A Contradiction In Terms : Chuck Todd s Inadvertent Journalism JONATHAN TURLEY
Such partisan advocacy and attacks are now celebrated in many circles as the coverage devolves into a modern form of yellow journalism. The bias has been positively stifling with unrelentingly negative spins and distorted analysis. The only consistent element is the narrative from a media that seems uniformly on script in coverage. What remains is a smug cynicism reflected in the Todd segment, which NBC later shrugged off as inadvertently and inaccurately edited. The edit was made in obvious use to support Todd s attack. Moreover, Todd s question was premised on his having watched the interview so he knew that it was taken out of context. It was in other words premeditated to fit Todd s narrative. The fact is that some in the media would prefer to distort the facts (and, in the Flynn case, even embrace prosecutorial misconduct) if it advances what has become movement journalism.
I have often criticized President Trump in columns and on this blog. Yet, even raising such clear violations of journalistic values is treated as sacrilegious in today s mainstream media. There is an insatiable appetite for distorted legal analysis and a corresponding intolerance for any dissenting views. The Todd segment was another hit job that misrepresented facts to feed the demand of echo journalism.
This is Jonathan Turley. He’s right enough. I wonder whether Todd is just a bad man or is he more, a sign of the times. It’s a danger to overthink things you know.