After Yet Another Terrorist Attack, CBS’s Norah O’Donnell Immediately Uses Assassin’s Rhetoric To Target Trump
It’s hard to take this kind of media behavior seriously anymore, and Norah O’Donnell’s latest interview is a perfect example of why so many Americans have lost trust in legacy outlets.
During her sit-down with President Trump, she didn’t just report on an alleged assassination attempt she chose to repeat, word-for-word, the most extreme accusations from a suspect’s manifesto. Think about that for a second. These weren’t verified claims, they weren’t evidence-based statements, they were the words of someone who allegedly tried to carry out political violence. And yet they were presented directly to the president as if they deserved a response.
Trump, for his part, clearly saw what was happening and pushed back hard. Whether you like his tone or not, it’s not unreasonable to question why a journalist would elevate that kind of rhetoric on national television, especially less than 24 hours after an attack.
What makes this worse is that this didn’t happen in a vacuum. For years, many in the media and political class have used inflammatory language about Trump throwing around terms like “traitor” or worse often without solid evidence. So when someone with bad intentions echoes that language, it raises a fair question: where is the line between reporting and amplifying?
O’Donnell acting surprised at Trump’s reaction didn’t help her case either. It came across less like genuine curiosity and more like an attempt to provoke. And that’s been a recurring problem too many interviews today feel less like fact-finding and more like gotcha moments designed to generate headlines.
At a basic level, journalism is supposed to inform, not inflame. Repeating unverified accusations from an alleged attacker especially in such a high-stakes moment doesn’t inform the public. It risks normalizing the kind of rhetoric that fuels division in the first place.
This isn’t about defending any one politician blindly. It’s about expecting the media to show some level of judgment and responsibility. When they fail at that, they shouldn’t be surprised when people start tuning them out.
Or calling them out!
ReplyDeleteThat is the most idiotic comment about journalism I've read in some time. She referred directly to a "manifesto" from the would-be assassin. Why on earth would the perpetrator's own words expressing his reasoning not be news-worthy? It provides a context for the man's actions. It doesn't matter whether the ideas expressed are rational (they are not) or completely ludicrous, the responsibility of a free and unbridled press is to provide access of information to the public. The manifesto wasn't an opinion expressed by a journalist or an editor, it is the actual words of the individual being discussed. Do you honestly believe that anyone actually trained as a journalist would agree with you? As far as journalism being responsible for inflaming the public I completely agree with you, but some of the media companies most guilty of this behaviour are the ones supporting Trump, and he is the most inflammatory President in American history. (and you can argue that if you wish but frankly there is far too much evidence in print and video to do so effectively....)
ReplyDeleteFunny how all the descriptions the shooter put in his manifesto are word for word things that news media personalities have been saying, word for word.
Deleteso i call that a connection.
You believe that quoting from a psychopath's manifesto is a good idea? You claim to understand journalism, but you make statements in support of something every single law enforcement agency has strongly cautioned against doing, and something media outlets themselves (including CNN, MSNBC, and other well-known agencies) claim to explicitly avoid taking part in,: giving a platform to the animals that commit crimes like school shootings and assassination attempts. It absolutely has been proven to encourage copy-cats. Journalism? My ass. Your comment accomplished what should have been impossible - it actually elevated the level of stupidity exhibited by. O'Donnell.
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