Dan Rather Confirms Authenticity Of ‘Truth’ At TIFF, Stands By 2004 Report About George W. Bush

Truth, the drama based on Dan Rather’s departure from CBS, premiered to a standing ovation at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Dan Rather Attends Truth Premiere At TIFF

Truth, one of two journalism dramas screening at TIFF this year, and claims to tell the ‘true’ story of Rather’s controversial 60 Minutes report made in 2004. The report raised questions about George W. Bush’s military service, suggesting that Bush’s family connections had helped him avoid combat in Vietnam. After the report aired some of the documents used as evidence were suspected to have been forgeries. The scandal, dubbed “Memogate,” led to an internal investigation, and resulted in the firing of 60 Minutes producer Mary Mapes. Mapes went on to write about the incident in her 2005 memoir Truth and Duty: The Press, the President, and the Privilege of Power. Rather left CBS two years later in 2006.

Truth is adapted from Mapes memoirs, with Robert Redford starring as Rather with Cate Blanchett leading the film as Mapes. Rather himself has been an outspoken supporter of the film, and recently voutched for its authenticity, telling The Hollywood Reporter, “Naturally I was pleased, and pleasantly surprised. This film is very accurate. A film called Truth should be accurate.”

Rather, who attended the film’s Toronto premiere alongside director James Vanderbilt and actors Elisabeth Moss and Topher Grace, admitted that he likely would not have run the story if he had known that the documents it was based on were suspect. However, he stood by the nature of the explosive 2004 story.

“We reported a true story. And there has never been any doubt the story was true,” Rather told the Toronto audience at a post-screening Q&A.

Though some documents may have required more thorough investigation, Rather suggested that those few documents were not enough to discredit the essense of the report. Instead, Rather stated that political power — of George W. Bush and those working for him — convinced CBS to turn their backs on the story completely.

“The combination of political operatives, lobbyists working in concert with the White House and powerful political groups overwhelmed the truth. Because it was true, those who wanted to attack it had to find the weakest point, and they attacked the (newsmaking) process,” Rather added.

Many agree that the version of events put forth by Truth, which appears to align more with the narrative from Mapes and Rather than that put forth by CBS. According to reports, the film was shown to CBS president and CEO Leslie Moonves, who allegedly referred to the film as a “half truth.” CBS is not expected to push back against the narrative presented in the film, however, and Truth is on track for release on Oct. 16.