The media’s attempts to rehabilitate Vice President Kamala Harris took a hit recently, thanks to her disastrous interview on CBS’s 60 Minutes. This calamity, which apparently needed significant editing just to make it palatable, raises serious questions about the integrity of the broadcast. The full transcript remains under wraps, which is understandable given the editing fiasco that unfolded. It appears CBS and ABC have banded together in a heroic, yet futile, effort to salvage Harris’s reputation by trimming her responses to fit a more palatable narrative.
The editing scandal is triggering a firestorm of criticism from various corners, especially considering CBS was caught red-handed in this charade. They tried to make Harris sound more “on point,” but the truth is, the more they tried to polish the turd, the worse the situation became. Enter former President Donald Trump, who has made it clear that he views the editing efforts by CBS as nothing short of deceitful. It would seem CBS is now in a defensive crouch, attempting to justify their editing choices—claiming it was all in the name of clarity and brevity. One has to wonder if they chose brevity to hide the fact that Harris often stumbles over her own words?
Now ABC & CBS have both been caught editing Harris’s answers to try helping her sound less retarded https://t.co/hYJOUCmnnh https://t.co/Gjtz5pbF9l
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) October 8, 2024
The network released a statement attempting to deflect the criticism. This public relations gem insists their editing was simply standard fare, aiming for succinctness. However, the only thing that is clear is the desperate attempt to distance themselves from the fallout of their own poor choices. CBS seems to have confused their role as a news outlet with that of a campaign strategist. Instead of focusing on delivering the news, they’ve opted to engage in an unprovoked jab at Trump, hoping no one would notice the glaring issues with their edited interview.
Naturally, this episode has left many shaking their heads at the state of mainstream media. With networks like CBS blatantly making decisions to alter the narrative surrounding a vice president’s performance, the question arises: can any network be trusted anymore? The consistent backlash against this sordid affair reflects a growing distrust that has devastated media credibility, akin to the collapse of semiconductors in a tech disaster. With no unedited transcript provided to verify the edits, it is clear that transparency is not a priority for these networks.
The ultimate irony is that instead of repairing their reputation, CBS has done precisely the opposite. By attacking Trump in their defense, they’ve only solidified their status as a left-leaning mouthpiece in the eyes of conservatives. The call for Republicans to boycott CBS news has never been louder, a resounding message to not grant credibility to those who so egregiously manipulate the truth. The American people are wise to these tactics, and as their frustration mounts, so too does the media’s decline into irrelevance.