Do you feel sorry for Brian Williams? (Reader Poll)
At all? Just a little? An itsy bitsy?
Today is Brian Williams’ first day of a self-imposed break from NBC News. While his future at the network is unclear, he has undoubtedly damaged his credibility and brand as a journalist.
The internet, though, has engaged in a massive pile on, for a variety of reasons. Everybody wants a piece of Brian Williams.
We have not exactly stood completely on the sidelines, though we haven’t been obsessive about it:
Image redacted to protect the innocent http://t.co/GKGYFFbFs1 #chopperwhopper pic.twitter.com/6G6cJYgVun
— Legal Insurrection (@LegInsurrection) February 5, 2015
It’s almost internet sport at this point, scouring Williams’ history trying to find questionable statements and exaggerations.
Depending on what happens over the next week or so, Williams may or may not be back.
Is there just a little too much internet joy at seeing Williams fall? His career is on fire, smoke billowing from his wings. Will the internet keep firing at him even after his chute has opened and he’s heading to earth?
Jazz Shaw at Hot Air examined the issue today:
Should we really be happy to see Brian Williams go?
… Of course, it’s still possible that Williams will return as if nothing has happened after he gives things a week or so to cool down. (The fact that NBC isn’t even doing an investigation could hint at this being the case.) But the possibility still exists that Williams could actually be gone.
If so, was this a good outcome for the rest of the country? I had some time to reflect on this over the weekend and I’m not so sure this is a cut and dried story. The first question I would put forward is to ask precisely what the nature of Williams’ crime was. Obviously it’s not the same thing as Dan Rather’s fake but accurate Bush documents story. Even the Katrina story (which is also under scrutiny) didn’t seem to run into the area of falsifying the facts of the flood and the response, but just colorful additions to what he witnessed.
So what do you think?
Do you feel even a little, itsy bitsy sorry for Williams?
Poll open until Midnight (Pacific Time) Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Comments
I’m a retired journalist — 40-plus years in broadcast news — worked in NYC, Philadelphia, several other cities. In EVERY newsroom I ever worked in what Williams did was a firing offense. Williams didn’t ‘miss-speak’, or forget a couple of minor details — he lied, then he put lies on top of lies for 12 freaking years. The fact that there’s even a mixture of opinion on here about this liar shows how far values have fallen in this country — not just in politics, in journalism, but throughout the social construct. Don’t care how you slice it, or how many fairy stories you cook up. Truth is not “relative” — not now, not ever.
His job is to report the news. We, the audience, want to know we can trust what he’s saying is true.
When one of the most famous current broadcasters turns out to have lied about, well, anything for a decade, we know we* can’t trust him any more.
The fact that he claims he “conflated” memories is absurd on the face of it. If you were on a helicopter, and it didn’t get shot down, you’ll be too damn happy you lived to forget.
He’s not just a liar, he is unrepentant. The only thing he regrets is getting caught.
*I mean “we” in general, not the readers of LI.
Very well put Casey. Though I fear the day of the “Trusted Broadcaster” has come and gone, especially with the insertion of radical liberalism in today’s media. Granted I am not that old (40) but it just seems to me that objective news has been replaced by politically slanted opinionism. Its like there is nothing left in main stream media but the “opinion” section.
Also with the insertion of liberal thought in media is insertion of progressive entitlement. It allows them to feel even if their lies and manipulations are manifold they are entitled to them because of their special status.
Not exactly, though I see what you’re saying.
Brian Williams’ job is not just to report he news, but to get good ratings doing it. I don’t care how good a journalist is, if the ratings (or newspaper ad sales) aren’t there, neither will be the journalist for very long.
Not even the tiniest bit. If only this would happen to all the self-aggrandizing narcissists in the media. That God Complex is real. They all believe they are above reproach, and they all need a good, strong humiliation and loss of face.
The only part of this I disagree with is the “Loss of Face”, simply that would imply that they actually had some honor in the first place.
I feel sorry for him. He is a pathetic piece of shit, and I feel sorry for him being a pathetic piece of shit. How sick he has to be to try to steal valor!