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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsA lie, is a lie, is a lie: Dan Rather shreds WSJ editor for reluctance to call out Trumps bullsh*
http://www.rawstory.com/2017/01/a-lie-is-a-lie-is-a-lie-dan-rather-shreds-wsj-editor-for-reluctance-to-call-out-trumps-bullsht/A lie, is a lie, is a lie: Dan Rather shreds WSJ editor for reluctance to call out Trumps bullsh*t
Tom Boggioni
02 Jan 2017 at 19:35 ET
Legendary CBS newsman Dan Rather lit into the Wall Street Journals editor-in-chief for saying he was reluctant to call out obvious lies by Donald Trump by saying one had to consider the president-elects moral intent.
On Sundays Meet The Press, WSJs Gerard Baker was asked about Trumps penchant to blurt or tweet things off the top of his head that have no basis in reality. According to the Baker, calling those things a lie would be going too far.
Id be careful about using the word, lie. Baker said. Lie implies much more than just saying something thats false. It implies a deliberate intent to mislead I think if you start ascribing a moral intent, as it were, to someone by saying that theyve lied, I think you run the risk that you look like you are, like youre not being objective.
On Facebook, Rather blasted Baker by opening with A lie, is a lie, is a lie.
Journalism, as I was taught it, is a process of getting as close to some valid version of the truth as is humanly possible. And one of my definitions of news is information that the powerful dont want you to know, Rather wrote.
It is not the proper role of journalists to meet liesespecially from someone of Mr. Trumps stature and powerby hiding behind semantics and euphemisms. Our role is to call it as we see it, based on solid reporting. When something is, in fact, a demonstrable lie, it is our responsibility to say so, he continued. As I have said before and will say as long as people are willing to listen, this is a gut check moment for the press. We are being confronted by versions of what are claimed to be the truth that resemble something spewed out by a fertilizer-spreader in a wind tunnel. And there is every indication that this will only continue in the Tweets and statements of the man who will now hold forth from behind the Great Seal of the President of the United States.
Rather concluded by warning news consumers, You as the paying, subscribing public, can use your leverage and pocketbooks to keep those who should be honest brokers of information, well, honest.
liberal N proud
(60,335 posts)Making the rag, nothing more that toilet paper.
spanone
(135,841 posts)thank God for the Dan Rathers of the world. today's news personalities haven't a clue.
guillaumeb
(42,641 posts)But if I say something that I believe to be true, even if that something is false, am I lying, or simply mistaken?
Dustlawyer
(10,495 posts)The SOB is freaking lying, it's his M.O.!
A better title for his book should have been "The Art of the Con!"
kacekwl
(7,017 posts)We're talking about trump. No excuses for him please.
Wellstone ruled
(34,661 posts)ailsagirl
(22,897 posts)He's not gonna let go
tclambert
(11,087 posts)Just because some imbecile believes something wrong doesn't make it right. Maybe he is too dumb to know the nonsense he just tweeted is false. But his lack of knowledge doesn't turn the false thing into the truth. But we, the public, need to know.
laserhaas
(7,805 posts)If you give bullchit a pass
It spreads like wildfire
bucolic_frolic
(43,173 posts)There is no moral intent there. There is only money. Period.
moondust
(19,988 posts)to be on the committee that tries to decide what to do about all forms of fake news and propaganda warping people's perceptions and reality in the Internet age. Didn't he lose his job because of somebody else's lies or half-truths?
FormerOstrich
(2,702 posts)I remember it well. Last night I watched the movie "Truth". Robert Redford plays Rather. The move is very good. I highly recommend it.
moondust
(19,988 posts)I didn't know about the movie. Will definitely try to catch it.
AgadorSparticus
(7,963 posts)Will never click on the wsj again. People need to cancel their subscriptions.
Hamlette
(15,412 posts)Last edited Tue Jan 3, 2017, 08:37 PM - Edit history (1)
it is not calling him a liar, it is perfectly accurate and a much bigger put down than name calling (liar)
It's an old lawyers trick. Technically it is difficult to prove someone is lying (you have to prove Trump did not KNOW people were not protesting in NJ after 9/11). We lawyers say "the record does not support our opponents version of events." Slap.
The facts do not support Mr. Trump's allegations.
And maybe we revert to calling Trump what republicans called FDR for 13 years: "That man in the white house".
LuckyLib
(6,819 posts)in the White House." We would respond with, "And who did you vote for, Dad?"
Answer: "That asshat in the White House."
immoderate
(20,885 posts)emanations of Trumpiness. Trump does not speak. He blurts! Lying requires too much thought. Trump leaves the impression that nothing he does is intentional.
--imm
SujiwanKenobee
(290 posts)The problem is people who speak or write emotionally--off the cuff. When someone, especially those in power, use the voice or media, they should be taking extra care to watch that what they impart has facts to back it up or at least uplifts us using a higher intent.
NastyRiffraff
(12,448 posts)I miss him.