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Leslie Stahl Panned for MTG Puff Piece
When did ’60 Minutes’ become right-wing PR?
When “60 Minutes” announced that it was going to interview the abominable Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) I rolled my eyes. (She’s also known as MTG.) It seemed like a cheap publicity stunt designed to get ratings. Unfortunately, this is not surprising because “60 Minutes” has slipped in recent years. It is no longer on the cutting edge of journalism and doesn’t produce hard-hitting new stories anymore.
It used to be required viewing, but now many of the stories are behind the curve. More disturbingly, I began to notice more stories that featured a conservative bent in recent years. The MTG story is a perfect example.
I refused to watch the live broadcast because I didn’t want to reward sensationalism. But I later watched a YouTube video of the interview for journalistic reasons. And it was awful.
Leslie Stahl used to be known for her pointed questions and sharp journalism. But she seemed to come into the interview with her wings clipped. It was clear from the tone of the piece that this was going to be a warm and fuzzy feature story designed to make MTG palatable to a wider audience. (She’s been rumored as a potential running mate for fellow fascist former President Donald Trump.) There were shots of her estate in Georgia…
