Dan Rather is signing off on Wednesday. Party planning is underway across the country. Washington Times columnist John McCaslin reports:

Atlanta-based author, pundit and media consultant Phil Kent, former president of the Southeastern Legal Foundation, tells this column that he’s hosting a party on the evening of March 9 in the Buckhead section of the city to honor popular Internet blogger “Buckhead” – otherwise known as prominent Atlanta lawyer Harry MacDougald.

“Harry is the bathrobe-clad guy – literally – who ‘outed’ Dan Rather and CBS less than four hours after they broke the phony Bush National Guard papers” story, Kent says.

Rather, who will relinquish his anchor chair after 24 years next week, is accused by conservative critics of being motivated by politics in developing the now infamous – and discredited – segment on President Bush’s Guard service.

“We’ll be watching Dan Rather’s last broadcast,” Kent says of his party, “and I’ll present Buckhead a framed certificate for ‘going above and beyond his patriotic duty.’”

In Denver, the Independence Institute will break out their tissues at Jackson’s All American Sports Grill in LoDo as we say a tearful good bye to legendary anchorman and the standard of journalist integrity Dan Rather.

Retirement gifts and party favors available for the first 48 people.
Tissues available for all.

5:00 P.M. – 6:30 P.M.
Jackson’s Hole LoDo
1520 20th Street

Gossip columnist Mike Walker will be celebrating Rather’s retirement by releasing his new book, Rather Dumb. More at Rathergate and Ratherbiased.

Media Research Center is counting down to the Rather sign-off here.

Feel free to track back or drop me an e-mail if you’re hosting a Rather farewell party and I’ll list it.

Update: Via Matthew Sheffield and The Hill, here are details of a Rather retirement party hosted by Rep. Tom Feeney (R-Va.)…

Rep. Tom Feeney (R-Fla.) is hosting a fundraiser Wednesday at the Capitol Hill Club to celebrate the last broadcast of veteran “CBS Evening News” anchor Dan Rather, who has long vexed conservatives with what they see as a liberal bias.

The “C’est La Vie Comrade Rather” event – for the benefit of Tom Feeney for Congress – will be held from 5-7 p.m., during which attendees will watch Rather’s final newscast at 6:30.

Feeney told The Hill that the open bar will remain open only if guests drink from their left hands.

Hah.

I’ve also been tipped to a “RatherNOT” party in Seattle. E-mail raincityjazz@yahoo.com for more details.

Tom Liddy and Austin Hill of KFYI AM in Phoenix will be having a “buh-bye Dan Rather” party. Click here for a link to a little song they created, sung to the tune of “American Pie” – “The Day Dan Rather Lied.”

Update: Two of the Power Line powerhouses will convene a “61st Minute” retrospective tomorrow at the Marriott Hotel in downtown Minneapolis, sponsored by the Center of the American Experiment. he program will go from 5 to 7 pm; a buffet dinner will be served. Call the Center at (612) 338-3605 for tickets, or just show up. C-SPAN will be taping the festivities!