Media Research Center President Brent Bozell condemned the irresponsible and reckless attacks from the media against the Covington kids, decrying it as “anti-Christian hatred.” Appearing on Wednesday's Larry O’Connor Show, Bozell underscored the seriousness of the smears: “Let’s be very clear about something: There have been death threats made. That school had to be closed down. It’s not a laughing matter. The cops have had to be there. We are talking about high school children.”
The MRC President declared, “If there is any blood shed, those people who gave oxygen to this story are completely responsible for it.”
Talking to O’Connor, Bozell explained what the media SHOULD have done:
What is so hard about acknowledging you made a mistake? We’re human. I think the best thing that the media could possibly have done is to, the moment that they found out that they were reporting something that was false, retract it and apologize.
Bozell suggested the next step would be for journalists actually do their job:
Turn it around and say, “We’re going to investigate the people that were planning this story." Who was this Indian guy? Who was he that he says he was a Vietnam War vet when he wasn’t? Who were these people, this Hebrew Black group, whatever that was? Who are these militants? Why did they do that? What’s their agenda? By the way, where is any media interest in that?
To read more NewsBusters coverage about the reporting on the Covington kids, go here.
A partial transcript of the WMAL show is below:
Larry O’Connor Show
1/24/19
2:40 minutes into interview.BRENT BOZELL: Some people would like to say the President is full of hot air when he talks about fake news. Well, in fact, you had back to back fake news stories. But these were not just fake news stories. These were potentially explosive hate news stories, fake news stories. One was aimed at removing Donald Trump from office.
LARRY O’CONNOR: Yes.
BOZELL: That was the goal of that story with that explosive accusation about Michael Cohen and he and Russia. The second one was to trigger more of this anti-white, anti-male, anti-Christian hatred that is permeating radical left. Let’s be very clear about something. There have been death threats made. That school had to be closed down. It’s not a laughing matter. The cops have had to be there. We are talking about high school children.
O’CONNOR: Yeah.
BOZELL: We are talking about kids who are at a right-to-life march celebrating life who were confronted and accosted by these radicals. And suddenly, their lives are turned upside down and they are on trial and they have to defend themselves. I mean, this is the world gone topsy turvy. But I did put out a statement today. If there is any blood shed, those people who gave oxygen to this story are completely responsible for it.
8:20 minutes into interview.
BOZELL: What is so hard about acknowledging you made a mistake? We’re human. I think the best thing that the media could possibly have done is to, the moment that they found out that they were reporting something that was false, retract it and apologize. What’s the big deal? And then, and then, and then turn it around and say, “We’re going to investigate the people that were planning this story." Who was this Indian guy? Who was he that he says he was a Vietnam War vet when he wasn’t? Who were these people, this Hebrew Black group, whatever that was? Who are these militants? Why did they do that? What’s their agenda? By the way, where is any media interest in that?
