On November 4, NBC’s “Today Show” had a blockbuster report on the strange attack on Paul Pelosi, husband of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. In the report, National Correspondent Miguel Almaguer cited an anonymous source close to the ongoing criminal investigation into the home invasion and assault that claimed Pelosi didn’t immediately ask for help or seek protection from police when he greeted them at his door the fateful night of the attack.
“After a ‘knock and announce,’ the front door was opened by Mr. Pelosi. The 82-year-old did not immediately declare an emergency or try to leave his home. Instead, he began walking several feet back into the foyer toward the assailant and away from police,” Almaguer reported. “It’s unclear if the 82-year-old was already injured or what his mental state was, say sources.”
Later that afternoon, the report, the video, and the accompanying article were scrubbed from NBC News’s website and their social media platforms and replaced with the following notice:
“Editor’s note: This piece has been removed from publication because it did not meet NBC News reporting standards.”
Luckily, I conducted a live stream discussion on the bizarre story and its removal that afternoon, so you can see the entire report right here: (While you’re there, subscribe to my channel so you can catch every episode of “O’Connor Tonight” on Salem News Channel).
This was obviously a very significant story because it called into question the bizarre nature of this incident. Why would Pelosi walk several feet back toward his would-be assailant rather than seek protection immediately from the police whom he had summoned?
None of it made any sense.
NBC News has now suspended Almaguer as they continue to investigate the matter.
When asked to comment on the situation, a spokesman said, “We don’t comment on personnel matters,” but I’m afraid that’s not really good enough.
You see, this is not just a personnel matter; this is a journalistic matter. And if NBC News wants to be taken seriously, they owe the American public answers to a couple of key questions. And these answers should not take long to figure out.
In fact, they already know the answers.
The first one is easy and obvious. What exactly was wrong, inaccurate, or factually incorrect about the original piece? You see, they haven’t actually said the original story was wrong, per se. They just said it “didn’t meet their standards.”
Fascinating.
If the story is inaccurate, don’t they owe it to the readers to clear up what, specifically, was inaccurate about it? And report the truth instead of the damnable lies the original report contained?
The second question is, frankly, even more important. NBC News should reveal who their anonymous source was that burned them on this story.
If you take NBC at their word, this story was wrong and should never have been reported to the public. Their journalist is now on suspension. This is a man who has served them for many years as one of their top reporters. If he’s now suspended for getting a story wrong, it can only mean that his unnamed source lied to him or got their facts wrong. Either way, the source no longer deserves the protection of anonymity.
This needs to become the norm for journalism.
After years and years of anonymously sourced blockbusters about Donald Trump and other Republicans in Washington that all ended up fizzling out or disappearing completely because they were complete and total fabrications, it’s time to set a new standard for these secret sources.
Reporters need to be less eager to run with whispered-in-the-shadows gossip presented as seriously investigated news. If a source is not willing to go on camera or on the record with their story, then they need to run the risk of exposure if their story doesn’t pan out.
It’s really that simple.
As long as there are no repercussions for telling an anonymous lie to the media, then we will continue to be fed lies.
NBC News could start a very healthy and productive trend here, and they’d build back some trust with their viewers while they’re at it. Reveal the source that lied to their ace reporter. It’s really that simple.
Unless… unless the story is factually accurate, and they merely pulled it because it endangered their political standing with Pelosi and the Democrats because it called into question the veracity of the party line.
The Daily Beast article that first reported the suspension of Mr. Almaguer hints that this may, in fact, be the case.
Right-wing media figures immediately took the report and its retraction as proof of a politically motivated cover-up—after a week of grasping at various conspiracy theories to dismiss the assault, which left Pelosi with a cracked skull.
“Conservatives pounce on the truth!”
If the story is accurate, it shouldn’t matter that “Right-wing media figures” are using it to their political advantage. The truth is the truth, whether it helps conservatives or hurts them. But, until NBC News reveals what, exactly, they got wrong in this report and who the anonymous source was that burned them, we are left with their tepid statement that this report did not “meet NBC News reporting standards.”
That’s right. Absent more information from the suits at 30 Rock, we are left with the conclusion that the truth doesn’t “meet NBC News reporting standards” which is… hilarious.
Most likely he talked to someone who was at the scene.
The reason it “didn’t meet NBC standards” is because the truth hurts.. so NBC being the leftist enclave that employed serial liar Brian Williams, has demonstrated that it’s standards are to shovel bullshit for the Democrat party.
The network that deleted part of the George Zimmerman 911 call, just deleted an entire report. Why? Because accuracy was dampening the opportunity to again slander MAGA.
(The only question if NBC got a call directly from Nancy.)
A call from Nancy, the FBI, the DOJ, or the White House.
Plausible that they did a conference call. Clean up on aisle 1 – 12 requires a lot.
Which could explain why the bitch chose to step aside. (The lid on this is dangerously close to coming off – and possibly becoming too heavy or too much to hide.)
Nobody cares that Paul Pelosi is gay. In fact, I have sources that say that Paul is applying for London Breed’s new “pay the tranny” policy. He’ll get 1,200 dollars a month from San Fran tax payers for being a homeless trans woman. In a show of compassion, Nancy says he doesn’t have to split it with her.
The R’s should ANNOUNCE their INTENTION to take up the matter of SECURITY of the HOME of the SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE – THIRD IN LINE FOR THE PRESIDENCY!!! FIRST DAY of the Hearing should be a VIEWING of the POLICE Body Cam and SECRET SERVICE SECURITY CAMS!! Second Day should be “inviting” Mr. Pelosi to TESTIFY UNDER OATH. After that 10 minutes of incoherent nonsense, the Canadian Nudist Terrorist should be “interviewed” for HIS side of the story! Maybe he acted in SELF DEFENSE???? Make sure The Nanzi KNOWS this is coming! And for sure, someone with the immense TALENT can make a video of The Nanzi carrying that HUGE gavel and wresting with McCarthy (spit) as he TRIES to take control and then ACCIDENTALLY whacks Paul on the head! Might as well make a MOCKERY of the entire episode!
At the state of the union McCarthy will have a speech to tear up! Hopefully he will release 14,000 hrs of capitol police video first!
” The truth is the truth, whether it helps conservatives or hurts them.”
there’s “the truth” (smiles and nods) and “the truth” (frowns and shakes head)
NBC-
Nurturing
Biden’s
Cooperation !
How bad/embarrassing must the truth really be? The obvious lies and inconsistencies keep this story in the press and on the rumor mill.
It makes it appear as if Paul P. has had a diet consisting of mostly sausage and potatoes for many years.
Paul and Nancy must have an ”arrangement”, maybe?
Why? And since when do they need a source?
“The story didn’t meet our standards.” = “The story undermined a narrative that we were using to demonize Trump and his supporters, including Republican politicians who share his policies.”
NBC Fake News Lying Peacock i quit the M.S. Media over 20 Years Ago that means all the Major Fake News
Is the issue that NBC’s standards might be “Don’t publish anything that negatively affects Democrats”?
There used to be an organization in Chicago called the Chicago News Service. They were an independent news service like the AP or UPI. They would send reporters out to cover fires, crimes, public meetings, etc., and then sell the story to the local media.
They summed up their journalistic standards with a slogan posted up on the wall of their main news room:
“If your mother says she loves you, check it out.”
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