who directed the coverage of the arrival for the networks, did with President [[Lyndon B. Johnson]], at the White House for the TV networks.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/NBC-Director-Recalls-Historic-Coverage-of-JFKs-Death-232869031.html|title=NBC Director Recalls Historic Coverage of JFK's Death|date=November 21, 2013|accessdate=November 16, 2019|work=NBCWashington.com|quote=A few years later, President Johnson told Schindler that he was watching TV before he stepped out of ''Air Force One''. When the camera panned back to the plane, he saw it as his signal to come out and address the nation.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=The View from the Control Room|first=Max|last=Schindler|year=2020|publisher=Outskirts Press, Inc.|isbn=978-1977233400}}</ref>

In 1965, Rather served as a foreign correspondent for CBS in London, and in 1966 in [[Vietnam]]. He served again as White House correspondent during the presidency of [[Richard Nixon]]. In 1970, he was also assigned as anchor for the CBS Sunday Night News<ref>{{cite web|author=Salmineo says |url=http://themoderatevoice.com/6664/dan-rather-reportedly-out-at-cbs-updated/ |title=Dan Rather Reportedly Out At CBS |publisher=The Moderate Voice |date=June 17, 2006 |access-date=June 4, 2012}}</ref> (1970–73; 1974–75), and later for the CBS Saturday ''Evening News'' (1973–76).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Dan-Rather|title=Dan Rather {{!}} Biography & Books|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|language=en|access-date=March 17, 2019}}</ref> Rather was among those journalists who accompanied Nixon to China.<ref>[http://china.usc.edu/ShowArticle.aspx?articleID=2672 Assignment: China – The Week that Changed the World]</ref> He later covered the [[Watergate scandal|Watergate]] investigation, as well as the [[impeachment proceedings against Richard Nixon]] in Congress.