Posted on 03/14/2016 5:31:23 AM PDT by Drango
NPR is acting to clarify the role of longtime analyst and commentator Cokie Roberts after she co-wrote a syndicated newspaper column calling for "the rational wing" of the Republican Party to stop Donald Trump's march toward its presidential nomination.
NPR has a policy forbidding its journalists from taking public stances on political affairs. She has not been a full-time employee for decades, and several years ago Roberts officially was named a commentator. (The timing was confirmed in separate interviews with Roberts, NPR officials and the former senior vice president for news who made the decision.) The role gives Roberts more latitude to express opinions than the network's reporters or hosts.
"[Trump] is one of the least qualified candidates ever to make a serious run for the presidency," Roberts wrote late last month in a syndicated column with her husband, the journalist Steven Roberts. "If he is nominated by a major party — let alone elected — the reputation of the United States would suffer a devastating blow around the world."
Roberts, often described as a "founding mother" of NPR, left her position as a full-time staffer in 1992 for ABC News. She continued to appear regularly on NPR as a news analyst for almost two decades on a contract basis. After the change in title from news analyst to commentator, listeners may have noticed little, if any, difference in her role.
Roberts remains closely identified with NPR and presents commentary most Mondays on Morning Edition.
Roberts' column was published Feb. 26, and she did not flag its contents to NPR executives. It came to their attention after Roberts sharply questioned Trump during a March 9 appearance on MSNBC.
NPR's senior vice president for news and editorial director, Michael Oreskes, said the opinion column indicates Roberts has not been sufficiently identified to listeners as a commentator. Additionally, he wrote in a memo to staffers that news executives would work with her to refine the contours of her job.
The very public evolution of Roberts' status occurs against the backdrop of an earlier episode in which an NPR analyst's remarks in another news outlet sparked a firestorm. NPR drew a backlash when it terminated Juan Williams' contract in fall 2010 because of comments he made about Muslims on Fox News.
The greater context involves Trump himself.
As Oreskes has noted, the news media continue to wrestle with how to respond to Trump's spectacular rise. Trump's criticism of the political establishment has at times appeared to incite violence and racial tensions.
Oreskes directed Roberts to explain her reasoning behind her column — both the substantive case and Roberts' conviction she had a right and need to articulate it — in a conversation with Morning Edition host David Greene broadcast early Monday.
"Our journalists have clear instructions," Oreskes wrote in his memo, sent to staffers Monday morning. "We do not support or oppose candidates. We don't advise political parties. We gather the news and seek as many points of view as we can. Cokie's role has evolved into being one of those points of view."
In the Morning Edition interview for broadcast Monday, Greene asked Roberts: "Objectivity is so fundamental to what we do. Can you blame people like me for being a little disappointed to hear you come out and take a personal position on something like this in a campaign?"
"If I were doing it in your role, you should be disappointed," Roberts said. "Or if I were doing it covering Capitol Hill every day. I can't imagine doing that. But the truth is [that commentary] is a different role. And there are times in our history when you might be disappointed if I didn't take a position like that."
Roberts is not the only veteran journalist to take unusual exception to Trump. In a pointed commentary that aired on NBC Nightly News in December, retired NBC anchor Tom Brokaw denounced Trump's "dangerous proposal" for Muslims to be prevented from entering the country. Brokaw, now a senior news analyst for NBC, said it "overrides history, the law and the foundation of America itself."
In an interview granted Sunday night for this article, Roberts was asked whether she had approached her job any differently with the title "commentator" rather than "analyst." She replied, "The answer has got to be, 'No.'
"Here is my basic approach to life," Roberts continued. "I am a totally unpartisan human being. I don't care which party has the right ideas — or which party has the wrong ideas. I am very, very, very interested in civility. I am interested in government working."
Roberts cited her family's own dedication to public service — not just the congressional careers of both of her parents but, she said, a family tradition reaching back to the American Revolution. Roberts particularly pointed to Trump's sharp rhetoric on Mexicans and Muslims and his seeming encouragement of violence toward protesters.
"We are in a time where we have the possibility of going backward instead of forward," Roberts said. "What's so incredibly wonderful about this country — which I believe is great and does not need to be made great — is our constant infusion of new people with new energy and new ideas.
"I know about the dark times in our history where we have gone backwards," Roberts said. "Those have not been useful times in our history. Not to point out that this is a moment in history where we could be backward instead of forward might be a disservice."
And Hillary Clinton is as honest as the day is long. Do these people realize how idiotic they sound ?
Remember both her parents were Democrat members of the House of Representatives from Louisiana and her brother is a big money bundler for the Democrats.
I watched that bizarre episode, where Cokie tried to slam Trump by pulling the standard *race* and *children* cards. Trump, of course, had no part of Cokies projections. She licked her lip (a weird/awkward habit she has) even more than she usually does, during and after that exchange.
Less qualified than Obama, who was only in the Senate for 2/3rds of one term before running for President? Obama, who ran virtually unopposed in all prior elections by chasing the other candidates out of the election?
Less qualified than Rubio, who also was a one-term Senator who won because he ran against the disliked Charlie Crist?
The man who built a real estate empire is less qualified because he didn't win a few local elections first? That's the bar?
-PJ
Three "very"s and two "interested"s - just incisive commentary ! She and Steve are two halves short of a full loaf.
Could be chemobrain left over from her breast cancer treatment, or frankly her mom died three years ago and Cokie has been off-kilter since then...
Others at NPR whose work touches our journalism and programming or who have “outward-facing” jobs that put them in contact with the public should be familiar with these guidelines. The principles apply to material that comes to NPR from independent producers, member station journalists, outside writers, commentators and visual journalists.
Cokie is a macho dude for sure.
They must be defeated because what's left of their minds are made up.
He’s the least qualified, yet David Cameron is leaving the EU, and Angela Merkel lost HUGE yesterday - both based on the same policies Trump is speaking about for the US.
She’s delusional.
Mary Martha Corinne Morrison Claiborne (Boggs) Roberts - a woman of the “people”
Cokie belongs on the Comedy Channel.
It is deeply angering that we have to pay our own money (taxes to NPR) to fund our opposition! What a set-up!
That’s a good one, the whole world, including the left, knows that NPR supports the left.
Agree 1000%.
Cokie might as be working for Fat Bottomed Girl (PIAPS).
Hahahaha....Obama supporters lamenting Trump’s lack of experience....hhahahahaha....
Publicly funded anti-GOP speech. No wonder people are clamoring to pull taxpayer funding.
A bald faced lie, you witch!
AS opposed to the incalculable blow it's suffered since Obama has been president?”
It's YOUR party that has shut down progress. It's YOUR party that keeps blacks on the plantation. It's your party that believes government knows best to spend our money than we do.
GFY Cokie, you dried up old hag!
It’s nice when it all works out for the elite.
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law. We’ve got your back.
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