Dan Rather: a name synonymous with journalism, integrity, and a relentless pursuit of truth. For over four decades, he graced American living rooms as the trusted face of CBS News, delivering news that shaped the course of history.
But behind the accolades and iconic broadcasts lies a story of resilience, controversy, and an unwavering commitment to journalistic principles.
Join us as we look into the mysterious journey of Dan Rather, from his groundbreaking reporting during Hurricane Carla to his glorious career in the spotlight for years.
Who is Dan Rather?
American journalist, pundit, and former National Nightly News anchor Daniel Irvin Rather Jr. reported that Hurricane Carla in September 1961 saved hundreds of lives.
He started his career in Texas and went on to become well-known nationwide. Robert impromptu produced the first radar weather forecast by superimposing a translucent map on top of a Hurricane Carla radar image.
He assisted in rescuing the 350,000 people who were successfully evacuated during his first national broadcast.
He covered some of the biggest historical moments of the modern era, including 9/11, the Iraq War, the collapse of the Berlin Wall, the Gulf War, and the War on Terror.
Rather also made headlines for reporting from Dallas during the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in November 1963.
What happened to Dan Rather?
Days before the release of a Netflix documentary on the 92-year-old newsman’s life, Dan Rather made his first public appearance on the CBS News broadcasts since his painful exit eighteen years earlier.
He did this in a contemplative interview on “CBS Sunday Morning.”
Following a flawed probe of the military record of then-President George W. Bush Rather departed the network under cloudy circumstances after 44 years of employment, 24 of which he spent as anchor of “CBS Evening News.”
On March 9, 2005, Rather submitted his final resignation as an anchor, and he left the network 15 months later when his contract expired.
Because of his ongoing animosity for the now-fired CBS president, Leslie Moonves, Rather almost vanished from the news division he oversaw for many years.
Rather avoided official repercussions for the article that cast doubt on Bush’s National Guard service during the Vietnam War, but was linked to it as the anchor who presented it.
Numerous individuals associated with the story maintain their belief that the report is accurate, despite CBS being unable to confirm the veracity of certain of the papers used for its analysis.
Rather expressed his belief that he would survive the disaster in the Netflix documentary “Rather,” which had its premiere recently.
After leaving CBS, Rather continued to work as an investigative journalist and conduct interviews with rock stars for HDNet, a digital cable and satellite television network.
A younger generation has come to know him in recent years as a tart-talking social media figure.
The Netflix documentary follows his career from his coverage of Watergate, the Vietnam War, and President John F. Kennedy’s assassination through his anchor years and beyond.
It features some of the most bizarre situations that the then-tightly wound Rather was involved in, such as an attack in New York City where someone asked him, “What’s the frequency, Kenneth?” and then showed up onstage with R.E.M. during the group’s performance of the song of the same name.
When discussing his legacy, Rather sidesteps his career in both the documentary and the CBS interview.
Is Dan Rather married?
Yes, the 67-year marriage to the award-winning journalist has continued. Dan Rather’s 67-year-old supporting wife is Jean Goebel.
Born in 1931 in Wharton, Texas, the 92-year-old legendary anchor said that Jean “was absolutely committed” to helping him negotiate his work, which oftentimes “really put a strain on family life.”
In a 2020 interview, Dan talked candidly about how he met Jean, describing it as “love at first sight.” The pair now reside in New York after being married in 1957.
Dan and Jean are parents to two children: a son named Danjack and a girl named Robin.
