As CBS News refuses to release the full, unedited transcript of its 60 Minutes interview with Vice President Kamala Harris, a former top network reporter says it should do so because there is a “precedent” and wrote today that they should do so in honor of “viewer trust.''
Former CBS investigative reporter Katherine Herridge, who was fired while investigating the Hunter Biden laptop scandal, pointed out that CBS quickly released the full transcript of her 2020 interview with President Donald Trump. The network also released other records.
And network insiders told the New York Post that the network may have been trying to help Harris, who famously spews gibberish during interviews (widely known as word salad). spoke.
interview
That's what happened when the network's Bill Whitaker asked Harris about Israel.
As The New American reported earlier this week, the network edited the interview and replaced Harris' original answers to questions she didn't understand with new ones.
“We are providing billions of dollars in military aid to Israel, but Prime Minister (Benyamin) Netanyahu seems to be charting his own course,” he said. “The Biden-Harris administration pressured him to agree to a ceasefire. He resisted. You urged him not to go to Lebanon. He went in anyway. Doesn't it have any influence?”
Harris replied:
The work we are doing diplomatically with Israeli leaders is an ongoing pursuit centered on clarifying our principles.
Whittaker asked Harris for real answers. “But Prime Minister Netanyahu doesn't seem to be listening,” he said.
“Well, Bill,” Harris replied. “As a result of the work we did, many Israeli movements in the region were born. These movements were very much inspired by many things, including our advocacy for what was needed. Or that was the result.'' That's what happens in this area. ”
That version of her answer was aired on Sunday's Face the Nation.
By prime time Monday, the answer had mysteriously changed.
We're not going to stop pursuing what it takes to clarify where the United States stands on the need to end this war.
The answer is in the official record.
The Trump campaign demanded that CBS release the real recording. CBS refused.
“precedent”
Herridge, the investigative reporter, provided two examples where CBS released the full, unedited transcript.
“The Trump campaign is asking @60Minutes to release the 'full, unedited transcript' of the Kamala Harris interview,” she wrote to X.
There is precedent.
When I interviewed then-President Trump on @CBSNews in July 2020, I posted a transcript of the interview.
This is more complete and not the same as an edited TV report transcript. 👇
It's about transparency and upholding the integrity of the final edit.
In another post on X today, Herridge said, “Releasing the full, unedited transcript of @60Minutes Kamala Harris also honors the trust of our viewers.” “This will put an end to the question of 'editing'.”
Mr. Herridge included a link to a recorded interview with Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell in February. And in another post, he noted that CBS provided a transcript of an interview between legal correspondent Jan Crawford and Attorney General Bill Barr in 2019.
“Complete transcription = journalistic integrity,” she wrote.
Network insiders apparently agreed with Herridge. Transparency is everything.
“When you interview the president or vice president, you have a responsibility to make sure the transcript is available to everyone,” an insider told the Post.
Officials said it was unclear whether Harris' answers in the 60 Minutes interview were taken from different parts of the interview or simply spliced together for clarity. If the former, it could suggest the network is trying to help Harris, the people said.
This could very well just be an example of miscommunication between CBS' promo editing department and “60 Minutes.”
“This could be a case of the left hand not understanding what the right hand is doing,” the source added.
Trouble with teleprompter
Harris is known for not being available for interviews, often answering questions by repeating the same thing in a manner that suggests she simply cannot answer them. In fact, not only does she boringly repeat herself in interviews and speeches, but she also recycles what she clearly considers great oratory in multiple speeches, most notably ” “Don't get caught up in things, see what you can do,” is her cult mantra.
A viral report on X claimed that Harris used a teleprompter at a town hall hosted by the far-left Spanish-language network Univision, but those claims were false.
However, she froze when her teleprompter broke during a campaign rally in Michigan on Oct. 4.
Embarrassingly, the Democratic presidential candidate seemed confused and unsure of what to say, so he began chanting one of his mantras, punctuated by a cryptic laugh.
“Remember his number, 32. Today is 32 days until the election,” Ms. Harris said with a laugh.
But when Harris turned to his left to read the teleprompter, he panicked. Her face was distorted. The machine has broken down.
“So, 32 days. 32 days,” she continued.
Okay, I have something to do. I have something to do. Are you okay. 32nd. And we know to do it. And, this is going to be a very tough race until the end. It's going to be a very tough race until the end. we are the underdogs. And we know we have a tough job ahead of us.
It was classic Harris. Not knowing what to say without her electronic crutches, she just repeated her words, as if she could dig her way out of the hole if she kept digging.
