When I was a young boy my mother used to say “there’s no fool like an old fool.” I didn’t really understand what she meant until later in life. I actually thought that people would gain maturity as they got older. Boy was I naïve.

Dan Rather let his hatred of George Bush blind him to reason and logic. He used questionable sources and unreliable evidence. He wanted the source and the data to be right. They weren’t and he was disgraced in front of the whole world. Numerous people were fired and Dan was gently eased out. No one was fooled but more that Dan Rather’s reputation was on the line. CBS news was and still is in trouble. Their judgment is questionable replacing Dan Rather with Katie Couric hasn’t worked either. Dan was assured that he could do specials and guest appearances. Very few occurred and Dan went off into oblivion.

Just when we thought we had heard the last of Dan, Don Imus sued CBS and won. This inspired Dan to sue also. The only problem is that Dan’s defense is that he just reads the teleprompter and follows orders. He further compounds his problem by asserting that Sumner Redstone caved in to the conservatives. Does anyone with a double digit IQ believe that? Sumner Redstone is known for a lot of things, buckling under pressure is not one of them. CBS has a history of settling law suits rather that have protracted court battles. They will more than likely reach an accommodation with Rather.

What will Rather have gained? He says it is not for the money. He certainly doesn’t need the money. What he gets is attention, like O.J. Simpson craves the limelight. Unfortunately this attention will not buy back his reputation. That is gone forever. No matter how many appearances on Larry King he gets. He is the disgraced anchor and that remains.

Unfortunately public figures are often remembered for missteps rather that their entire body of work. Richard Nixon remembered for “I’m not a crook.” Gerald Ford remembered for hitting people with golf balls. Jimmy Carter remembered for battling killer rabbits and lusting after women. Bill Clinton for “I didn’t have sex with that woman” the list goes on. Dan Rather will be remembered for fake documents and false accusations.

Sometimes the best thing to do is silently slip away and hide. As my mother told me many years ago, some people never learn. Dan Rather simply will not silently go away. He actually believes that he can retrieve his lost reputation. As mom said “there’s no fool like and old fool.”