Looks like this idea of publicly calling out Jay Severin’s errors and omissions may be catching on. Yesterday Scott Lehigh called for reports of Severin’s incivility. Then Dan Kennedy responded with an example of what in my mind is a much greater sin: misleading his audience.
A caller ripped the media for hounding poor Sarah Palin while letting Sonia Sotomayor get away with not giving interviews. At least Palin answered questions, the caller said. How can the media let Sotomayor get away with not giving interviews? (I’m paraphrasing from memory, but that was the gist.)
"Great point," Severin responded, without bothering to point out that Supreme Court nominees, by longstanding custom, are not allowed to grant interviews. As Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., said yesterday, he wants to begin hearings sooner rather than later so that Sotomayor can finally be heard.
Severin had to know better. By not only not correcting the caller’s error, but by amplifying it and giving him an "attaboy," I’d say that qualifies as an error. So put it on your list, Scot.
At one point I’d hoped that SeverinWatch would be the definitive source for Severin criticism, but I’m happy to see others jumping on the bandwagon. It’s vital to get Severin’s on-air statements transcribed and posted contemporaneously; otherwise, it’s far too easy for him to deflect criticism with a simple “that’s not what I said.”
6 Comments
Did anyone catch Severin’s response to Obama’s speech ? I missed it
and wonder what he said. I fully expect the usual screed, but am willing
to be surprised after his recent humiliations.
Duli
Oh PUHLEEEEZE…
You can’t possibly tell me that the view of Chris Matthews, Keith Olbermann, and Rachel Maddow aren’t as one-sided and biased as Jay Severin.
Duli, I only heard a couple of callers who said, in response to whatever Jay said, that they welcomed a calmer, cooler tone in contrast to the childish, bullying tone of the previous administration. And in response, Jay said that in private conversation he carries himself a lot more like Barack Obama than George W. Bush. (Not with respect to political views, of course, but in terms of manner.) If that’s the case, I wonder why he feels he can’t behave like that on the air. Does he think that civility and respect can’t sell advertising time?
Peter, that is not the argument we’re making. This is SeverinWatch, not MSNBCWatch. And more importantly, I don’t care that Jay Severin is biased. I only care that he’s wrong.
David:
Your last comment:
“I don’t care that Jay Severin is biased. I only care that he’s wrong.”
was the best thing I read today (I could not have put it better).
May I suggest a slightly stronger:
“I only care that he is a liar”.
When someone inevitably asks “point out where he has lied” and comment that
“if he lies, he does it to inspire discourse”, please point them to other parts
of this website.
Duli
I found it interesting that despite being a critic of the Boston Globe, Severin mentioned in his broadcast yesterday that he hopes they will continue to publish.
Maybe to inspire some discourse? Some original thought?
Keep your friends close…