Oh great, right wing is trying to DENY that Neil Heslin was heckled!

[alp227]

I noticed that NewsBusters has been howling over Martin Bashir and MSNBC presenting video of Neil Heslin, father of a Sandy Hook shooting victim. Why? According to one NewsBuster:

For the third time in the past year, NBC News has been caught selectively editing video for political gain, with the most recent instance coming on the Monday, January 28 Martin Bashir program. Bashir ran heavily edited video showing Neil Helsin, whose 6-year-old son was killed in the Newtown shooting, appearing to be heckled by audience members during a legislative hearing on gun control. The chorus of criticism from media critics on the right and left forced MSNBC to backtrack, but not apologize.

Those other instances of editing the author refers to: the George Zimmerman 911 call (which jumped to "he looks black" omitting the prompting question by 911 operator) and video of Romney at the Wawa sandwich shop.

NB publisher and Media Research Center president Brent Bozell makes his case:

In reality, Heslin was not heckled. He posed a challenge to the audience, and the audience responded. The MSNBC version deliberately cut out Heslin’s challenge to make it appear as though he was interrupted by heckling gun advocates.

Then goes on: "MSNBC’s relentless anti-gun advocacy is bad enough, but this is downright dishonest. Time and time again NBC News has demonstrated why the American people can’t trust a single thing they say."

I watched the full video for myself, jump to the 13:00 mark:

But Bozell never points out that one of the senators overseeing the hearing tells the audience, "Please no comments while Mr. Heslin is speaking." Bozell doesn't explain what's wrong with calling a violation of etiquette what it is. As ConWebWatch explains about Bozell's Media Research Center: "The Media Research Center, historically, has been less about media research and more about advancing Republican talking points."

And given the general etiquette that audiences at public legislative hearings should zip it, Bozell and his shills are MISSING THE POINT of Heslin's rhetorical question where he asked "who needs high capacity clips etc" then silence (AS SHOULD BE EXPECTED IN SUCH A SETTING) then "no one in the room can answer". But oh well. They're too busy fronting for the gun industry and raising $ for the NRA to understand.

Furthermore, wouldn't Bozell be screaming "HECKLERS! HECKLERS!" if activists from such an org as Code Pink reacted similarly to a conservative witness at a legislative hearing?

HA HA HA! What a PATHETIC case!

Not just Newsbusters. Also Lee Doren, of the channel "HowTheWorldWorks":

I think that video was a response to the Young Turks video about the incident (and Cenk has debated Doren several times, search their names on YouTube)

[elleng]

1. Others here agree with me

that he was not, in fact, 'heckled.' Mr. Heslin asked a question of the audience, and some attempted to answer him. Maybe he shouldn't have done so, as Chair didn't want audience participation, but he did, and some attempted to respond.

To heckle: to interrupt (a public speaker) with derisive or aggressive comments or abuse

[alp227]

3. Indeed they do

As in this (now locked) thread http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022283082

Still doesn't change the "one mic" rule of American legislative hearings (but watch video of the British Parliament...a whoooole different story!)

But I wonder. I understand why such a hearing would attract audience of varying political views. But the pro gun people I believe wanted to intimidate Heslin with the words "second amendment" and must have been disappointed to see Heslin keep his cool rather than fall for troll bait.

[bama_blue_dot]

4. I agree with you..

He really wasn't "heckled"..

[elleng]

9. Thanks

[dsc]

5. they broke the rules

bottom line. They had no business whatsoever speaking, they knew that, and did it anyway. It is archtypical of their all rights no responsibility credo. Nothing is ever their fault.

[elleng]

8. They may have broken the rules of the forum,

and the witness may have been out of line in asking this question, which may have been intended to be rhetorical. He may or may not have expected a response. However those interested in the issue took the opportunity, after a moment of silence, to respond, and the Chair silenced them, in accordance with the rules.

This was not, imo, a big deal, and I'm sorry some have tried to make it one. I do not think they 'interrupted (a public speaker) with derisive or aggressive comments or abuse,' which is the definition of heckle.

[Dawson Leery]

2. Another libertarian who just sits on the right side of the aisle.

http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Lee_Doren



He begs for donations too.

[alp227]

6. LOL, another DUer reading Rationalwiki? Yippee! And Doren is an e-beggar.

[Dawson Leery]

7. One of the main reasons the libertarian movement

never got off the ground is their de facto allegiance towards the political right/Republican party.

For them, "freedom" = money.

[Zoeisright]

10. I see. So they were trying to make him feel better?

My god, the stupidity and complete idiocy of repukes never ever ends.