60 Minutes on Twitter
Flagship CBS news program 60 Minutes on Friday tweeted a promo of the upcoming Lesley Stahl interview with polarizing Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and prompted a tidal wave of outrage in the process.
The extremely controversial Republican‘s sit-down with Stahl airs on Sunday, but the pushback and anger over the announcement from critics was immediate, accusing the show of platforming an extremist, of “both sides coverage”, and even being “complicit.”
The show tweeted several still photos along with the message: “Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, nicknamed MTG, isn’t afraid to share her opinions, no matter how intense and in-your-face they are. She sits down with this Sunday on 60 Minutes.”
Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, nicknamed MTG, isn’t afraid to share her opinions, no matter how intense and in-your-face they are. She sits down with Lesley Stahl this Sunday on 60 Minutes. https://t.co/mEN4CWeXMW pic.twitter.com/BIzcRHgrLT
— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) March 31, 2023
Actor Bradley Whitford was among the most retweeted of the respondents with his oblique reference to Adolf Hitler.
“Reminds me of a guy we defeated in the 1940’s who wasn’t afraid to share his opinions, no matter how intense and in-your-face they were. Too bad you couldn’t interview him, @LesleyRStahl, you could have asked him about his vegetarianism and his love of dogs,” he wrote.
Reminds me of a guy we defeated in the 1940’s who wasn’t afraid to share his opinions, no matter how intense and in-your-face they were. Too bad you couldn’t interview him, @LesleyRStahl, you could have asked him about his vegetarianism and his love of dogs. https://t.co/UBY4s5IHeS
— Bradley Whitford (@BradleyWhitford) April 1, 2023
NBC News senior reporter Ben Collins on the other hand, who covers “disinformation”, criticized Greene for her Hitler references.
Opinions such as calling a Parkland shooting survivor “Little Hitler”?
What are we doing here guys?https://t.co/TuiBti4dQ1
— Ben Collins (@oneunderscore__) March 31, 2023
Also from the NBC world, pundit and frequent MSNBC guest Elie Mystal attacked the use of “MTG” for the congresswoman, writing, “The way you guys say her ‘nickname’ is MTG… as if it’s a cute moniker bestowed by her besties… when her initials are just MTG and her ‘nicknames’ are ‘Marjorie Three Names’ and ‘Unfrozen Caveman Congresswoman’ just shows that you’re here to launder her rep and complicit.”
The way you guys say her “nickname” is MTG… as if it’s a cute moniker bestowed by her besties… when her initials are just MTG and her “nicknames” are “Marjorie Three Names” and “Unfrozen Caveman Congresswoman” just shows that you’re here to launder her rep and complicit.
— Elie Mystal (@ElieNYC) March 31, 2023
Legacy media really looks at these white supremacists and fascists and thinks “how can we help them?” https://t.co/ufFXKxtFxD
— Elie Mystal (@ElieNYC) March 31, 2023
Many of the criticisms centered on the tweet’s “framing” of the interview, while others simply attacked the very concept of putting the Republican on air at all. Former Republican Adam Kinzinger called the interview ‘insane,” and anti-gun activist David Hogg said he looks forward to Stahl asking Greene about “why she thinks school shootings are fake,” a reference to her embrace of conspiracy theories about Sandy Hook and other shootings.
Wow. Insane that 60 min would do this https://t.co/jpyyGp2Tw7
— Adam Kinzinger #fella (@AdamKinzinger) March 31, 2023
Why are you giving the respected platform of @60Minutes to a seditionist white supremacist antiSemitic racist homophobic transphobic hater who has literally called for civil war, accused Jews of manipulating the criminal justice system and attacked children? WHY? https://t.co/9wlF07YpZL
— Victoria Brownworth (@VABVOX) March 31, 2023
This was an irresponsible and misjudged decision by @60Minutes to legitimize an insurrectionist. ‘Both sides’ coverage is NOT journalism. #MTG #60minutes https://t.co/dgu6LOfJx6
— Anthony Davis (@theanthonydavis) April 1, 2023
It’s not that the media didn’t learn anything from 2016. It’s that they learned exactly how dangerous repackaging extremists like this is — and they’ve decided to go all in. Shame on 60 Minutes. This will permanently tarnish the brand and it should. https://t.co/AB35Iw4vVR
— Kaivan Shroff (@KaivanShroff) March 31, 2023
This is a bad idea. While I believe in putting Trump on blast – as a former POTUS and leading GOP candidate – there is no reason to platform one kook with a respectful interview. This is the definition of “normalizing” and it’s a mistake, imo. https://t.co/EIBFUC1m2l
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) March 31, 2023
Sadly, the MSM continues to show us that there’s no room for truth & responsible journalism when your goal is ratings & ad dollars. What a fall from grace @60Minutes. What a shameful & disappointing choice. https://t.co/KdLX7mMUp0
— PoliticsGirl (@IAmPoliticsGirl) April 1, 2023
When mainstream media tries to equate both sides while our democracy is threatened it feeds into the division and normalizes extremism. I’m disappointed to see @60Minutes covering MTG someone who has fueled violence and spreads conspiracy theories. Americans deserve better. https://t.co/MlQgB9TIUW
— Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (@DebbieforFL) April 1, 2023
Folks, she’s just “in your face” https://t.co/GGajvR0LZ5
— Soledad O’Brien (@soledadobrien) April 1, 2023
Giving a larger platform to this antisemitic troll – what the fuck are you thinking @60Minutes @LesleyRStahl https://t.co/OBBgKKQ5Ir
— Andrew Kimmel (@andrewkimmel) April 1, 2023
Attention is currency and 60 minutes is spending its currency on the Jewish space lasers woman https://t.co/YUmjCoeWze
— Molly Jong-Fast (@MollyJongFast) April 1, 2023
Everything wrong with both-sides journalism in one tweet. https://t.co/EEhjiEP86P
— No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen (@NoLieWithBTC) March 31, 2023
Don’t do this. https://t.co/gLv8XKQQXT
— Sarah Longwell (@SarahLongwell25) March 31, 2023
So many of us in the media were trained to find these seemingly neutral ways of framing extreme ideas. “Intense,” “in-your-face.” But this training doesn’t work for the moment we’re in. These aren’t intense opinions. They’re a recipe for the end of liberal democracy. https://t.co/SheqwVGwep
— THE PERSUADERS by Anand Giridharadas (@AnandWrites) March 31, 2023
I look forward to your questions about why she thinks school shootings are fake and why she’s supported QAnon.
— David Hogg ?? (@davidhogg111) March 31, 2023
MTG: I think you’re a pedophile groomer who works for the Soros-Backed Deep State and should be jailed and beaten up for spreading lies against Trump and MAGA.
60 Minutes: That is terrible! Would you like a fawning, exclusive, sit-down interview that will mainstream your poison? https://t.co/4XZ5kC2TC1
— Wajahat Ali (@WajahatAli) March 31, 2023
Greene promoted her appearance by praising a MSM journalist for maybe the first time ever, though spelled the name wrong when writing that she “greatly” respects “Leslie” Stahl.
It was an honor to spend a few days with the legendary icon Leslie Stahl and talented crew @60Minutes.
Leslie is a trailblazer for women in journalism.
And while we may disagree on some issues, I respect her greatly.
Tune in tomorrow 7 pm ET on CBS. https://t.co/GpqTHxposb— Marjorie Taylor Greene ?? (@mtgreenee) April 1, 2023
“It was an honor to spend a few days with the legendary icon Leslie Stahl and talented crew @60Minutes. Leslie is a trailblazer for women in journalism. And while we may disagree on some issues, I respect her greatly,” the congresswoman tweeted.
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