Nora Ephron on Katie Couric & "Some People"

[wicket]

Link from Huffington Post

"Some people" are saying that Katie Couric went too far on 60 Minutes. I don't actually know who those people are, because I haven't done any reporting on it. Why bother? "Some people" must be saying it. "Some people" will say anything. And there's no real need to mention their names, because I can just say that "some people" are saying it and get away with it.

Last night on 60 Minutes, Katie Couric kept referring to "Some people." She said that "some" were saying the Edwardses were courageous, and "others" were saying they were callous and ambitious. She said that some people were wondering how someone could be president if he was "distracted" by his wife's health. (This question, in a year when there are two presidential candidates who are themselves cancer survivors, seemed particularly disingenuous.) (And never mind that it was being asked by someone who managed to keep working while dealing with her own husband's terminal illness.)

I kept waiting for John or Elizabeth Edwards to ask her who "some people" were exactly, but they didn't. They cheerfully answered her questions. Elizabeth Edwards said, "We're all going to die." And: "I pretty much know what I'm going to die of now." She said that on hearing that her cancer had recurred, she realized she had a choice -- to go on living her life, or begin dying. She said she had chosen to go on living her life. Katie Couric looked at her as if someone had set off a stinkbomb in the room and then asked another "some people" question, this one about whether the Edwardses were "in denial."

-snip-

Last night on 60 Minutes, Katie Couric quoted John Edwards' remark earlier in the week -- that he was in the race "for the duration," and asked him, "How can you say that, Senator Edwards, with such certainty? If, God forbid, Elizabeth doesn't respond to whatever treatment is recommended, if her health deteriorates, would you really say that?" Thank you, Katie. Thank you for asking that question. The world could not have survived had you not asked it. Of course, "Some people" were undoubtedly thinking it. And it would have been a tragedy not to have given voice to that thought, wouldn't it? Or would it?

[ixion]

1. "some" has never been considered proper atttribution...

if I had used "some say" to attribute a comment when I was a cub reporter, it would have been smacked down by the editor as heresay, because that's exactly what it is, without proper attribution.

That mainstream journalism now accepts this as credible attribution is a tragic turn of events, IMO, and destroys any credibility a 'news' organization may have.

[wicket]

7. Some people say Americans need their news dumbed down

It's the continued blurring of the line between news and entertainment. Thank god for PBS, I don't know what I'd do without NOW or Frontline. Now *that* is some fine reporting.

Are you still in the business?

[blm]

26. Some people say the news business dumbed down DELIBERATELY to fulfill the

agendas set by the fascists who bought control over most broadcast media in the 80s and 90s.

[wicket]

27. You got that right

And getting rid of the Fairness Doctrine had a lot to do with it.

[ixion]

29. I write code these days, rather than journalism, although

writing is defintely my first love. Programming pays better, though. :-)

[havocmom]

30. 'Some' (FAUX) news stations seem to require the tactic be used on air

Yep, what would once get yer ass fired is now how to get hired. Manipulation of the 'news' was stage one in the coup we are dealing with now.

[question everything]

31. Oh, there is always "the man in the street"

:sarcasm:

[crickets]

2. "Some people" think

Katie Couric is yet another blow-dried, lip-glossed waste of time. "Some people" think Elizabeth Edwards is honorable and courageous, not necessarily because of the state of her health but because of the quiet strength of her convictions. "Some people" think Elizabeth and John Edwards are adults who can make their own decisions without asking for anyone else's permission.

[wicket]

8. Some people think Katie Couric is a hack

:D

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

3. Thank you for posting this. Nora Ephrom is wonderful! Well, at least some people would say that!

(and I own up to being part of those some people!);)

[wicket]

5. LOL

I'm "some people" too! :D :hi:

[in_cog_ni_to]

4. Judy Woodruff, ex CNN WH mouthpiece, was famous for the use of "Some people say"

it's a bizarre thing for a so-called "journalist" to say. I hope this finally finishes Katie, my-husband-had-colon-cancer-and-I-continued-to-work-throughout-his-treatments, Couric.

[wicket]

6. She's a total hypocrite

I really tried to give her the benefit of the doubt when she took over as anchor but she's been so disappointing. The Edwards' interview pushed it over the edge. She's a HACK.

[in_cog_ni_to]

9. Couldn't agree more!

:hi:

[liberalla]

35. I've never been a fan of the couric, and now more than ever!

I can skip CBS news easily enough (used to be my 1st choice), but seeing her sully 60 Minutes was maddening.

She has no place doing NEWS.

[CTyankee]

10. She has now destroyed her own credibility on the subject.

I would have to be hogtied and nailed to floor to ever watch that woman do anything on TV ever again. She is an utter disgrace!

[waiting for hope]

12. Did you see

Dead Intern Joe last night? He gave her some openings for an excuse, but for the most part, he was praising the Edwards' and applauding their decision.

[CTyankee]

15. I don't like Joe so I rarely watch. Every now and again is enough for me.

I'm glad to hear he was decent on the Edwardses, tho.

[stanwyck]

20. My husband saw Joe's show and was incensed at Katie

really angry. He hadn't seen her interview of the Edwards (I saw it). Katie really dropped in his estimation.

[Benhurst]

11. Some people say Katie Couric, having capitalized on her husband's

early demise to advance her career, was taking cheap shots, once again to garner ratings.

Some people are saying that. Now I wouldn't say it. But people are saying that nevertheless.

[Supersedeas]

19. Some people would say Katie Lipstick Couric is ignoring her own past cause self-reflection

can be so damaging to a Media-Whores integrity.

[entanglement]

13. Some say Katie Couric is a RW b*tch, some say she's a media whore, I say she's both

n/t

[Red Zelda]

14. Really ... it's up to the people being INTERVIEWED

to stop this shit. They should have challenged her.
Only when faced with real intellect to these blow-dried hack reporters shrivel and die.

[waiting for hope]

16. I think the Edwards' handled themselves

with grace and dignity - what good would it have done by bashing the dim wit's line of questioning? They know her audience and what they are thinking, and from the outpouring of sympathy they have been receiving, I think they handled it well.

[wicket]

17. I think they did great

:shrug:

[Red Zelda]

22. So do I

...I'm just waiting for someone to really nail vapid shitheads like Couric.

[stanwyck]

21. You have a point. For example, Bill Clinton

got in Chris Wallace's face, and rightly so, during Wallace's insipidly smirky interview. The result was energizing for liberals. I wish Kerry had been more forceful against the Swiftboat Liars for hire.
That said, I appreciated the Edward's tone -- respectful and dignified.

[earth mom]

18. Nora's great-thanks for posting. eom.

[wicket]

23. Any time!

:hi:

[gratuitous]

24. I missed this part of it

Elizabeth Edwards said, "We're all going to die." And: "I pretty much know what I'm going to die of now." She said that on hearing that her cancer had recurred, she realized she had a choice -- to go on living her life, or begin dying. She said she had chosen to go on living her life. Katie Couric looked at her as if someone had set off a stinkbomb in the room and then asked another "some people" question, this one about whether the Edwardses were "in denial."

My response is the Sheila Broslowski, "Whatwhatwhat?!" When someone matter-of-factly says that in the face of certain death, she is going to go on living, how in the name of all that's holy does that equate to being "in denial"? And I don't give a flying fig who says that person is in denial; that's just so flat out and obviously wrong, it's a wonder to me that Ms. Couric's head didn't just cave in from the utter brainlessness of that question.

Knowing that your body could give out at literally any moment and choosing the spend the rest of the time one has left living each moment as fully as possible seems to me the very opposite of being in denial. What would Ms. Couric have the Edwardses do? Curl up in a ball and wail about cruel fate? Maybe they do that on occasion. But the courage to get up, get out, and get going isn't a common trait of humanity, and the Edwardses' very public display of that kind of courage is completely at odds with the product the Bush administration has been selling for the last 5½ years. And maybe that's what led to Ms. Couric's asinine question.

After all, the Bush administration has scared us over and over again with the specter of a repeat of 9/11, and the major media have dutifully wet their pants every time the tocsin of panic has been sounded by the Bushies. The Edwardses, contrary to the cowardly response the major media, and in the face of a real existential threat, have decided to fight and live as free and courageous people. Maybe Ms. Couric is trying to cover her own shameful behavior and the shame of the rest of her professional colleagues who have time and again cowered in the corner whenever the Bush administration has said "boo" to them over the last half decade.

[Cha]

25. Leave it to Nora Ephron to have

have the defining commentary on couric's "stinkbomb"..if it weren't such a serious subject that would be funny.

couric was taking umbrage that John was putting himself in a position that he could be LYING to the American People!! Quell Horror!

[Jack Rabbit]

28. Some people

Some people say that Katie would find a real home at FoxNews.

[izzybeans]

32. "Some People" is a symptom that laziness has become a professional ethos

in T.V. news. Fox News and Katie Couric are not alone. "Some people" just don't know how to do their homework and "some other people" are too lazy to dig up the references. My students are the same way. When "some people" show up in their papers I tell them they are going the right way for a C or worse.

Fox News "Reported by C Students, you decide"
CBSNEWS "What about me guys? I like to party."

[wicket]

33. kick

:kick:

[Kurovski]

34. I remember when Howard Dean first confronted the "Some People"

brand of FOX News journalism.

It's the technique of choice for lazy reporters, gossip columnists, and propagandists alike.

Please, remove the Couric scourge from our airwaves.

[SalmonChantedEvening]

36. Some people are made of plastic, some people are made of wood

And Katie, you have both covered.

Plastic personality, wooden head.

:smoke: