Bernie’s Weekly Q&A (4/19)

Catherine Herridge, Thomas Sowell, Caitlin Clark, and more!

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Bernie, John, I’m wondering what your take is on the position CBS has taken with Catherine Herridge and her right to protect developed sources and the network claiming the materials are their property. Seems the Congressional hearings haven’t made any difference as of 4/13 — Larry H.

From Bernie: I’m with Catherine Herridge. When a journalist promises confidentiality to a source, that means she won’t reveal the name of that source. There are exceptions. Before airing a controversial story, higher-ups can ask the name of the source, to determine if they believe the story is solid enough to put on the air. But that’s not the issue at the moment. Herridge was one of 800 people who were fired by Paramount, the parent company of CBS News. Here are a few words on the subject from the New York Post:

Catherine Herridge — the acclaimed CBS News investigative journalist known for her reporting on the Hunter Biden laptop scandal — accused the network of “journalistic rape” for seizing her files after she was fired during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Thursday.

Breaking her silence for the first time since her controversial dismissal in February, Herridge called the move by her former bosses an assault on journalism.

“When my records were seized I felt it was a journalistic rape,” Herridge testified at the hearing, titled “Fighting for a Free Press: Protecting Journalists and their Sources.”

“When the network of Walter Cronkite seizes your reporting files, including confidential source information, that is an attack on investigative journalism.”

As for CBS News, the Post reports that, “CBS said no one had rifled through the files and that they were eventually locked inside Herridge’s former office in Washington, DC, before being returned after outcry from her union, SAG-AFTRA.”

From John: What Bernie said.

I can’t get away from the thought that Trump (and his minions) is putting pressure on Nikki Haley to be his VP. He’d love to get her base. Think possible? If so will she succumb? —Phyllis C

I think it would be a smart move to get Haley on the ticket. But I doubt it would happen. She’d have to explain why she’s teaming up with a guy she found unfit for office. That said, Biden picked Kamala Harris as his VP — and she practically flat-out called him a racist during that first Democratic debate. So it’s possible — but only in the sense that anything is possible.

Some (including Biden) have been sending the message that Caitlin Clark’s contract salary is further evidence of rampant sexism. They support this by comparing what she's making vs. the contract awarded Victor Wembayana. The relevant comparison is not man vs. woman but rather comparing somebody who plays guitar at the neighborhood bar to the Rolling Stones. If she can get people to pay to watch her perform, the money will come regardless of her gender. I seem to remember there was a pop star of that gender who turned a nice buck this past year. Thoughts? — Tony G.