Editor’s Note: Dean Obeidallah, a former lawyer, is the host of SiriusXM radio’s every day program “The Dean Obeidallah Show.” Follow him @DeanObeidallah@masto.ai. The opinions expressed on this commentary are his personal. View more opinion on CNN.
CNN
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Last 12 months, GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia spoke at a white nationalist occasion organized by Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes that brought on Republican leaders to denounce her.
Last week, Greene’s Twitter account was temporarily suspended by the Elon Musk-headed platform over a tweet with a graphic referring to a “Trans Day of Vengeance,” as she denounced a planned transgender rights rally.
And come Tuesday, Greene has announced plans to protest in New York City when former President Donald Trump is predicted to be arraigned on an indictment of more than 30 counts, calling the proceedings in opposition to him an “unconstitutional WITCH HUNT!”
But on Sunday, Greene was featured on CBS’ “60 Minutes” in an interview the long-running present promoted on Twitter with the tease: “Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, nicknamed MTG, isn’t afraid to share her opinions, regardless of how intense and in-your-face they’re. She sits down with Lesley Stahl this Sunday on 60 Minutes.” The photographs hooked up to this tweet by “60 Minutes” embody Greene and Stahl strolling by the US Capitol, taking a stroll exterior and Greene exhibiting Stahl one thing on her cellphone.
In the section that aired Sunday evening, Stahl noted the congresswoman had moved from the perimeter to the GOP’s entrance row in two years regardless of a “sharp tongue” and “some fairly radical views” in addition to “excessive” feedback akin to “the Democrats are a celebration of pedophiles.” Stahl additionally referred to video of Greene chasing a Parkland, Florida, college taking pictures survivor, nonetheless sustaining that the 2020 election was stolen and failing to criticize Trump over spending. (The interview was carried out earlier than information of his indictment.)
But Stahl didn’t point out Greene spoke at a white nationalist occasion a 12 months in the past whereas a member of Congress or her excessive anti-Muslim views and her protection of January 6 rioters.
Criticism of CBS for amplifying Greene has been swift and well-deserved even earlier than this system aired. Former GOP Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois tweeted beforehand: “Wow. Insane that 60 min would do that.” (Kinzinger is a CNN senior political commentator.)
Journalist Molly Jong-Fast also slammed “60 Minutes” with the tweet: “Attention is foreign money and 60 minutes is spending its foreign money on the Jewish area lasers lady.” (Jong-Fast was apparently referring to Greene’s past claim {that a} large California wildfire was began by “a laser” beamed from area managed by a outstanding Jewish banking household.)
David Hogg, who survived the 2018 horrific school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland and has since grow to be an activist in opposition to gun violence, responded, “I stay up for your questions on why she thinks college shootings are pretend and why she’s supported QAnon.”
Greene amplified the conspiracy theory — two years earlier than being elected to Congress — that the Parkland taking pictures that took 17 lives was staged. And in 2019, Greene appeared on video confronting Hogg exterior the Capitol when he was championing legal guidelines to avoid wasting lives from gun violence, screaming that the then-teenager was a “coward.” She additionally known as Hogg “#littleHitler” on social media.
Greene’s own tweet selling Sunday’s section was not crammed together with her typical smears of “pretend information” when she doesn’t just like the protection. Rather, Greene urged individuals to tune in as she praised “60 Minutes” host Stahl (and misspelled her first identify): “It was an honor to spend just a few days with the legendary icon Leslie Stahl and proficient crew @60Minutes.” Greene added, “Leslie is a trailblazer for girls in journalism. And whereas we might disagree on some points, I respect her enormously.”
Now, it’s true that “60 Minutes” over its 50-plus-year history has featured what the present has dubbed “controversial” friends. These embody a 2000 interview with Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh, whose 1995 terrorist attack left 168 lifeless, together with 19 youngsters. And the present did a 1979 interview with Iran’s Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
Perhaps “60 Minutes” views Greene — who has repeatedly downplayed and even defended the January 6, 2021, assault plus known as for the GOP to grow to be the celebration of “Christian nationalism” — within the vein of its lengthy record of controversial friends. (CBS had not responded to a request from CNN for remark at time of publishing.)
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However, the selection of Greene as a visitor immediately remembers the comments of then-CBS CEO Les Moonves throughout Trump’s 2016 presidential marketing campaign when he admitted that Trump’s candidacy “might not be good for America, however it’s rattling good for CBS.” Moonves added, “The cash’s rolling in and that is enjoyable. … (T)his goes to be an excellent 12 months for us,” concluding, “Sorry. It’s a horrible factor to say. But carry it on, Donald. Keep going.”
Moonves may be gone from CBS, however it seems his mindset continues at “60 Minutes.” And that could be good for “60 Minutes,” however it’s undoubtedly not good for America.
