By Elayne Savage, PhD
I have been trying really hard to figure out exactly why President Trump was spending so much time complaining that CBS had edited Kamala Harris’ October 7 interview just before the 2024 election.
No question she was chatty before the interview began when Bill Whitaker was admiring the artwork in her house. And when he started serious questioning she seemed to feel the need to offer background information as she answered each question.
However, although it was filled with lots of extra detail, and some critics say some of his questions were not directly answered, it doesn’t seem to me she rambled off-topic once the interview began.
It also was clear the editing did not change her words or meaning – but it highlighted what CBS considered to be her most important comments.
I guess I’ve been interviewed a few hundred times over the last 25 or 30 years and I always expect my answers will be edited to fit space constraints.
Many times I wish they had used certain sentences I offered but often they don’t and I don’t take it personally.
So why is Donald Trump in such a tizzy that Harris’ comments were edited? Trump, who has sued the Paramount Global-owned network for $10 billion for deceptively editing the Harris interview.
A few days ago I think I figured it out!
If the full interview had been used Harris’ lengthy answers might have seemed less focused, and more like Trump’s usual unfocused, rambling, off-topic word-salad.
Cleaning up Harris’ lengthy comments certainly does highlight the difference between their styles and intelligence.
Today I read a Substack piece by one of my favorite contributors, Jonathan Alter.
“Trump’s lawyers don’t argue that the editing changed the meaning of Harris’s words, only that she looked better in the shorter soundbite. Imagine forking over tens of millions of dollars and possibly apologizing for a low-level weekend editor’s alleged motivation in choosing a newsy soundbite and fitting it to the time allotted for the promo. This is preposterous and would come across as such in court.”
Regarding editing: “More important, under the First Amendment, news organizations have an absolute, unfettered right to do so.” They do not have a right to distort the meaning however.
And here Jon Alter’s theory is similar to my own: “Trump just thought that Harris was dumb . . . and CBS was making her look smarter and crisper.” And I guess the comparison between the two or them was just too much for him!
And Trump has sued the Paramount Global-owned network for $10 billion for “deceptively editing” the Harris interview and causing him and every one else “mental anguish.“
I’m trying to make sense of all of this.
Do you have any ideas?
Until next month,
Elayne
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Elayne Savage is the author of ground-breaking relationship books published in 9 languages.
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