In a staggering example of the press lacking any self-awareness, on Monday’s NBC Today, co-host Savannah Guthrie fretted over “a recent poll that said nearly half of people think the media make up stories” and unbelievably turned to disgraced former CBS Evening News anchor Dan Rather to suggest ways in which the news media could “enhance its own credibility.”
Citing a Politico poll from October that found 46 percent of voters “believe the news media fabricate news stories about President Donald Trump and his administration,” Guthrie asked Rather: “The media itself is under fire. And what do you think the media needs to do better to enhance its own credibility? And what do people need to understand about the value of the press?”
The ex-network anchor, who was fired for using fraudulent documents to smear former President George W. Bush in a series of reports ahead of the 2004 election, was shameless as he replied to Guthrie’s softball: “Well, first, those of us who are in the media....we need to do a better job, we need to do our job. Our job is to bear witness, to be honest brokers of information. To be as accurate and fair as we possibly can.”
He then went on the attack against the country’s most vocal media critic:
I think most of the public understands that we’re under attack by very powerful people, including the President, for their own partisan, political, and ideological reasons. They want people – they’re basically saying, “Believe us, believe only your president and believe only the people who are in power. Don’t believe these people out in the press.”
And what about Rather’s “partisan, political, and ideological reasons” for promoting a phony attack against a sitting Republican president in order to influence an election?
Amazingly, Guthrie never even mentioned Rather’s infamous exit from CBS News. It was the newsman himself who vaguely alluded to his controversial past: “...heavens knows I’ve made my mistakes, have my open wounds from some self-inflicted wounds...”
Rather was on the morning show to promote his new book, What Unites Us, and ended the exchange on this note: “So if we just can keep emphasizing those things about which we agree, keep a civil conversation, I think we’re going to be alright. I’m an optimist by experience and by nature.” Guthrie gushed: “Absolutely, I’m an optimist, too. And the book is right on that tone.”
Here are just a few examples of Rather promoting “civil conversation” over the past year:
Dan Rather’s Grave Diagnosis: President Trump 'Psychologically Troubled'
Lunacy: Dan Rather Claims ‘Prayer Will Not Be Enough’ to Save Us from Trump’s Evils
Dan Rather: Don’t Be Distracted By Trump’s ‘Trained Monkey’ Act
Rather: White House ‘Flames’ ‘Burning Down’ ‘Very Pillars of Our Democracy’
Disgraced Dan Rather: Those Who ‘Normalize’ Trump Will Answer to the Future
Reality-Denier Rather Blasts Conservatives as 'Reality Deniers'
Rather was also treated to fawning promotion of his book on NPR’s All Things Considered Friday night, where the liberal hosts applauded him for entering a “new phase” in his career.
The biased exchange with Rather on the Today show was brought to viewers by Brighthouse Financial and Dunkin Donuts.
Here is a excerpt of the November 6 interview:
8:36 AM ET
(...)
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: Our institutions aren’t perfect, of course. No one will be surprised that you have an impassioned defense of a free press in the book. And I mean, there’s a recent poll that said nearly half of people think the media make up stories. The media itself is under fire. And what do you think the media needs to do better to enhance its own credibility? And what do people need to understand about the value of the press?
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Rather on “What Unites Us”; Anchor’s Take on Political Discourse in the U.S.]
DAN RATHER: Well, first, those of us who are in the media – I prefer the world “press” because we have freedom of the press, but let’s set that aside – we need to do a better job, we need to do our job. Our job is to bear witness, to be honest brokers of information. To be as accurate and fair as we possibly can. So we need to do a better job.
I think most of the public understands that we’re under attack by very powerful people, including the President, for their own partisan, political, and ideological reasons. They want people – they’re basically saying, “Believe us, believe only your president and believe only the people who are in power. Don’t believe these people out in the press.”
And this is a fundamental American trait and value, to understand the press is not perfect, we’re going to make our mistakes, but we’re a check on power. And I think when people stop and think about it, remind themselves of that, they’ll say, “Yeah, with all of their flaws” – and heavens knows I’ve made my mistakes, have my open wounds from some self-inflicted wounds – but I do think people understand about the press.
And such things as the right to vote. You know, there’s always some controversy about should people have a driver’s license and that sort of thing. But we believe in a fundamental right to vote. So if we just can keep emphasizing those things about which we agree, keep a civil conversation, I think we’re going to be alright. I’m an optimist by experience and by nature. It may be a long valley, but we’ll get through it. And have to keep hope alive.
GUTHRIE: Absolutely, I’m an optimist, too. And the book is right on that tone. Thank you so much, Dan Rather, for being with us.
(...)
