Stephen Spruiell at NRO reports that among the new features on CBS's Public Eye blog are a defense of "Sunday Morning" commentator Nancy Giles. Some have asked how she would know about hurricane rescues, given her biography at NancyGiles.com. (And don't miss the "Press Clips" page for TIME critic Richard Corliss agreeing to watch her more now that he sees their politics agree.) In addition to her one-woman shows like "Notes from a Negro Neurotic," she played "girl GI Frankie Bunsen" for three seasons on ABC's "China Beach," as well as "hostile waitress Connie" on the short-lived ABC comedy "Delta" (with Delta Burke). Those shows haven't been on since Clinton was elected president. Her page on the Internet Movie Database is here. Producer Rand Morrison replies:
“We use our Opinion section at Sunday Morning to reflect a spectrum of views, from a variety of commentators, of all political persuasions. Short of them dissembling about who they are, or what they're about, we don't require credentials. They need only be sentient human beings. What we hope for is that these commentaries will be provocative, passionate ... and, ideally, will spur discussion among our viewers about the issues they raise. We have great faith in our audience — and firmly believe that they are interested in hearing many points of view ... even opinions with which they might not agree.
Morrison also claims that CBS fact-checks every commentary. That promise might come back to haunt him. But what was most objectionable about the Giles piece -- that whites in a flood zone would have drawn a much faster federal response -- is pure speculation, and not fact.
