Wall Street Journal Editor Says His Newspaper Wont Call Donald Trumps Lies Lies
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/wall-street-journal-lies-donald-trump_us_586934b8e4b0eb586489df43?
Wall Street Journal Editor Says His Newspaper Wont Call Donald Trumps Lies Lies
Id be careful about using the word lie, says Gerard Baker.
01/01/2017 12:43 pm ET
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Kate Sheppard Enterprise editor/Senior reporter, The Huffington Post
Jonathan Ernst/Reuters
Wall Street Journal Editor-in-Chief Gerard Baker said his newspaper would not refer to statements from the Trump administration as lies, even if they are false.
WASHINGTON ― Wall Street Journal Editor-in-Chief Gerard Baker said his newspaper would not refer to false statements from the Trump administration as lies, because doing so would ascribe a moral intent to the statements.
Baker appeared on NBCs Meet The Press Sunday, where he described some of President-elect Donald Trumps falsehoods as questionable and challengeable. But, he said, Id be careful about using the word lie. Lie implies much more than just saying something thats false. It implies a deliberate intent to mislead.
He said reporters should state the facts, but leave classifying them to readers, citing the example of Trumps claim that thousands of Muslims in New Jersey were celebrating on 9/11 (which is false).
I think its then up to the reader to make up their own mind to say, This is what Donald Trump says. This is what a reliable, trustworthy news organization reports. And you know what? I dont think thats true.
The New York Times editorial board has used lie to describe Trumps rampant abuse of facts. And Washington Post conservative columnist Jennifer Rubin has taken the media to task for not using the word. Other outlets ― including MSNBC, New York Magazine and HuffPost ― will use the word when its merited.
But Baker said that in doing so, you run the risk that you look like you are, youre not being, objective.............................