Trump brings media blitz to NBC, ‘steamrolls’ Meredith Vieira on birther issue

[Mass]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thecutline/20110407/ts_yblog_thecutline/trump-brings-media-blitz-to-nbc-steamrolls-meredith-vieira-on-birther-issue

Trump brings media blitz to NBC, ‘steamrolls’ Meredith Vieira on birther issue

...
As reports that Meredith Vieira is planning an exit from NBC's "Today Show" swirl, the anchor has sparked controversy over her failure to question a number of unsubstantiated challenges to the U.S. citizenship of President Barack Obama that Donald Trump floated in an interview with Vieira this morning.
Trump--the billionaire real estate tycoon and reality TV figure who is flirting with a 2012 presidential run--again sought to suggest that Obama was not born in the United States. "Birther" activists on the right have circulated the unsubstantiated claim in an effort to depict Obama's presidency as the outgrowth of a shadowy, constitutionally illegitimate conspiracy.
...
A spokeswoman for the "Today Show" did not respond to a request seeking comment on whether Vieira felt that she had adequately pressed Trump on his claims. But judging by how some of her peers in TV news have handled Trump in the same situation, she appears to have failed.
Take, for instance, conservative Fox News host Bill O'Reilly, who had Trump on his prime time show several weeks ago, and was well prepared to spar with his guest on the birther issue.
"There were two announcements the week was born in both Honolulu newspapers saying that he was born. That is impossible to make happen if he had not been born in the hospital," said O'Reilly, incredulously. "What is he, baby Jesus? There was a sophisticated conspiracy to smuggle that baby back into the country?"
...

I saw the clip on TV this morning and I was amazed how much Vieira was unable to answer properly to Trump's stupid comment. She pushed as far as asking him to come back to expose the results of the investigation he allegedly launched in Hawai,s saying it would be interesting.

Compare to this clip on CNN this morning http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x571125

[jenmito]

1. That article was on Yahoo's home page. Vieira should've had this info. to counter him:

"Donald Trump Birther Lies Destroyed By Lawrence O’Donnell"
http://kaystreet.wordpress.com/2011/04/01/donald-trump-birther-lies-destroyed-by-lawrence-odonnell/

[Thrill]

2. As many have said. O'Reilly made him look like a wacko

and the so called librul NBC let him do that nonsense.

[jenmito]

3. My link above yours shows a little of that interview. It's from The Last Word

where Lawrence O'Donnell shows it while destroying Trump himself.

[soleft]

4. Isn't the Apprenctice on NBC?

[Life Long Liberal]

5. Why are reporters so wimpy? n/t

[rurallib]

6. O please Trump, go on Rachel! please, please, please?

[mtnester]

7. A high school morning news show reporter might have done better

seriously, how embarrasing for her.

[Ramulux]

8. I want to thank Meredith Viera

for demonstrating exactly what is wrong with the media in this country. She just got fed the most insane conspiratorial bullshit I have ever heard and did not even attempt to dispute any of it. This interview will be used in journalism classes in colleges all across this country as an example of how not to do your job.