Rather fighting for reputation as he leaves CBS anchor desk

New York — As his final evening newscast approaches on Wednesday, Dan Rather is seeing the indignities pile up as quickly as the roses that were tossed in the path of Tom Brokaw when the NBC anchorman stepped down late last year.

The latest came in a New Yorker magazine article, where fellow CBS News legends Walter Cronkite and Mike Wallace talked about how difficult it was to watch Rather as an anchor.

The embattled Rather is left fighting for something largely beyond his control — his reputation. Will his role in last fall’s discredited story about President Bush’s military service ultimately overshadow his remarkable 50-year career?

“With the passing of time, that immediate sourness will pass and people will say, ‘God, Rather did that for 40-plus years,”‘ said Tom Bettag, a former Rather deputy who is now executive producer of ABC News’ “Nightline.”

Rather leaves without a victory lap. America’s most popular anchorman in the 1980s, Rather and the “CBS Evening News” have been third in the ratings behind NBC and ABC for several years.

CBS hasn’t decided who will ultimately replace Rather — Bob Schieffer begins as a temporary stand-in Thursday — and management hasn’t consulted the outgoing anchor during its deliberations.

Musicians come together for tsunami relief concert

ysia — Musicians including Lauryn Hill and Boyz II Men hope their scheduled performances at a March tsunami benefit concert will help soothe the trauma caused by December’s natural disaster.

“If we can lend our music to a situation something of this nature, to bring a relief to the situation, we’ll always do that,” said Wanya Morris of the Grammy-winning R&B quartet Boyz II Men.

Others scheduled to perform live in Kuala Lumpur on March 18 at the Force of Nature Concert for Tsunami Aid include the Black Eyed Peas, the Backstreet Boys, Wyclef Jean and former members of hip-hop trio the Fugees.

A transcript of comments made by the artists in a promotional video was e-mailed to The Associated Press on Friday.

The Force of Nature Aid Foundation is a nonprofit organization in Kuala Lumpur dedicated to raising money and awareness for victims of natural disasters. The money raised through the concert will be used to rebuild communities devastated by the tsunami in Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka and India.

‘Godfather of Soul’ shrugs off talk of retirement

Jakarta, Indonesia — Legendary soul singer James Brown on Sunday shrugged off talk of retirement and said his work is the root of much of today’s music.

The 71-year-old “Godfather of Soul” said in a telephone interview that he can still spread love, tolerance and understanding through his songs.

“Retire for what? What would I do? I made my name as a person that is helping. I’m like Moses in the music business,” he said.

In December, Brown underwent surgery to treat prostate cancer, which came on the heels of a long battle with diabetes. But he said he “feels good” and showed no ill effects during his performance Friday night in Jakarta.

Brown, who spent time in jail in the 1980s and 1990s on drug and assault charges, also said that Michael Jackson has been set up like many entertainers who are believed to have a lot of money.

He said the pop star should be helping tsunami-ravaged Southeast Asia instead of defending himself against child molestation charges in court.

Former presidents find way to share government plane

New York — On their tour of tsunami damage in Southeast Asia, former President Bill Clinton once allowed his predecessor, former President George H.W. Bush, to sleep on the plane’s only bed while he stretched out on the floor.

The government plane in which the presidents toured the disaster area had one large bedroom and another room with tables and seats, according to an interview with Bush in this week’s Newsweek.

Bush said Clinton offered ahead of time to give the older former president the bedroom so he could lie flat and avoid paining his body. Clinton decided to play cards in the other room that night.

The next morning, Bush said he peeked in and saw Clinton sound asleep on the plane’s floor.

“We could have switched places, each getting half a night on the bed, but he deferred to me. That was a very courteous thing, very thoughtful, and that meant a great deal to me,” Bush said.

Bush said he and Clinton are not close, but have been compatible on the tour, partly because Clinton respects his age.