Appearing on Wednesday’s America’s Election HQ on FNC, the senior editor of US Weekly, Bradley Jacobs, defended the magazines recent cover, which showed a picture of Sarah Palin and the headline ‘Babies, Lies and Scandal,’ by explaining that: "Actually, the lies that we point out are some of the liberal bloggers who were speculating that the daughter was actually -- had given birth, that there was a coverup there. We're one of the few magazines that actually did call to task those liberal bloggers for the news stories over the weekend."
A skeptical Megyn Kelly responded to that claim by asking: "Bradley, do you think the cover in any way suggests to the viewer who's looking at your magazine while standing there in the grocery store that the lies are lies about Sarah Palin, by her attackers?" Jacobs replied: "I don't think we can talk about all that here. It is -- we've gotten a lot of press today, but a lot of people haven't read this story. You may disagree but it is a fairly...It's a very balanced story. We interview strategists on both sides."
Finally, Kelly was fed up with Jacobs excuses for the unfair headline and article:
JACOBS: Ok, we're missing the point here. This is a big news story that everyone was talking about. It is a very measured story. You are just pointing out the few things in it that you are dissatisfied with. But this was a-
KELLY: Bradley, I -- what I'm satisfied with is fair and balanced reporting where you tell the whole story. You make one accusation, then you tell what the other side is saying. You give context for allegations rather that throwing things out that are incendiary.
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Here is the full transcript of the segment:
5:52PM SEGMENT:
MEGYN KELLY: Well, Us Weekly, the magazine, is under some serious fire today for its new cover. The headline grabber 'Babies, Lies and Scandal' is what's causing all the stir. The story, not only focusing on Sarah Palin, but also on the governor's 17-year-old pregnant daughter. It got a lot of attention. So did it cross a line? Here with us now, Bradley Jacobs, the Senior editor for Us Weekly. Hi, Bradley.
BRADLEY JACOBS: Afternoon.
KELLY: Alright, so the problem that a lot of folks have about this, and I have to tell you, we've gotten tons of e-mail over this, is that -- that the headline in and of itself, we'll start with this, sounds like an attack: 'Babies, Lies and Scandal.' What are the lies?
JACOBS: Actually it's -- if you read the story, you will see it is actually very measured. It's a very even-keeled-
KELLY: I read the story. What are the lies?
JACOBS: Actually, the lies that we point out are some of the liberal bloggers who were speculating that the daughter was actually -- had given birth, that there was a coverup there. We're one of the few magazines that actually did call to task those liberal bloggers for the news stories over the weekend.
KELLY: Bradley, do you think the cover in any way suggests to the viewer who's looking at your magazine while standing there in the grocery store that the lies are lies about Sarah Palin, by her attackers?
JACOBS: I don't think we can talk about all that here. It is -- we've gotten a lot of press today, but a lot of people haven't read this story. You may disagree but it is a fairly-
KELLY: I've read the story.
JACOBS: It's a very balanced story. We interview strategists on both sides. We interview-
KELLY: Bradley-
JACOBS: -Sarah Palin's deputy-
KELLY: Bradley it's-
JACOBS: Yes.
KELLY: Okay, you say -- first of all, you point out her husband Todd's DUI arrest. Do you point out that it -- that that DUI arrest came 22 years ago, in 1986?
JACOBS: Of course. The DUI arrest was everywhere.
KELLY: No, you don't. No you don't. You don't Bradley, that's not in there. Do you -- you mention an official, you mention so-called trooper-gate, talking about, and I'm quoting from your article, 'an official who refused -- she's under investigation for dismissing an official who refused to fire her sister's state trooper ex-husband.' Do you point out the allegations that that trooper, she allegedly wanted fired, tasered his own stepson, who was only ten and made death threats against Sarah Palin's father. Do you mention that in the article?
JACOBS: We didn't have time to get into everything that you've mentioned. This story was breaking over the weekend. Everyone was talking about it and US magazine has a very distinctive voice and we cover the news.
KELLY: Do you mention the fact -- you've mentioned her, quote, 'involvement with the Alaska Independence Party, a group that wants Alaska to secede from the Union.' Do you mention the fact that the McCain campaign has denied that and even Alaska state officials have denied that and said that's a lie?
JACOBS: Ok, we're missing the point here. This is a big news story that everyone was talking about. It is a very measured story. You are just pointing out the few things in it that you are dissatisfied with. But this was a-
KELLY: Bradley, I -- what I'm satisfied with is fair and balanced reporting where you tell the whole story. You make one accusation, then you tell what the other side is saying. You give context for allegations rather that throwing things out that are incendiary.
JACOBS: It's very balanced. You're not -- you're not mentioning the fact that we talked to friends of the Palin family, we talked to students who go to school with Bristol, we talked with Sarah Palin's deputy mayor. We talked to Republican strategists and Democratic strategists
KELLY: So because one part of the report is fair in your view, the other unfair reports are excused. I've got to leave it at that, because we're out of time and I wish we could've given this more full discussion.
JACOBS: Well, I disagree and I hope your readers will actually read the story for themselves and make up their own mind.
KELLY: I will -- I will leave it at that. Good final word. Bradley, thanks so much.
