According to CNN founder Reese Schoenfeld, CBS News managing editor Dan Rather is an empty-headed automaton -- and that's a compliment. On Tuesday night's "Hannity and Colmes" on Fox News, Schoenfeld had the following to say when the Media Research Center's Brent Bozell suggested that Rather should step down until a complete investigation of the fraudulent memos is done.

Dan Rather didn't do the story. Everybody in professional television knows his producers do it and he reads it. He sits up there and reads it, just the way most television most guys do. So you can't blame Dan Rather for anything on this.

OK. I'll excuse Dan from any further whippings on this story if he will just go on air and confirm what Schoenfeld said.

The truth is, that while Schoenfeld may be accurately describing many local news anchors -- he's not describing Rather. Rather's title of "managing editor" is not an empty adornment. He is involved in vetting the stories he reads on the CBS Evening News and on "60 Minutes II."

Why Schoenfeld would try to peddle such a blatant falsehood is beyond me. Maybe it's just another sign of how far the mainstream media will go to cover itself over this debacle.