Opinion

Media: Yes, we edit in politicians’ answers, and it’s no big deal

"To those unfamiliar with journalism and television production, the effect can be jarring."

U.S. Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris pauses while speaking during a campaign rally at the Rawhide Event Center in Chandler, Ariz., on Oct. 10, 2024. Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images.
U.S. Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris pauses while speaking during a campaign rally at the Rawhide Event Center in Chandler, Ariz., on Oct. 10, 2024. Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images.
Daniel Greenfield
Daniel Greenfield is an Israeli-born journalist and columnist with nearly 20 years of experience writing for conservative publications. His work spans national and international stories, covering politics, history, and culture. Throughout his career, he has collaborated with industry legends like David Horowitz, interviewed senators and congressmen, and shared the stories of ordinary people overcoming extraordinary challenges. His first book, Domestic Enemies: The Founding Fathers' Fight Against the Left, explores the forgotten struggles that shaped America’s early history.

The three phases of the media’s coverage of its own abuses are:

1. Complete denial—it’s a conspiracy theory, it’s disinformation, no one seriously believes this.

2. It happens very rarely—it’s a once-in-a-blue-moon event and being blown out of proportion.

3. It happens all the time—and it’s a good thing too.

The “60 Minutes” interview of Kamala Harris got a little awkward, not just because the VP mumbled random nonsense in response to questions, but because CBS News got caught splicing the interview together like it was a bad movie from an artsy Austrian director they brought some hack in to save.

After all of this hit social media like a thunderstorm, along with demands that CBS News release the transcript of the interview (not at all unprecedented), the media has fired back with “you foolish rubes!”

“Portions of the Harris interview ran Monday on the newsmagazine and on the Sunday morning political show ‘Face the Nation.’ On two occasions, it depicted Harris giving different answers to questions posed by correspondent Bill Whitaker on the Biden administration’s efforts to stop the war in the Mideast.

“For CBS News, it was considered part of the typical editing and cross-promotion process that takes place for a big interview. Yet to those unfamiliar with journalism and television production, the effect can be jarring.”

“To those unfamiliar with journalism” it can be “jarring” when a political candidate is seen “giving different answers to questions.”

So we’re officially in Stage 3, it happens all the time—and it’s a good thing too.

Also, “those unfamiliar with journalism” may find it jarring when the media lies all the time.

Catherine Herridge, who worked as a senior CBS News investigative correspondent, and other former network staffers are apparently “unfamiliar with journalism.”

“‘I think there should be an outside investigation,’ one former CBS News journalist told The Post on Thursday. ‘Obviously, there’s a problem here. If they care about journalistic integrity, they would conduct an investigation or release the full transcript.’

“A second CBS source said the discrepancy in the answers makes it seem that the network’s flagship show is ‘biased.'”

Journalistic integrity? Boy are they unfamiliar with mainstream media journalism.

The opinions and facts presented in this article are those of the author, and neither JNS nor its partners assume any responsibility for them.
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