Clock Ticks For Rather At CBS

Dan Rather, who has been working at 60 Minutes since leaving as CBS Evening News anchor last year, appears to be in his final days at CBS News.

Rather told The Philadelphia Inquirer that he has had no conversations about continuing at 60 Minutes beyond this season.

Another story published Thursday in The Washington Post quotes CBS executives who declined to be identified that network bosses have concluded there is no future role at CBS for Rather.

Rather did not immediately return a call to his office. CBS spokeswoman Sandra Genelius had no immediate comment for theshowbuzz.com.

Rather stepped down in March 2005 after 24 years as CBS' chief news anchor. He took much of the public blame for a discredited 2004 story that questioned President Bush's military service, an episode that clouded his final months on the job.

CBS News seems eager to usher in a new generation at 60 Minutes, where Katie Couric will start this fall as a correspondent and CNN's Anderson Cooper will begin contributing stories. Other new correspondents such as Lara Logan and Scott Pelley are also competing for airtime there.

Rather told the Inquirer that that he has had no conversation with CBS News President Sean McManus — other than twice saying hello when they saw each other at functions — since McManus took over in October.

"We've had no conversations about carrying on at 60 Minutes," Rather said. "My position is, I want to work. Maybe it's my hubris, but I still think there are things I can contribute, and I want an opportunity to do that."

He told the newspaper that while he would like to stay at CBS News, "the question is whether they have anything for me to do that I think is meaningful."