Courage, Dan

Dan Rather will be signing off as anchor of the CBS Evening News for the final time next March:

Dan Rather announced today he will step down as anchor and managing editor of the "CBS Evening News" on March 9 — 24 years to the day after his first broadcast as the network's anchor.

Rather will stay with CBS News, working full time as a correspondent for both editions of "60 Minutes," and taking on other assignments as well.

"I have been lucky and blessed over these years to have what is, to me, the best job in the world and to have it at CBS News," Rather said. "Along the way, I've had the honor of working with some of the most talented, dedicated professionals in the world, and I'm appreciative of the opportunity to continue doing so in the years ahead."

He and the network began discussing his future during the summer, he said, adding that he looks forward to getting back to working as an investigative reporter full time.

Of course, this was a "mutual decision" by Rather and CBS, and has absolutely nothing to do with either Rather's pathetic ratings or his use and dogged defense of obviously forged documents in the Bush Air National Guard story.

Goodbye, Dan. You won't be missed.