As Twitchy reported earlier, CNN’s Brian Stelter was fussing about which networks would carry President Trump’s address on border security Tuesday night, and shared a text from a TV executive who fretted that, “If we give him the time, he’ll deliver a fact-free screed without rebuttal.”
It turns out that all of the broadcast networks are going to carry the speech, which is expected to last only eight minutes.
Fact-checking seems to be the concern of just about every journalist; Trump is going to go on TV and lie about the situation at the border and there will be no one to rebut his claims.
For network execs, tradition and news judgment — "a presidential address from the Oval Office" — outweighed concerns about a speech filled with falsehoods. https://t.co/JLHsrkdRQz
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) January 8, 2019
Interesting challenge for networks/news organizations on Trump address re: border wall. If you have ever reason to suspect that the President will lie or at least deliberately mislead in his national remarks, do you give him airtime live? https://t.co/9ueHYkYOH1
— Garrett M. Graff (@vermontgmg) January 7, 2019
CNN national security and legal analyst Susan Hennessey wants two conditions: she wants a delay so that journalists have time to fact-check the president, and she wants equal time for a rebuttal by Rep. Nancy Pelosi or Sen. Chuck Schumer.
There is absolutely zero benefit to viewers of networks covering this live as opposed to on a sufficient delay for 1. journalists to fact check and contextualize and 2. Pelosi or Schumer to be given a similarly prominent opportunity to respond. https://t.co/RzVE9vMkzO
— Susan Hennessey (@Susan_Hennessey) January 7, 2019
We like the use of “contextualize” in place of “spin” — maybe we’ll start using it.
Because without journalists adding their spin, the people might not come to the conclusion you want https://t.co/QmqEbOxFG3
— Jim Hanson (@Uncle_Jimbo) January 7, 2019
You guys can't help yourselves. He gives you every opportunity to demonstrate your legitimacy, instead you stick your head in the bear trap and cry when it backfires.
You've been betting to an inside straight for 3 years.
— Red Eye Blasey Ford Robot (@Red_Eye_Robot) January 7, 2019
Did you do this with Obama? No you did not.
— DSNicol (@Dsnicol2) January 7, 2019
Could you even imagine this tweet going out during the 8 years of Obama? And yes, Obama lied his ass off during his blessings to the masses. You would probably lose your job for putting this tweet out. https://t.co/9PoZs7Muk9
— Scott (@ScottyE_FL) January 8, 2019
Who do you people think you are? The general public doesn't need your garbage "fact check" filter, to further twist and distort and attempt to manipulate us like you do on a daily basis. I know you think you're important, but you're not. Stay out of it.
— Gozer the Gozerian (@G_Gozerian1) January 7, 2019
You’re assuming that you and the media are trusted.
— 907username (@907username) January 7, 2019
Really? and you want to decide truth. Remember we have given up on reporters fact checking. You rarely do it anyway. We have spent a year learning to do it ourselves.
— Tina Stull (@tinastullracing) January 7, 2019
Boom! This. right. here
— Tiny Patriot (@brookekburns) January 7, 2019
You are so full of yourself as if the press deserves opportunity to spin a message instead of letting us hear it from @POTUS . That whole line of thought is just stupid. You sound like a real message control freak…
— Bang Ding Ow ?? (@steamjetboomer) January 7, 2019
He’s POTUS. It’s covered live. Get over it.
— JQ (@JimQuillen) January 7, 2019
Let the viewer decide ……. Unfiltered
— Nigel Willson (@NigeSecurityGuy) January 7, 2019
The benefit is the viewers would get to hear the speech without your editing (censoring). If anyone wants a chance to respond, there's nothing stopping CNN from doing that. Besides, just working for CNN means you can't be trusted.
— ISMV Star Fortress trapped in the 21st century (@StarFortress) January 7, 2019
Sure, tell us that CNN and all the rest won’t be waiting outside Pelosi’s and Schumer’s offices to broadcast their rebuttal (without a delay). They’ll let the Democrat leadership “contextualize” for them.
Wait, are you saying "ordinary people" aren't smart enough to figure out the truth on our own, and we need "journalists" along with Uncle Chuck & Aunt Nancy to help us out?
That would be pretty arrogant.
— Jay Tedder (@jaytedder) January 7, 2019
That is 100% what she is saying.
— MervKitch⭐⭐⭐ (@KitchMerv) January 7, 2019
@Susan_Hennessey doesn't think the American people are smart enough to make up their own minds about the President's speech, she believes we need to be told how to think…..this is what CNN wants us to think also…..Susan is a hack….don't be like Susan. https://t.co/YWnF8MmiyN
— Potty Mouth Grover (@TLarsen2) January 7, 2019
"contextualize"….um, no thank you!
— CatMurph (@CatMurph17) January 7, 2019
Or you could, you know, let the American people listen and let them make up their own minds, instead of being told what to think.
— Captain Whitebread (@CapWhitebread) January 7, 2019
There is zero benefit to anyone because it's 2019 and networks are irrelevant.
— American Fact-Net (@AmericanFactchk) January 7, 2019
Sounds like the media wants to stop the president talking directly to the people.
— James Waldo (@JamesWaldo1) January 7, 2019
Who are you or any other "journalist" to tell us what we can hear and fact-check for ourselves and what we shouldn't be able to hear live to only be forced to listen to your "commentary"? Who the hell do you think you are?? Stay in your lane and let us decide for ourselves.
— BevfromNYC (@BevfromNYC) January 7, 2019
Of course a member of CNN doesn't want to cover the Presidents LIVE remarks, rather on delay, so that they can change the narrative as he talks AND so that they can tell you what they want you to think instead of listening to the President and deciding for yourself. Genius. https://t.co/22SyhaMdQ9
— Miguel A Granda (@MiguelAGranda) January 7, 2019
Seriously, does anyone remember journalists fretting like this during the Obama years and demanding equal time for Republicans? We do remember them covering Obama’s (and Biden’s) vacation Spotify playlists, though.
Related:
'Oh, boo hoo hoo'! Brian Stelter's text from Trump-scarred network exec fails to generate much sympathy https://t.co/o81u5aoCwG
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) January 7, 2019
