On Wednesday's CNN Newsroom, University of Maryland Professor Mark Feldstein channeled Michael Moore and Jon Stewart's take on the Brian Williams scandal. The former CNN journalist acknowledged that Williams likely wouldn't recover the "traditional credibility that he had as a news anchor," but later fell into the same Bush bashing as the left-wing personalities: "Is it as bad a scandal as telling lies about the Iraq War to get us into it, as the Bush administration did? No. But in journalistic circles, telling a lie is the cardinal sin – and it should be." [video below]
Anchors Kate Bolduan and John Berman brought on Feldstein and correspondent Brian Stelter for a segment on Williams's six-month suspension from NBC News. Bolduan introduced the former journalist as "professor of broadcast journalism at the University of Maryland," and added, "It's great to see you. It's been a while." However, she never mentioned that her guest used to work for CNN.
Midway through the discussion, Bolduan contended that "some folks might think six months...without pay is a harsh penalty. But others...would say, if you're of that level; if you are the face of NBC Nightly News...or any other news organization, and if...this is multiple instances which they're investigating...folks would be canned." Feldstein responded with his shot at former President Bush and his administration:
PROF. MARK FELDSTEIN, UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND: Well, yeah – and frankly, all three of you would be canned – and rightly so – as I would I, if you engaged in the kinds of fabulations that he's admitted to, and that NBC is investigating.
You know, truth matters. Trust matters. I realize that's kind of an old-fashioned view in an era of 'truthiness.' I realize that celebrity values matter in television. But when it comes right down to it, people watch the news to get information, as well as entertainment. And if you can't trust the person who's delivering the news, there's a price to be paid for it.
Is it as bad a scandal as – as telling lies about the Iraq War to get us into it, as the Bush administration did? No. But in journalistic circles, telling a lie is the cardinal sin – and it should be.
Stelter also pointed out that Williams might not return to NBC Nightly News if Lester Holt continues to get good ratings as a substitute anchor:
BRIAN STELTER: ...You know, if you're interviewing a politician, and you're Brian Williams, how can you ask about misstatements or obfuscating the truth given this situation?
Now maybe – maybe, time heals all wounds. Maybe six months is a long enough period of time that people will – you know, in their own way, have a memory lapse, like Brian Williams says he had, and move on. But by then, I have a feeling NBC might be very happy with Lester Holt, or the other people they have fill in.
The ratings just came in, guys, for Tuesday, and Holt really held the numbers very well. Actually, he beat ABC's World News with David Muir. That's something that was notable for NBC; and the very preliminary numbers – they could change, but it's another indication that viewers are not rejecting Brian Williams' fill-in.
Near the end of the segment, Bolduan revealed that she found it difficult to cover the Williams scandal. Stelter and Berman also played up the apparent effect of the issue on the media as a whole:
KATE BOLDUAN: (to John Berman) ...On a personal note, you and I discussed this. I struggled with...covering this story from the very beginning. I was hesitant. I resisted myself, because I would think someone with the stature of Brian Williams deserved the benefit of the doubt. We're in a different place at this moment, obviously, as he's been suspended. But I was also surprised at how many people did not share the view that I had in our industry – that folks were really quick to jump on the bandwagon.
JOHN BERMAN: Look, I've been a fan-
STELTER: Well, it's a tight-knit industry, but it's a cutthroat industry-
BOLDUAN: Well, that's very evident-
STELTER: There's a little bit of that going on. I think there's a lot of sadness in the industry, but there's also disappointment.
BERMAN: Looks bad for the business when someone who is at the top of the business suffers a scandal like this-
BOLDUAN: Good point, John – good point.
Earlier, Stelter speculated about what Williams's possible calculations regarding his suspension:
STELTER: ...Let me play Brian Williams for a moment – let me...go into his mind for a moment, because my sense of his thinking today – he's not at work today, of course. He's suspended. My sense is that he believes he can win people back still. He had a chance to resign. He could have resigned yesterday. He didn't. Instead, he accepted the suspension. He believes he can apologize, and he believes he can win people back. I think that's significant, because a lot of folks at NBC are writing him off, and saying there's no way he can come back. As Mark said, that's a widespread point of view today. But Williams, at least, believes he does have a chance to win people back, to apologize, and earn a second chance.
