254 Comments
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Tom Hartung's avatar

More than once while reading this piece I saw parallels with the Fox News claim back in the day that they were "Fair and Balanced."

And *that* in turn brings to mind that scene in the 8th episode of season 5 of The Wire, "Clarifications", when the war veteran Terry tells the Baltimore Sun's editor that "A lie ain't a side of the story, it's just a lie."

Stacy Wentworth, M.D.'s avatar

Do not forget that Nick Bolton was DESTROYED by his colleagues at The New York Times for a ridiculous piece about wearable tech causing cancer.

He wrote for the “Style” section which was a totally inappropriate place to put a column with the title “Could Wearable Computers Be as Harmful as Cigarettes?”

In the article, he quoted unreliable sources. He ran the piece by zero science, health or tech journalists and never apologized when he was called out. The column was only revised when his NYT colleagues saw it and were horrified by the quackery on full display.

He is, in short, EXACTLY the kind of person that Weiss would want in a leadership position. Unconcerned with facts, looking for clickbait, refuses to back down when confronted.

https://archive.nytimes.com/publiceditor.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/03/19/a-tech-column-on-wearable-gadgets-draws-fire-as-pseudoscience/

Andy Moursund's avatar

I knew Bari Weiss was a phony when she quit the Times, pretended she was being "cancelled", and then almost immediately proceeded to cash in on her "principled" resignation. Christ, she's now even selling mugs and T-shirts on her Free Press website, although that's nothing like what she's raking in at CBS. It's no accident that she's one of Bill Maher's heroes.

Bmore's avatar

A belief system built on whataboutisims, false equivalencies, and moving the goal posts.

Trashscientist's avatar

This is why I say be disrespectful of authority. Especially POTUS. I have no respect for the office of the President, let alone the POS sitting at the desk. Tell that to their faces. If you see a shitty congressperson. Tell them exactly how shitty you think they are. If you see a billionaire. Spit on them.

joel bernard's avatar

"Authoritarianism exploits politesse." Classic.

Shane Gericke's avatar

The ad revenue from 60 Minutes dwarfs anything Bari Weiss and CBS would generate from more clicks and likes. She lies like a rug.

Shane Gericke's avatar

We are all Scott Pelley.

Or should be.

Nancy1953's avatar

Long ago JVL had Bari Weiss pegged as the corrupter she is, in spite of Sarah’s defense of her. Also, I had never heard of the insipid Hassett til JVL highlighted his lightness of being. Now every time Hassett spews more lies, i think how prescient you were, JVL. Thanks for all of it, todays Triad and yesterdays Bulwark Take were stellar reporting.

Kay Ellen O'Maighe's avatar

“It’s about ethics in video game journalism!”

I’ll take “Fig Leaves For Fascism” for $200, please.

Reese Erwin's avatar

Clever! “Fig Leaves for Fascism” has to become the title for a book. Gotta be a best seller!

Robert J Danolfo's avatar

JVL, Thanks for the profile in courage, we should all be Scott Pelley's. There were so many junctures where a few Scott Pelley's could have altered our course and saved countless lives. It says something about our society that people elected to represent us, have failed, and continue to fail, in their duty. It has always been up to the people but we have been negligent in our civic responsibility. In this critical moment, the people must decide what is it going to be, the chaos, criminality and corruption of Donald Trump or the aspirations and proposition of our Founding Fathers.

Tara's avatar

I just came here to point out that you, JVL, were a critic of Bari Weiss long before she became CBS’ destroying angel, even as others (ahem! Sarah) were much softer on her. It’s almost as if there’s something to the tagline that JVL is always right. 😂

Blue State Engineer and Coach's avatar

Keep calling it out plainly. This is what this is. You support that? Start making that fence a lot harder to sit on. A lot more will fall to the correct side of the fence than the wrong one. You can't treat a problem if you refuse to see it. Welp, make it more and more visible and who is saying 'no more'

Karen Katzenyammer's avatar

I know that nothing will be done currently to stop the corruption of our media empires, our tech companies, our current administration. But I am curious to know if there will be a reckoning when Trump is out of government or favor...whichever comes first.

Jim's avatar

All hail Scott Pelley for penetrating the political sleaze and corporate bafflegab by speaking the simple truth. That shit is hard to do when you know it will cost you. He basically said “Fire me. I dare you.”

He relit a candle of hope.

Lynda Thomas's avatar

Jim Mattis was always the biggest disappointment to me.