MSNBC's Morning Joe on Tuesday finally mentioned the controversy over the misleading edits in Katie Couric's recent documentary, Under the Gun. Joe Scarborough blasted the production as "one of the most stunning things I've ever seen...just a complete hit job on a group of Americans." The host prompted his panel for their take on the "purposely biased" documentary. The Washington Post's Eugene Robinson and Chris Cillizza revealed they hadn't seen the relevant segment, but still condemned the edits. [video below]
Scarborough began the discussion of the issue by pointing out the New York Post's Tuesday item, "Yahoo stunned by Couric mess," which quoted unnamed "company insiders" that spoke of an "emergency meeting of senior executives [that] was rapidly convened after it emerged that eight seconds of silence had been added to an interview in her [Couric's] documentary." Correspondent Oli Coleman noted that even after the meeting, "Yahoo didn't launch a formal investigation into why their 'global anchor' ended up having to publicly apologize for the misleading footage."
After the MSNBC host dropped his "hit job" label of the documentary, Morning Joe regular Willie Geist outlined that "Couric initially came out and said she stands by the movie. But then, she came out with a long apology after having seeing what the edit was....Unfortunately, for the director of the film, the full tape was produced by this group that showed them giving long, well-thought-out, ten-minute response to the question."
Scarborough then went around to his panelists for their reaction. MSNBC's Mark Halperin simply admitted, "I haven't seen the clip, but I've read about it." Robinson gave the same response as Halperin, but added, "It sounds like the kind of thing that you don't do journalistically. I mean, you simply don't edit things to make them misleading." Cillizza replied, in part, that "this is exactly what we don't need. I mean, this is the exact kind of thing that convinces people who support gun rights that the other side is, sort of, plotting against them."
Chuck Todd disclosed that he had seen the "controversial part of the clip," but not "the whole documentary." He continued that "if you're a part of something like this, I can tell you: when I deal with certain issues that I know are polarizing on the left or the right...you look at it seven times; eight times; nine times. You just thoroughly scrub it, because you don't want something small to take away, if you've got a larger point to make." Scarborough retorted, "This wasn't small. You all need to see it. It's one of the most shocking things I've ever seen in my life. It was so purposely biased."
Mika Brzezinski then underlined that "it's not just the producer. It was everybody who put together the documentary." Geist ended the discussion by spotlighting that "the problem, too, is this was presented — this documentary — as an even-handed look.....Finally, we're going to have an open, even-handed conversation about guns. And, as Chuck said, this one piece just undermines all of that."
The transcript of the relevant portion of the panel discussion segment from the June 7, 2016 edition of MSNBC's Morning Joe:
JOE SCARBOROUGH: So there's this story on the top of Page Six [of the New York Post], which we haven't talked about: 'Yahoo stunned by Couric mess.' And there's a story in here about this producer — have you all seen this — this gun deal — where this the producer completely cut out all these questions to gun owners, and just makes them look like bumbling idiots? I've got to say—
WILLIE GEIST (off-camera): Cuts out their responses—
SCARBOROUGH: Their responses — where, you know, if — if — what was it about — background checks or something? You know, what would happen — and it just showed shots of them looking stupid — just sitting there, like wow!
MIKA BRZEZINSKI: With dramatic music—
SCARBOROUGH: We really stumped them with that question for about ten seconds. And it ended up that they were smart enough to actually record the whole thing; and they all had very quick, eloquent responses—
BRZEZINSKI: Without a pause or music—
SCARBOROUGH: And now, apparently, it's — it's apparently this producer that inserted this in the Yahoo documentary — has anybody seen this, other than Mika and me?
GEIST: I've seen the clip of it — sure. Yeah—
BRZEZINSKI: I've seen it and I've heard the audio—
SCARBOROUGH: It's stunning, isn't it? It's one of the most stunning things I've ever seen, as far as a — just a complete — complete hit job on a group of Americans — just stunning.
GEIST: Yeah. Katie Couric initially came out and said she stands by the movie. But then, she came out with a long apology after having seeing what the edit was. But you're right: it's a — she asked a question, then there's, I think, an eight or nine-second pause where it's just shots of this audience of gun rights advocates looking like they were stumped by the question—
BRZEZINSKI: Cut to a gun—
GEIST: Unfortunately, for the director of the film, the full tape was produced by this group that showed them giving long, well-thought-out, ten-minute response to the question—
KASIE HUNT: Examples of how to prevent guns from falling into the hands of felons — which was the initial question—
BRZEZINSKI: Well, and also, the answers were about the rights of gun owners. If you've served your duty — served your time in society, you should have the same rights as everybody else. I mean, there are legitimate arguments in the debate over background checks and gun ownership.
[MSNBC Graphic: "Director's Cut: Documentary Under Scrutiny"]
SCARBOROUGH: Yeah. Did you see it?
MARK HALPERIN, MANAGING EDITOR, BLOOMBERG POLITICS: I haven't seen the clip, but I've read about it.
SCARBOROUGH: Oh, it's stunning. How about you guys?
BRZEZINSKI: Gene?
EUGENE ROBINSON, THE WASHINGTON POST: Yeah. I've — I've read about it, Joe. I haven't seen the clip. But it sounds like the kind of thing—
SCARBOROUGH: It's staggering—
ROBINSON: That you don't do journalistically. I mean—
SCARBOROUGH: Shocking — Chris, have you guys seen it?
ROBINSON: You simply don't edit things to make them misleading—
CHRIS CILLIZZA, THE WASHINGTON POST: Haven't seen — but I'll say, this is exactly what we don't need. I mean, this is the exact kind of thing that convinces people who support gun rights that the other side is, sort of, plotting against them. You know — I mean, this is — the good will goes right down the toilet, when you're trying to have a conversation—
SCARBOROUGH: Yeah. Chuck — Chuck, have you seen it?
CHUCK TODD, NBC NEWS POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Only the clip and the controversial part of the clip — I didn't — I have not watched the whole documentary. But I don't — of all issues, if you're a part of something like this, I can tell you: when I deal with certain issues that I know are polarizing on the left or the right — right? That are just — fire somebody up — you look at it seven times; eight times; nine times. You just thoroughly scrub it, because you don't want something small to take away, if you've got a larger point to make.
SCARBOROUGH: Well, this — this producer, I guess — this wasn't small. You all need to see it. It's one of the most shocking things I've ever seen in my life. It was so purposely biased—
BRZEZINSKI: It's not just the producer. It was everybody who put together the documentary — because the process, as you know, is a collective process, where everybody works together and dukes out — you know, and kind of makes sure it's fair. It's not just one person. That's never — always blame the producer—
GEIST: Documentaries have to be factual.
SCARBOROUGH: Yeah, they do. Alex, if you can, get the clips. We'll play them later in the show. People will be stunned by it.
GEIST: The problem, too, is this was presented — this documentary — as an even-handed look—
BRZEZINSKI: I know!
GEIST: Finally, we're going to have an open, even-handed conversation about guns. And, as Chuck said, this one piece just undermines all of that.
