I know it seems antithetical to the very idea of having a network anchorman, but CBS News' Dan Rather would be better off remaining silent -- or at least seeking permission before he voices an original thought.

Yesterday's Chicago Tribune reported that Rather still thinks the Bill Burkett-supplied documents are genuine -- even after Monday night's "apology."

"Do I think they're forged? No," Rather said. "But it's not good enough to use the documents on the air if we can't vouch for them, and we can't vouch for them."

Absolutely stunning. I just don't know what to say. Despite all of the overwhelming evidence showing that the documents were created using Microsoft Word, Dan Rather still thinks they are 1970s vintage. Even the left wing fever swamps on the Internet have given up on the documents, but still Rather clings to them.

If there was any reticence before, there should be none now -- Rather has to be canned. There's no coming back from this. Rather is so unhinged that he can't even fake being a credible, leftward-leaning journalist anymore.