January 16th, 2011

Transcript: Reliable Sources turns a critical lens on the Arizona media aftermath

Highlighted excerpts of CNN’s Reliable Sources, hosted by Howard Kurtz, are after the jump. A full transcript of the program can be found here.

David Frum:

“I am not bothered when people have a harsh name to call or say that somebody’s a liar or a jerk.  That is not what is corrosive of democracy.”

Journalist Lauren Ashburn, in response to David Frum:

“You’re saying it doesn’t matter if we call someone a jerk or a moron or a pinhead or the worst person of the year, that that doesn’t really impact the rhetoric of this country. And you’re wrong.”

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Atlantic‘s James Fallows on whether journalists should keep writing about gun-control proposals that seem unlikely to pass:

“I would be happy to see some news organizations saying we think there can be a change here and try to reduce the number of these killings.”

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Anchor Bill Kurtis on talking about his late son’s struggles with mental illness in the wake of the Tucson shootings:

“I didn’t want to exploit it. Primarily, I felt that my son should have that decision.”

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The Media Monitor featured the History Channel, former ESPN anchor Ron Franklin, former NPR executive Ellen Weiss, Buzz Bissinger, Tucker Carlson, Joe Klein, Ed Schultz and Howard Kurtz.