“60 Minutes” host Lesley Stahl spoke with Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) — the interview aired during Sunday’s broadcast – and liberals immediately attacked both Stahl and CBS.
“Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, nicknamed MTG, isn’t afraid to share her opinions, no matter how intense and in-your-face they are. She sits down with Lesley Stahl this Sunday on 60 Minutes,” the show’s preview tweet read.
Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, nicknamed MTG, isn’t afraid to share her opinions, no matter how intense and in-your-face they are. She sits down with Lesley Stahl this Sunday on 60 Minutes. https://t.co/mEN4CWeXMW pic.twitter.com/BIzcRHgrLT
— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) March 31, 2023
Liberals quickly criticized Stahl for interviewing Taylor Greene and CBS for daring to allow such an interview to air.
“Some of the most important decisions you make as an editor are about who and what NOT to cover,” Laura Helmuth said.
Some of the most important decisions you make as an editor are about who and what NOT to cover https://t.co/ElN8dQQ22v
— Laura Helmuth (@laurahelmuth) April 2, 2023
“Wasteful of our time journalism malpractice. This should have been an April Fool but sadly is not. Serious treatment of this individual by @60Minutes is not providing informative, insightful news or analysis but rather a platform for hate to build on,” Bruce Bourgoine complained.
Television producer Jonathan Goldman called Taylor Greene a “domestic terrorist,” tweeting, “Shame on 60 Minutes for normalizing the hateful bile that MRG spews. She’s an antisemitic, QAnon conspiracy peddling bigot who conspired to overturn a presidential election w white nationalists. MTG is not a politician, she’s a domestic terrorist & Leslie Stahl is amplifying her.”
“Lesley Stahl and @60Minutes should be ashamed for giving a known racist, election denying, Anti-Semite the stage for a national interview. Even respected, once reputable media are providing Fascist a microphone and endangering Democracy in America,” Southern Sister Resister (@ResisterSis20) scolded.
Huffpost politics reporter Jennifer Bendery took a more mocking tone, tweeting, “Coming up after the break: She’s spread conspiracy theories and lies about the 2020 election, 9/11 and the Parkland shooting. She’s racist and antisemitic. She’s expressed support for executing Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama. And– she makes an excellent blueberry muffin.”
Coming up after the break: She's spread conspiracy theories and lies about the 2020 election, 9/11 and the Parkland shooting. She's racist and antisemitic. She's expressed support for executing Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama. And– she makes an excellent blueberry muffin. https://t.co/BmO5orFlY5
— Jennifer Bendery (@jbendery) April 1, 2023
“WTAF!? Why? Just WHY??? 60 Minutes and Lesley Stahl have just soiled their credibility. Why would you lend legitimacy to a white supremacist terrorist who sought to overturn a fair election?” tweeted @Mommamia1217 before admitting: “I certainly won’t be watching. Will you?”
Independent journalist Glenn Greenwald noticed that — the fact that many of the people complaining about the interview were not likely to watch it — and argued that the liberal left was giving the game away.
“The number of liberals vehemently condemning this interview they have not seen — based on their view that journalists should ignore everyone who isn’t a Democrat or at least a good Trump-hating Republican like Mitt Romney or Liz Cheney — reveals so much about their mindset,” Greenwald began.
They want journalists to create a make-believe reality for them in which bad people and bad things don't exist. Don't we learn when we're 8 that this doesn't work?
MTG is one of the most influential and trusted members of Congress among millions. Of course you interview her.
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) April 2, 2023
He went on to point out that Taylor Greene, whether they liked her or not, was certainly an influential member of Congress and it made perfect sense for a journalist to interview her.
“They want journalists to create a make-believe reality for them in which bad people and bad things don’t exist,” Greenwald added. “Don’t we learn when we’re 8 that this doesn’t work?”