According to View co-host Rosie O'Donnell, the ongoing Brian Williams scandal is an example of why Americans should know that "what you hear on the news is not always the truth." While conservatives have been making that point for decades, the liberal O'Donnell seems to now agree.
While discussing Williams's false claim to have been fired on by an RPG, the host attacked, "I think his credibility is being called into question, not only this instance, but over a series of exaggerations and/or lies or whatever you want to call it." On Thursday, O'Donnell denounced Williams's "blatant" "Lance Armstrong"-esque "lie."
Of course, O'Donnell seemed to think that untrustworthy anchors are a new thing. She cited the very liberal Walter Cronkite as the gold standard of honesty:
ROSIE O'DONNELL: Walter Cronkite, the most trusted man in America, he took off his glasses. He said, "There's no way to win this war. It's an unjust war. And what happened? People took to the streets and the Vietnam War ended. So, you have to really trust the newscasters to bring you the news.
The host came at the issue of media bias from the left, blaming the "corporations." O'Donnell railed, "...The fourth estate is supposed to keep democracy in balance. And what happens? If the corporations, only five corporations, own all of the media, you're only getting a view that enhances their financial bottom line."
O'Donnell ended the segment by suggesting the internet is the only place to find truth. The View co-host, it should be pointed out, is also a 9/11 truther.
A transcript of the February 9 segment is below:
11:09am ET
WHOOPI GOLDBERG: NBC News anchor Brian Williams announced he's going to step down for several days because of the fallout of his false claim of being shot down in Iraq. Now, some of his other reporting, people are taking a close look and he's just cancelled an appearance on Letterman, which isn't that surprising. But, you know, is this the right thing to be doing is to lay low?
NICOLLE WALLACE: You know, I worked in PR And politics. You get involved in how to manage a scandal. I think between it's between Brian Williams and the viewers of his newscast, whether that endures. But I think there's an interesting piece in the New York Times today by David Carr that raises this idea of an outside investigator. I think any organization under crisis or being questioned, the soccer league when there was a big scandal with the international – FIFA, I think is what it was called -- you bring in a former FBI director or some outside body and they're not doing that at this point and I wonder if that wouldn't lend it a little more credibility.
...
ROSIE PEREZ: Stand up, apologize, and move on. I hope that, you know, the man put in a lot of years and it would be terrible that this incident would just wipe away an entire career. And, you know, I'm a forgiving person. You know? He admitted to his mistake and I think it would have been stronger if he said, I lied, I didn't mean to, I'm sorry....
ROSIE O'DONNELL: But you have to trust the news anchors. You know, Walter Cronkite, the most trusted man in America, he took off his glasses. He said, "There's no way to win this war. It's an unjust war. And what happened? People took to the streets and the Vietnam War ended. So, you have to really trust the newscasters to bring you the news. And I think his credibility is being called into question, not only this instance, but over a series of exaggerations and/or lies or whatever you want to call it. And I think it should let people need to know that what you hear on the news is not always the truth.
GOLDBERG: Well, they kinda got that idea, I think. They knew that. You know? You know?
O'DONNELL: I don't know. People seem to believe it if it's on the news or in the paper. But, you know, if you can't trust the guy saying it, I think it's going to be difficult.
GOLDBERG: I think that's why people have such a hard time with the news. That's why people go to the BBC to find out what the news is or the McClair/Lerner Hour [SIC] on PBS. How old am I? Because people really don't trust a lot of folks giving them the news because the news has now become an opinion poll as opposed to the news which is what we grew up. Which is why, you know, Walter Cronkite would very rarely put his two cents in about how he felt. But, you know, for the most part you knew what was happening, you made your assessment. You decided how you feel about it. Now folks say, "The whale ate the people and I just don't think that was a good –" I don't want to hear you talking about that. I just want you to tell me what happened. I don't care how you feel about it.
O'DONNELL: Yeah. You know, it's also because it's corporately owned. It's very different than the news. You know, the fourth estate is supposed to keep democracy in balance. And what happens? If the corporations, only five corporations, own all of the media, you're only getting a view that enhances their financial bottom line.
WALLACE: But here's a great counter to that.
O'DONNELL: Thank you, one person clapped. Appreciate that.
WALLACE: But a great counter weight to that is this is a handful of guys on the helicopter that actually did get shot down that revealed this on social media. They had no money. They're veterans. You guys know how much money veterans make. So, the giant corporations that you talk about met their match in five guys on the internet.
O'DONNELL: Right. That's why net neutrality is so important because it's the only news you're getting.
