Killian's secretary says "Forgeries!"

Drudge is reporting that Lt. Col. Jerry Killian's former secretary, Marion Carr Knox, states unequivocally that the documents CBS has are forgeries, but in an odd twist says that they "represent" Killian's feeling toward Bush. Killian's son insists they do not, so now we're in to a "he said, she said" that cannot be resolved. However, CBS must now admit the documents are forgeries, because Knox states, "I did not type these particular memos. I typed memos like these". When asked if Killian could type, she said, "He didn't need to. He had me."

Knox also reveals what might be a motive for her statements against Bush.

Knox told the DRUDGE REPORT that she did not vote for Bush in 2000 because he is 'unqualified' for the job, and does not intend to vote for him in 2004, either.

The Dallas Morning News is also carrying the story.

The News quotes Knox regarding the documents.

"These are not real," she told The Dallas Morning News after examining copies of the disputed memos for the first time. "They're not what I typed, and I would have typed them for him.".....

.....But, she said, telltale signs of forgery abounded in the four memos, which contained the supposed writings of her ex-boss, Lt. Col. Jerry Killian, who died in 1984.

She said the typeface on the documents did not match either of the two typewriters that she used during her time at the Guard. She identified those machines as a mechanical Olympia, which was replaced by an IBM Selectric in the early 1970s.

She spoke fondly of the Olympia machine, which she said had a key with the "th" superscript character that was the focus of much debate in the CBS memos. Experts have said that the Selectric, and mechanical typewriters such as the Olympia, could not produce proportional spacing, found in the disputed documents.

DMN also reports

Mrs. Knox, 86, who spoke with precise recollection about dates, people and events, said she is not a supporter of Mr. Bush, who she deemed "unfit for office" and "selected, not elected."

Her use of the phrase "selected, not elected", in my view, should temper any consideration of her comments about Killian's attitude toward Bush, particularly because his known public memos clearly refute that view as do the statements of other people who knew Killian well.

DMN also reports

Mrs. Knox said she did all of Lt. Col. Killian's typing, including memos for a personal "cover his back" file he kept in a locked drawer of his desk.

She said she did not recall typing the memos reported by CBS News, though she said they accurately reflect the viewpoints of Lt. Col. Killian and documents that would have been in the personal file. Also, she could not say whether the CBS documents corresponded memo for memo with that file.

"The information in here was correct, but it was picked up from the real ones," she said.

On balance, it's difficult to know where to go with this. She clearly condemns the CBS memos as forged yet supports the view that what is in the forged documents accurately relects Killian's viewpoints and states that Killian did keep a personal CYA file drawer. I think Rather will use this to justify the story, even though they used forged documents and will claim that Knox constitutes justification for going ahead with the story even though the documents are clearly forged.

I don't think the public will buy that line of reasoning. I just think Rather will use it.

UPDATE: Reader "ignoramus" points me to a Houston Chronicle article that has this in it.

She said she typed all of Killian's memoranda and office letters during the time Bush served under him in the early 1970s.

Knox said the subject matter in the documents does, however, reflect sentiments Killian expressed to her at the time.

"I did not type those, no, but the information in them is correct," she said........

......Last week, Knox said she had no firsthand knowledge of Bush's time with the Texas Air National Guard, although she did recall a culture of special treatment for the sons of prominent people, such as Bush and others.

This is interesting. If you read the article carefully, what you realize is that she isn't speaking about George Bush specifically. She's speaking about "a culture of special treatment" rather than Bush specifically, and she says she has no specific knowledge of any documents related to Bush.

So, despite the appearance of supporting the CBS meme, in reality she does not do so, but she confirms that the documents are forged. This is a very slender thread for CBS to hold on to, but I have no doubt that they will. At this point, what else can they do? They've painted themselves into a corner where there's no way out.