CNN Disgraces Journalism With Hit Piece That Tries to Get Melissa Harris-Perry Fired

[babylonsister]

http://www.politicususa.com/2014/01/02/cnn-disgraces-journalism-hit-piece-melissa-harris-perry-fired.html


CNN Disgraces Journalism With Hit Piece That Tries to Get Melissa Harris-Perry Fired
By: Jason Easley
Thursday, January, 2nd, 2014, 12:50 pm


The “new” CNN revealed their true colors today by running a hit piece on Melissa Harris-Perry that is designed to get her fired.

Video of the CNN segment @ link~

CNN claimed that there has been a firestorm of people calling for Melissa Harris-Perry to be fired, but the only evidence they offered was one tweet. The entire segment was a thinly disguised hit job on MSNBC that was intended to pander to the pseudo-Fox News audience that the former cable giant is once again desperately courting.

The CNN piece tied the Harris-Perry flap to Martin Bashir and Alec Baldwin. The point that CNN was trying to drive home was that MSNBC is the home of horrible leftwing extremists. CNN went the full Fox News route, which included the infamous claim that “some people” want Harris-Perry fired. Of course, what the report didn’t say is that CNN itself would like to see the competition that is beating them in the ratings fired too.

CNN’s story was a deplorable piece of television that was intended to pander to the right, and prop up a scandal that is already dead. CNN’s hourlong interview with Glenn Beck last month was the first sign that Jeff Zucker was getting desperate, and ready to swing the network back to being Fox News junior.

The former cable leader is a pathetic shell of itself that is devoid of vision, leadership, and integrity. The fact that Harris-Perry never said what CNN and others are accusing her of saying is irrelevant to the reality challenged Cable News Network. CNN needs ratings, and they are trying to get them with a dishonest attempt to get Melissa Harris-Perry fired.

This is CNN. An absolute disgrace of a network that doesn’t deserve your viewership.

[DonCoquixote]

1. If Ted Turner were dead

He would be spinning in his grave like a steam turbine! Of course, I wonder what he does think about how his idea was "twisted and made at rap for fools" to cop a riff off Kipling.

[ananda]

38. From Kipling's "If," I believe.

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

[DonCoquixote]

46. aye

a very good poem at that, and quite fitting for this.

[Bluzmann57]

2. MHP is not a great journalist

But she should not be fired. Blow it out your virtual ass CNN.

[Larkspur]

6. MHP is a Tulane professor of Political Science, not a journalist by trade

I didn't see the show that aired the brouhaha, but her apology will suffice.

Bashir may have wanted to leave MSNBC if he felt that he wasn't getting support from his bosses. He may not have been technically fired. Who knows, maybe he'll join Aljazeera.

As far as the Duck Dynasty patriarch, someone should have instructed the public that his First Amendment rights were not abridged. He didn't go to jail for what he said. A&E is not an arm of the US Government. However, I support a discussion of what he said in the public square and maybe A&E can add an episode or more where Phil has to work with a gay guy or lesbian on his show and have a discussion with African Americans, like Rep John Lewis, who were part of the Civil Rights Movement.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

28. She's not a journalist. Like me, she's a political science professor. She is a commentator.

[Bluzmann57]

67. Ok

Your point is?
I usually enjoy her commentary and her viewpoints. She isn't perfect but who among us is?

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

75. That was my point. You called her a journalist. She is not. And she is not perfect, either.

I didn't say she was.

[Nightjock]

36. Agree 100%

MHP has her moments but she's not great.
(plus I despise how she dances going in to commercials. I cringe every time)
...And I also agree for CNN blowing it out their ass.
How that network has fallen is a shame.

[Stellar]

62. "plus I despise how she dances going in to commercials."

LMAO...to me it's just a light moment she has doing which time she has some pretty cool music playing. What's wrong with that?

[liberal from boston]

71. MHP

The whole segment should have been shown. The panelists were joking about 4 photos of President Obama, & the last photo was the Romney photo. This is much ado about nothing & Melissa Harris Perry should not apologize for calling the photo cute & the baby gorgeous. I just read Mitt will be on Fox News I think Sunday. I posted a link of the whole segment: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/msnbc-kieran-romney-melissa-harris-perry

[Chakab]

3. She's toast. Whenever these "controversies" happen with liberals. Nobody lets it go until

the liberal is forced to resign from whatever position that they hold. Conservatives, on the other hand, have people crawling out of the woodwork to defend their "freedom of speech."

Don Lemon, who's quickly becoming one of my least favorite media personalities, went on the air to defend Phil Robertson's right to say whatever he wanted without losing any income as result in spite of the fact that Lemon is both gay and black himself. I saw a clip of that fucking imbecile yesterday viciously attacking Harris-Perry and MSNBC for supposedly being intolerant of opposing viewpoints.

This whole thing is fucking ridiculous. Didn't the "news" media used to report real news instead of jumping from one manufactured scandal to the next?

[ificandream]

19. I hate to say she's toast, but I think you're right

The right wing loonies will bark and bark and bark until MHP is gone. Just to prove they can do it. And I haven't seen the report mentioned in the OP, but if that's true, CNN is becoming another Faux News, which needs to keep telling their viewers they're fair and balanced. I guess a lie told often enough is the truth.

[Hestia]

72. You know, in lieu of sending internet petitions, I think we need a simple STFU sent

en masse to the buffoonery of the day. It could be voted on up or day. Under STFU For the Day - what was said or written, clearly, and you can choose to send or not. Just a simple STFU sent 100,000 - 350,000 - 500,000 times is gonna get some attention. No whining, begging or pleading. Just STFU under an auto subject and position, again stated clearly.

[erpowers]

35. So Much For Free Speech

Even though I do not think she is toast it does make me say so much for free speech. I agree with you that this is ridiculous. From the beginning I have believed this whole thing was faux Republican outrage. Republicans needed a racism scandal on the left and they pounced on this.

I do not know how you feel about her apology, but I wish she had not apologized. I did not think she, or her guests had done anything wrong. I guess she and her guest a felt the best way to end this thing was to send out apologies.

[Chakab]

43. I totally agree with you RE MHP's apology.

It made the entire thing worse. She played into the false equivalency canard and actually validated all of the faux outrage in the minds of the casual observer who's likely to believe that "both sides do it."

[Raine]

60. The left never gets behind their people the way the righties do theirs

maybe if the left would have the backs of people like Bashir and MHP they wouldn't be driven off the air.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

76. Look at how people are trashing MHP in this very thread. It's sad.

[Cha]

4. I wish she wouldn't even have gone there

with mitt f******Romney(I bet she does too).. but, no fucking way should she be fired.

[whathehell]

5. What did she say and/or what did she supposedly say?

I like MHP but haven't heard anything about this

[Cha]

7. Apparently she was comparing mitt's family picture

with the adopted black grandchild to the republicon party. Not funny, imo. That idiot is toxic.. do not give them any platform to whine.

[Packerowner740]

8. They should just slip from public view into obscurity.

Her doing that piece just keeps them in the news.

[Cha]

17. Zactly, Packer..

[Vashta Nerada]

30. MHP didn't say anything negative.

It was her guests.

Video here:

People need to quit spreading misinformation about the video.

[Cha]

47. Sorry, I saw that post from "brush" and was going

to come back and apologize because I had to dash just then!

Thank you for setting us straight, VN!

[brush]

9. MHP wasn't even the one who made the "controversial" remark

Since you didn't see the show, there was no mocking, no mean spiritedness towards the child. A family photo of the Romney clan was shown with Mittens holding his black, adopted grandson while surrounded by the rest of his huge family. A joke by one of the guests was made as the photo reminded him about repug "whiteness", which is kinda true since that party is 95% white and seeming to like it that way.

This whole thing is a manufactured crisis that will pass. MSNBC has to know that firing MHP on top of the Bashir firing will drive away many viewers, including this one.

She'll survive this because there's nothing to the "crisis" as it's all on tape for anyone to see.

[Cha]

48. Thank you for the Reality, brush! I got it wrong and apologize!

[brush]

54. No problem, Cha . . .

you've got plenty of good, informative stuff in the post bank. I follow you all the time.

[Cha]

55. Thank you so much, brush.. I read

your post right before I just had to dash and it bothered me the whole time I was gone. Couldn't wait to say how Wrong I was!

Happy Healthy New Year to you and yours~

[MsPithy]

12. MHP was hosting a panel of COMEDIANS

who were captioning year-end photos.

I blame her for apologizing at all. I must have missed Dick Dynasty's apology. Anybody got a link to that?

[whathehell]

37. It seems an awkward remark, but the Right is guilty of far worse, so it's typical RW hypocrisy.

I doubt they'd give a flying crap were it not about Mittens

[demigoddess]

42. mostly they were oohing and aaahing over the cute baby

and then threw in a joke. I don't see the horribleness of any of it.

[Cha]

49. I got it wrong.. DUers have set me straight.. I apologize for

mucking it up, whatthehell! Jeeze.. it wasn't even her.. damn c fuckingnn

[whathehell]

50. No problem, Cha...We all get it wrong from time to time..

Back atcha....

[Cha]

53. Yeah, as long as we acknowledge and

say "we're sorry".. no harm no foul

[whathehell]

57. Sure, or as Rocky Balboa would say..

Absa-LOOT-ly!

[sheshe2]

11. I totally agree with you, Cha. nt

[Cha]

20. Hey she!

[ladym55]

10. MHP offers discussions WITH diverse viewpoints

I'm sick of non-stop faux outrage on the right. They are just constantly in a vapor over some "slight."

HOWEVER, it's OKAY for them with their First Amendment rights to bash gays and praise Jim Crow (hi, Duck Dynasty dude), put crosshairs over the faces of legislators .... like Gabby Giffords not long before she was shot (hi, Sarah Pallin), or screech constantly about "Tiller the baby killer" (hi, Bill). THAT'S protected free speech!!!!!!!!!

Only when we stop giving in to right-wing BS will it stop. Shame on CNN.

[Dawson Leery]

13. Everything you said.

[The Wizard]

33. Republicans are well versed and rehearsed

professional victims.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

14. Firing people over speech, even dumb speech, diminishes all free speech.

I don't know if CNN is trying to get her fired but they certainly do seem to be taking advantage of the sudden outbreak of foot-in-mouth disease sweeping through MSNBC.

[rhett o rick]

15. I believe that you will see the networks get more and more bold with their support

of the oligarchy. What's to stop them?

[deutsey]

16. I found this interesting dichotomy in headlines from the CS Monitor

Melissa Harris-Perry apologizes for Romney grandchild jokes: Sincere?

In the Recent Posts section to the left:

11.27.13
Lara Logan of '60 Minutes' put on leave. Is she a scapegoat?

[Jamaal510]

18. Anyone really surprised by this?

MSNBC is one of CNN's chief rivals in ratings, so of course they're going to capitalize on this non-issue in order to get one of their more popular hosts off the air. Plus, there is an old rule of thumb when it comes to free speech:
[IMG][/IMG]

[Ccarmona]

21. OK It's Time

to tell these charlatans to FUCK OFF!!
We on the Left need to stand up for justice and to the right wing media machine that are hell-bent on silencing all of us.

[Hestia]

73. See post #71 #72 ?

[Tarheel_Dem]

23. They won't let up until she's gone. It's sad, because she's the only one I watch regularly.

[kydo]

24. You mean someone still watches CNN

Who in their right mind even bothers with cnn anymore or that other joke headline news, do they even show the news? I remember back in the day when they actually did. It was all before 2000, since then they have become crap and really smelly crap at that. Almost as smelly as the King of News Crap the fake right wing news channel fox. But if you want news, real news not much opinion just facts Al Jazeera America fits that bill really good.

I will happily continue to watch The Melissa Harris-Perry Show on the weekends, it beats the poop out of what the other news opinion shows offer on weekends.

[FairWinds]

25. Harris-Perry Really Does Owe An Apology . .

to Tavis Smiley and Cornell West. She attacked their personal characters on the air
after they had the audacity to criticize Obama.

[MsPithy]

56. ...and, what she said about Snowden was idiotic.

What she, and the panel of comedians, said about the Romney adopted grandchild was totally innocuous. To apologize for it is demeaning to everyone who is hurt by real racist, bigoted, misogynist, homophobic, etc. comments by the racist/religious zealot/conservative republicans.

[mtasselin]

26. Cowards

The news media in this country has turned into a bunch of cowards. They all seem to want to be like the fake news network, look at what has happened to CBS news, 60 minutes and now MSNBC how they treated Martin and now Melissa Perry, can't forget how Meet the Press has gone right into the shitter with Gregory, can't even watch it anymore. Thank God for Free Speech TV, it is getting stronger everyday with it's news and line up, with Stephanie Miller starting on January 6th. The rest can go straight to hell.

[spin]

27. She made a sincere apology. That's enough for me. ...

Melissa Harris-Perry apologized Tuesday for a controversial segment on her show about Mitt Romney's adopted grandson, Kieran, who is black.

***snip***

"I am sorry. Without reservation or qualification. I apologize to the Romney family. I work by guiding principle that those who offend do not have the right to tell those they hurt that they [are] wrong for hurting. Therefore, while I meant no offense, I want to immediately apologize to the Romney family for hurting them. As black child born into large white Mormon family I feel familiarity w/ Romney family pic & never meant to suggest otherwise. I apologize to all families built on loving transracial adoptions who feel I degraded their lives or choices."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/31/melissa-harris-perry-apology-romney-grandchild_n_4523545.html

[W.J. McCabe]

29. What is...

CNN?

[Spitfire of ATJ]

31. Fuck CNN and their "both sides do it!" crap....

They don't care about the news.

They care about ratings.

Pssst: Hey, CNN,....guess what? The FOX "News" viewers will still call you the "Communist News Network" no matter HOW many reach arounds you do to Glenn Beck.

[Boomerproud]

44. Bullseye.

n/t

[The Wizard]

32. CNN is totally mismanaged

They lurched right with the advent of Pox News in order to get back some of the audience lost to Pox. They failed to understand that the audience that went to Pox was lost for good. In doping Pox light the alienated many normal people and lost them too. CNN is the dingle berry of broadcast news and Pox is the hemorrhoid.

[SoCalDem]

34. When you juggle grenades, sometimes one goes off

MHP is the ONLY "mainstream-ish" host that regularly tackles racial issues. Al Sharpton does it too, but as an activist, he gets little real scrutiny . MHP approaches it differently. The accent on "humor" was where that segment went wrong. She said nothing wrong, but her guests (brought on for their humor) blew up a grenade..and she got hit with the shrapnel.

What is sad, is that in the shadow of the Bashir episode...and with the not-so-recent episodes with Ed and Tweety, MSNBC has set a precedent for punsishment. The public flogging only serves to stifle further discussion of edgy subjects.

The recent "win" over the Duck people has only emboldened the right wingers, and they will not let anything pass..

I wish that ALL the MSNBC hosts would have sworn off the end-of-the-year frivolity, and had used their many-times-repeated shows for the two week "no-news" zone, to make a few hard-hitting documentaries about poverty, inequality and anything of substance that might have been viewed by people looking to escape football and reruns..

[Hestia]

74. Actually, it was a spot on comment and there is nothing to apologize for, from the guy

who said the innocuous comment (The pictures does look like the republican party, which, hmm...Mittens paid to represent in 2012) to MHP - shame on her kowtowing to her 1% corporate overlords but I am sure she wants to keep her job.

[Blue Owl]

39. Petty bullshit

But then, what would you expect from that POS "network?"

[hvn_nbr_2]

40. CNN, the most trusted name in Faux imitators. nt

[Jerry442]

41. I doubt very much this is really about MHP or her show.

It's probably more likely the beginning of a full-court press to discredit liberalism and liberal voices throughout the campaign season of 2014 to help the R's keep control of the House in the mid-term elections.

[jwirr]

45. I quite watching CNN many years ago. This is not reason to start again. I do not watch MHP

either but it is more because I cannot tape all the programs I would like to watch and set up all night after the children go to bed and watch all of them.

[openfield]

51. At this point in our corportocracy

Most political "news" is theater. Theater designed to placate the masses, in a countrywide sort of hypnosis. Best to watch as little as possible, and always take it with huge grain of salt.

[Thinkingabout]

52. When FOX fires the one who declared Santa is white then fires many others who throws the truth

To the wind, maybe there can be a discussion but not until

[neverforget]

58. CNN is trying to knock the competition down

a notch because CNN sucks.

[polynomial]

59. CNN is trashed by the right

Just the other day was listening to the Dennis Miller hate radio show in Chicago. Got the tail end of the show but someone was sitting in for Dennis. Actually pretty good and slamming CNN as a news media that is out of step with national news.

From my view that was so funny because the whole of right wing hate radio has convoluted themselves into oblivion of contradictions. Especially a government that is shutting down or implementing a Sequester that is mandatory to cut jobs all the while to cut unemployment benefits is so ridiculous and pathetic how could anyone present an argument to vote for such a history of the Republican Party. It’s insane.

In my view in that short clip, at the end, MHP begged the question which can go on and on, “was that racist?” Suggesting one Black kid adopted in a picture with a dozen or more white kids. I don’t have cable but when I saw it, to me it was an incredible display of honest fun loving hubris, such happy arrogance, a displacement of real time and space that Einstein would be proud of to know that thoughts can be bent like light metaphysical pictured metadata like that transcends into giggles laughter chuckles snickers snoots and hoots of bigotry.

[Vinca]

61. I've never been a fan of MHP, but in the world of punditry, this was small potatoes.

If it had been said on the right, it would be considered polite conversation.

[alato]

63. it should be repeated

someone should shit in Sarah Palin's mouth

[MrScorpio]

64. Much a do about right wing bullshit

That's all this is

[adavid]

65. Absolute rubbish, as

it was the 3 comedians who said the "controversial" things.

[2banon]

66. Why should anyone care? All these so called News Networks are all tools. n/t

[polichick]

68. CNN has been a disgrace to journalism at least since its drumbeat to...

Bush's fake war. Haven't watched it since then - might as well watch that other faux news network.

[nolabear]

69. Since MHP's show will probably air for the first time since the brouhaha tomorrow morning

I'd advocate for some support in whatever "verse" you go to - Twitter, CNN site, FB Page, (MHP and MHP MSNBC), whatever.

Melissa is unlike any other commentator in that in her weekend show she concentrates largely on the African American experience in America, with an eye toward education, culture and discussion. She doesn't rage and she does indeed show some humor and grace when much of media on both sides has a large proportion of hissy fit throwing. Not to support her would be to throw a smart, forward-thinking woman to the RW wolves. She doesn't deserve that, and neither do we. Let's work to keep the Phil Robertsons from defining television.

[Packerowner740]

70. These "let's get the journalist fired" are really getting tiresome

These journalists trying to get other journalists fired are just going to have it cone back on them.

Karma