CBS' 60 Minutes: A Platform for Serial Liars, Despots and Now a Porn Star

by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org - Home - Stephen Lendman)

The deplorable state of US major media needs no elaboration for anyone following reliable alternative sources of news, information and analysis.

So-called television news in America is especially abominable - a combination of official narrative propaganda on key domestic and geopolitical issues, along with volumes of worthless junk food news.

Long-running CBS News' 60 Minutes follows the official narrative. It's like other scoundrel media reporting in a newsmagazine format - a full hour of rubbish to be avoided, not followed.

Days earlier, 60 Minutes gave Saudi crown prince Mohammad bin Salman (MBS) a platform to lie, ignoring a regime noted for public beheadings, whippings, executing anyone challenging its ruthlessness, supporting regional terrorism, and Washington's permanent war agenda.

While in office, 60 Minutes gave Obama a propaganda platform, things pre-scripted, softball questions asked instead of holding a rogue president's feet to the fire responsibly. 

An earlier interview with then-US Afghanistan commander General Stanley McChrystal failed to hold him accountable for years of US aggression.

The trend continues. Instead of hard-hitting interviews, softball ones are featured, including an earlier Obama/Hillary joint interview when she was secretary of state.

At the time, interviewer Steve Kroft said Obama "knows that we're not going to play gotcha with him."

The same goes for other notable public figures interviewed, going easy on them, instead of challenging their policies.

In response to 60 Minutes' interview of George W. Bush, Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR) said the following:

"In an outrageous politicization of journalism, CBS announced it would not air a report on forged documents that the Bush administration used to sell the Iraq war until after the November 2 (2004) election" - a CBS spokesperson saying:

"We…believe it would be inappropriate to air the report so close to the presidential election" - FAIR adding:

Withholding important information "about a president right before an election is a remarkable journalistic decision - arguably more problematic than a softball interview after an election has passed. The point is that 60 Minutes…shouldn't be doing either."

In November 2017, a 60 Minutes report on devastating war in Yemen ignored naked aggression orchestrated by Washington, partnered with Saudi Arabia against millions of Yemenis. Both countries share guilt for the carnage and horrific humanitarian crisis. 

Sunday evening, March 24, 60 Minutes will interview porn star Stephanie Clifford - better known as Stormy Daniels.

She's waging a legal battle to void a nondisclosure agreement about her earlier relationship with Trump, reportedly paid $130,000 to say nothing.

She claims the agreement is invalid because Trump didn't sign it. The White House denies a former relationship existed.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Trump's personal lawyer Michael Cohen paid hush money to Daniels in October 2016 via a private company to disassociate the then-presidential aspirant from the transaction.

Fox News reportedly prepared material on their relationship never aired or published. Lots more sordid details surfaced about what may or may not have happened between them.

Does it matter? Only between both parties and Trump's wife. To their shame and discredit, media scoundrels feature load of scandal, sleaze, sensationalist pseudo-journalism, along with juicing-up reports on murder, mayhem, mishaps, and celebrity gossip instead of real news, information and analysis.

This article was written solely to slam 60 Minutes for providing a platform to prominent US and other officials to lie, giving air time to despots like MBS wanting their abhorrent image reinvented, and now another blow to legitimate journalism by featuring a porn star.

What's next - interviewing a prominent pedophile, rapist or serial killer so they can try remaking their image before a national TV audience? 

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My newest book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."

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