Katie Couric Under The Gun
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Over her years on TV, Katie Couric has been questioned about her "reporting chops"," her "perky attitude", even "her hair".
But, she was never questioned about her integrity, until now.
You can call it Couric's "Dan Rather moment", after she produced a documentary about gun violence.
In the film, Couric talked to members of the Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL). She asked them about the the ability of convicted felons and those on the terror watch list to legally obtain a gun?
In the doc, there was a long pause from the participants she asked. It made them look like they didn't have an answer. In reality, the VCDL members answered the question right away.
It was deceptive editing for sure.
When Couric was called out on it, she stuck to her guns (pardon the pun) and thought the editing was fine.
It was not, she knew it and now has admitted as much. But not before her credibility has taken a huge hit.
Couric has now released a statement, a statement that now tries to put the toothpaste back in the tube.
"When I screened an early version of the film with the director, Stephanie Soechtig, I questioned her and the editor about the pause and was told that a "beat" was added for, as she described it, “dramatic effect," to give the audience a moment to consider the question. When VCDL members recently pointed out that they had in fact immediately answered this question, I went back and reviewed it and agree that those eight seconds do not accurately represent their response. I hope we can continue to have an important conversation about reducing gun deaths in America, a goal I believe we can all agree on."
The statement is more than likely too little to late. Couric's integrity is now in question and that is never a good thing.
