Sounding an awful lot like Al Gore tumbling out of a Buddhist temple, Rather claimed he hadn t realized beforehand that the event was a fund-raiser. Because the event was cosponsored by Robin Rather, the anchorman s daughter and a Texas environmentalist and marketing executive who is eyeing a run for mayor of Austin. Rather also tried to get out from under this story by emphasizing how he d had his picture taken the night before with Texas GOP Gov. Rick Perry. Over a long period of time, I ve met with political groups large and small, Democratic and Republican, Green Party, mugwumps, you name it, because that s what reporters do, Rather claimed. But there s an enormous difference between circulating your charm and circulating the collection plate.
Reporters don t headline fund-raisers for political parties.
This is not to say reporters don t cross the line. They do so all the time and get away with it. During the last decade, major anchors, editors and reporters have attended fund-raisers for liberal interest groups. TransAfrica has drawn Bernard Shaw, Bryant Gumbel and Ted Koppel. The Children s Defense Fund drew Roger Rosenblatt and Jane Pauley.