There was an interesting moment on Monday as the hosts and guest on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” were discussing the coverage of the election. Willie Geist raised the possibility that President Trump could declare victory on election night before all the votes have been counted. Joe Scarborough responded that NBC would simply make a Twitter-like determination and not carry the speech. It would not be treated as obvious news but rather “disinformation” . . . regardless of what has transpired on election day.
What is ironic is the Geist had just slammed Trump for making plans to send in lawyers “no matter what happens.” Without missing a beat, Scarborough then announced that no matter what happens on the election (like a surprise victory), Trump’s speech would be blocked for NBC viewers.
“We’ll be doing coverage on Peacock and we can assure you if Trump declares victory we’ll say, don’t take the feed. It’s not going to happen. We won’t be part of any disinformation campaign, we’ll be doing election coverage until midnight or whenever is over.”
The point tracked a statement from Biden campaign manager Jen O’Malley Dillon who declared that “[u]nder no scenario will Donald Trump be declared a victor on election night, and that’s fundamentally how we want to approach tomorrow.” I can understand the mathematical point but the Biden campaign does not make such decision. Moreover, this appears only a bar on a Trump victory speech. Some Democrats like James Carville are predicting that they will know by 10 pm. I would find it difficult to see a scenario where an election night victory could be declared but we do not know what will occur today in terms of any surges or landslide. More importantly, the issue raised on Morning Joe goes to the coverage not the claims on election night.
I happen to like and respect Scarborough. I have defended him and his co-host and wife Mika Brzezinski after personal attacks from President Trump. However, this statement was unnerving. I understand what he and Geist are saying about the need to count many votes sent in by mail. The problem is that they are in the news business and NBC viewers tune in for news. This would be, by any measure, news. Indeed, if premature or completely baseless, a victory speech would be even more significant news.
What concerns me is the relative ease with which news figures now state their role in protecting viewers from what they consider “disinformation.” It is precisely the slippery slope that took us to the expanding private censorship on sites like Twitter and Facebook, where a well-founded story in the New York Post is blocked for weeks. Despite the tech companies admitting that the move was a mistake, Democratic Senators demanded more censorship from the companies in the recent hearing. What is missing is the original clarity of the free and open forum of the Internet.
Now a news program is pledging in advance to block its viewers from hearing the President directly if he claims victory on Tuesday night. Instead, they can expect the same formulaic, approved coverage that we now expect in the age of echo chamber journalism. NBC recently was criticized for a bait-and-switch story on Hunter Biden where they debunked an obscure document rather than address the confirmed emails found on Biden’s laptop.
Obviously, viewers on NBC can switch over to Fox or another network to watch any presidential speech on election night. However, Scarborough was assuring the viewers that they would be protected from such news. Clearly he viewed promising to censor the President as a draw for NBC’s viewers — assuring viewers that they would be protected from the news like some journalistic safe space. Protecting viewers from news was not a goal of NBC when I worked for the company many years ago. This would be news any way you cut it. It can be immediately followed by commentary pointing out that such a claim may be premature. However, we do not know “what will happen” on Tuesday night anymore than President Trump does beyond one guarantee . . . it will be news.
nobody watches msnbc anyway
I happen to like and respect Scarborough. I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbulHWimsmY
“They like you, Mr. Baris. There’s no accounting for taste”.
. . . and this from a morning show host who was more responsible than most for launching Donald Trump’s presidential bid? Morning Joe received calls from Donald Trump just about every morning which they talked to him for maybe five minutes. Consider the dollar value of such national exposure which Trump received FOR FREE !
We won’t be part of any disinformation campaign,
Those looking for actual news know that ship sailed long ago. The MSM are the CBN (Confirmation Bias Networks). Disinformation is their business model.
Olly, tell us which sources we can trust.
Damn, Paint Chips, no one with a functioning left-half of their brain would need to be told what sites are to be trusted. And no, you can’t walk that back. 😃
Trump attacked the Drudge Report for posting unfavorable reports about him. He sent a cease & desist letter to CNN demanding they apologize for their poll which showed Biden leading by double digits. He attacked Fox News for their polls which showed him trailing Biden by large margins. He attacked Chris Wallace & said he’s controlled by the radical left.
A few days ago, Wallace said “The president over the last four years has been involved in the most concerted campaign to discredit and delegitimize the press in our history.” Drudge is currently billboarding a report about Trump threatening legal action to stop counting ballots. Drudge is also reporting that the most accurate poll in 2016 shows Biden up by 11 points in their final 2020 poll.
We’ll find out soon enough what voters final verdict is for who they want to lead our country for the next 4 years.
Race Pace, everything you cite explains why no one, outside the rightwing bubble, cares about Hunter Biden.
You are just jealous Hunter has a steady supply of white sTuff while you have to pay for it in the bath houses of WeHoes
BBBBWWWWAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Regarding Above:
The “Bbbwwwaaa” commenter is our ever-present House Troll who monitors these threads 16 hours per day.
It’s a pretty big bubble and includes people on the left. That bubble on your shoulders needs to be worked on.
Drudge is just as biased now as NBC and others. Those who want real news no longer go to Drudge.
The President has had some very considerable competition in his efforts to discredit and delegitimatize the Press…..and that is the Press itself by its patently obvious fake, false, and biased “reporting”.
The Press was providing the President the very ammunition he needed and used to prove his case.
They shot themselves squarely in their own foot with their big barreled blunderbusses!
The MSM has been producing lies on a continuous basis. If you don’t think so then review the Steele Cossier.
LMAO. Trump posts a video of himself dancing (not very well) to the song YMCA. Does he know what that song is about?
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1323534663453913093
Trump has fun. Democrats in similar positions to Trump always seem as if they are going to a funeral.
Dude, you’re missing the point. A lot of Republicans are homophobes. As your friend Squeaky.
On average, I bet Democrats are better dancers and have more fun that Republicans.
Trump is pathetic. It’s always about him and the guy has no sense of rhythm.
I doubt that he knows what the song is about.
“It’s fun to stay at the YMCA
It’s fun to stay at the YMCA
They have everything for you men to enjoy
You can hang out with all the boys
YMCA, it’s fun to stay at the YMCA
Young man, young man, there’s no need to feel down
Young man, young man, pick yourself off the ground
YMCA, it’s fun to stay at the YMCA
Young man, young man, are you listening to me
Young man, young man, what do you wanna be?
YMCA, you’ll find it at the YMCA
No man, young man, does it all by himself
Young man, young man, put your pride on the shelf
YMCA, and just go to the YMCA
Young man, young man I was once in your shoes
Young man, young man I was down with the blues, YMCA”
Turley is a complete phony who has overlooked without comment the multiple statements and actions from the President and his team to create distrust in our election system, to challenge the legal counting of legal votes, and to criticize the SC for rulings in clear signalling that he expects better from his minions.. He is the most powerful man in the world doing this, with effects on our system which could be, though hopefully are not, long lasting. Turley, on the day of the election, chooses to discuss inconsequential comments from a host on the network rival to the one he appears on, as if he is merely a disinterested law professor engaging in typical law professor naval gazing.
That act is stale, and now proven an act based on absurdities. If he has any legal – or other type- principles, he sold them or gave them away.
The principle Turley is defending in this post is the value of free speech. Trump’s free speech. He’s concerned that MSNBC Democrats are promising to censor a newsworthy speech.
The garbage you bring up is just a laundry list of grievances. None of which relate to Turley’s concerns about corporate censorship of a newsworthy event or promoting the value of free speech for everybody.
Turley’s right, of course. More speech, less corporate censorship.
The MSNBC millionaires should cover the hypothetical speech. Then bring on hyper partisans to whine about it. That’s been their model for over two decades.
“The point tracked a statement from Biden campaign manager Jen O’Malley Dillon who declared that “[u]nder no scenario will Donald Trump be declared a victor on election night, and that’s fundamentally how we want to approach tomorrow.””
Is that Biden’s campaign manager informing us that Trump is going to win?
No, Diaper Man. That’s Biden’s campaign manager anticipating, like many others, that Trump will attempt to create chaos by declaring ‘victory’ regardless of facts. Trump has hinted he will do just that for several weeks at this point.
You are blind. Look around and see who the violent people are, leftists, BLM and Antifa. There are some others but that is the bulk of it. If Trump loses conservatives will get on with their lives because they have lives to get on with. If Trump wins we can expect rioting and looting and no acceptance of the loss by the left. The left have little life other than politics.
msnbc’s license to broadcast as NEWS agency is a farce. this network should be stripped of its license and require ALL employees to return to journalism kindergarten and learn what their duty to the public is!!
“The problem is that they are in the news business and NBC viewers tune in for news. ”
**************************
Er … no and no.
I think Squeaky nailed it some days back. If they actually tried straight reporting a la Robert MacNeill and Fred Friendly, they’d lose their audience.
Fifteen years ago, we used to speak of ‘the Nutroots’. We didn’t anticipate that the major networks would make it their business model to move into the space which was once occupied by Daily Kos. A harbinger of that occurred in re the cultural reporting of The New York TImes, which had at that time taken to muscling in on the territory once occupied by The Village Voice.
“I happen to like and respect Scarborough.”
One cannot account for bad taste. 🙂
“Scarborough was assuring the viewers that they would be protected from such news.”
His paternalism is so dopey one can only laugh.
I do not find these typical JT one liners “I happen to like and respect Scarborough” that he uses to try to show he is objective/fair to be particularly persuasive over time.
Trump crested 46% in the aggregate approval polling yesterday. Given his momentum, that’s likely a lag figure on his way to 47% which is the magic number to win the electoral college. What does that mean? Go vote! Oh and ice the champagne and, if you’re like me, load the magazines. Oughta be a fun night!
From your mouth to God’s ears! I am going to vote for Trump but I shall remain pessimistic about his chances.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
Anything can happen, but walk outside and look around. I and friends from different states and areas have all seen the same thing. In 2016 we saw loads of Clinton signs all over lawns, cars, etc. and few Trump signs because the people were afraid their cars or homes would be vandalized. This year few Trump signs as before for the same reason but there are few Biden signs. That demonstrates a lack of energy for Biden and I think will translate to a Trump victory. Look around your neighborhood and let us know.
And we all hope to feel schadenfreude, Squeakster, if Trump loses as you suspect he will.
Mespo admits his cult leader has no chance to win the vote and is down to hoping for another EC squeak out with it’s attendant negative mandate. He also looks forward to shooting somebody.
What dreary apirations.
TRUMP IS WINNING
DEMOCRATS TRYING TO SUPPRESS ELECTION DAY TURNOUT IN RED AREAS
GET OUT AND VOTE AND DON’T GO HOME UNTIL YOU DO
mespo……….by “magazines”, do you mean like Vogue, Better Homes and Gardens, Southern Living?😁
Paranoia strikes deep
Into your life it will creep
It starts when you’re always afraid
You step out of line, the man come and take you away
Fun fact: Neil Young @1:49
Has Professor Turley ever criticized Fox News on its “journalism?” Despite his admiration for Scarborough, he is at a loss to understand why Joe would refuse to report fake news, i.e., Trump declaring his win prematurely. Perhaps the fact that Turley is currently a Fox contributor explains his inability to comprehend Scarborough’s motives. As Upton Sinclair noted- it is difficult to get a man to understand something when his paycheck depends upon his *not* understanding it.
But, Teacher, you NEVER give Johnny an F on any of his tests like you do mine! That’s not FAIR! Why should I get an F just because I didn’t answer half the questions??? Huh???
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
Jeffrey, I’ve been commenting here for close to 4 years. I can’t recall any column in which Turley criticized Fox News.
You don’t have a good memory for much of anything.
There is almost zero chance that there will be enough ballots counted tonight to declare Trump a winner. And the knows this. So if Trump were to declare victory and have a speech, he would be doing that for the sole reason to prime his supporters to not accept the real results. That is amazingly bad for a President to do. So by JT logic, a President intentionally de-legitimatizing an election, no problem, but a news network refusing to air damaging lies, that is a problem. You need to get your priorities straight JT.
Yes, their license should be revoked. I agree that there is nothing to like about this couple. Ever since Trump would not invite them to attend a New Year Eve Party at Mar a- Lago after Mika plastic surgery, they have been attacking Trump. These are two very shallow people. The irony is that Joe and Mika helped Trump get the nomination in 2016 by having him on their show more than anyone else, but their show has been nothing but DNC propaganda ever since Trump won the election.
Government action against a tv network for refusing to air propaganda? That does not sound very American to me. Sounds more like the authoritarian counties we used to criticize.
Hope & change, we’ve never seen you before. Just popped out of nowhere??
That will gross negligence and deprive the 2 viewers they have left of the news!
All the news that’s fit to print. In days of old that applied to newspapers and magazines. That is the New York Times logo. If a President lies it’s still fit to print or hear and see on tv.
We will see what happens when the Poles close on the West Coast. The Chechs and Serbs will have already closed in the East Coast.
Back in the day Mika and Joe were ying and yang much like CNN’s Crossfire program. Gone forever and now a liberal hack, Scarborough is a shell of his former self.
Scarborough is p#ssy whipped … right fellas? 👄
Don’t worry Joe, with the amount of viewers you have your coverage of the election won’t be missed.
I am surprised that you ” like and respect Scarborough”. I find nothing in his life or behavior to like, and certainly not to respect. I expected better of you. A reflection on your judgment.
If Scarborough or any Talking Head or any Network takes such a position…..without applying same to Joe Biden…..then their Broadcasting Licenses should be revoked.
As Citizens….and Voters…..we should respond to this kind of conduct by simpling turning off that outlet….permanently.
If we quit watching….and their viewership numbers plummet……so will their advertising revenue….and we know the power of the Dollar.
In time they either change their ways or go bankrupt.
We must patronize those outlets that are balanced and impartial in their News reporting….and who clearly separate the News from Opinion segments of their programming.
Likewise we should boycott those that fail to do that…..and should show only contempt for them.
It is entirely possible the Biden may have such a lead tonight that he could be declared the winner, but almost no chance of that happening for Trump. To pretend otherwise would be dishonest.
It appears we have found the smoking gun, er, the missing crack pipe