The Mirror

5 Journalists Weigh In On The Fate Of Brian Williams

Betsy Rothstein Gossip blogger
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It wasn’t as easy as it seems it would be to get journalists to publicly jump into the fray on the Brian Williams scandal. One TV journalist clammed up, saying, “There are so many people talking about it that there is no room for my thoughts.”
Thankfully others were willing to engage.
Washington Free Beacon Managing Editor Sonny Bunch: “Force him to work Weekend Update with SNL’s Colin Jost. A fate worse than death.”
The Hill‘s Editor-in-Chief Bob Cusack: “The Brian Williams saga is an unusual story because he was such a trusted newsman and there was no reason to doubt him. But now his credibility and his career are on the line. What he does from this point is very important. Americans will forgive mistakes or exaggerations as long as they are getting the truth. His on-air apology was insufficient in many ways because he suggested this was an isolated mistake. However, it now appears like a pattern. NBC did the right thing in announcing a probe of the Williams fiasco. The network needs to get its hands around this entire controversy and then make a judgment. Brian Williams simply needs to tell the truth — the whole truth.”

Anonymous D.C. journalist:  “A particularly unsavory element of this horrible story is the Twitter-plus mob of angry little powerless people who want to have a role in bringing down someone they feel pointlessly oppressed by. The puniverse must have its scalp. And the danger is always that terrified corporate powers will overreact, and we get Savannah Guthrie as anchor for Nightly News. What a victory.”

Mediaite Editor-in-Chief Andrew Kirell: “I kind of tore into him here, but I also feel like there’s an unseemly ‘off with his head’ mentality creeping into the story. I’m hesitant to participate in that kind of ritual media slaughter. I’d say NBC should try to find a dignified exit for him — i.e., a departure made to look like it was his choice. Both sides get what they would want from it: Williams is off their plate; and he has some of his dignity left.”

GotNews Editor-in-Chief Charles C. Johnson: “What should happen is the end of his career and of the NBC Nightly News which covered up his dishonesty for years. They might also consider thanking GotNews.com for exposing it but I don’t want to be too greedy.”