NBC's Brian Williams
 

I didn't see a thread for this current hot topic. He was busted for exaggerating his experience and now it is time for damage control. I like Brian Williams.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/fra...ams/ar-AA9hp0S

http://www.npr.org/2015/02/11/385537...-to-tom-brokaw

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015...exit-strategy/

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/...review-n304086

My opinion: I agree with the assessment that Brian Williams is a performer (as described in the NPR interview). At what point did he lose touch with reality? What was the payoff for making up those stories? Frankly, I don't see any sort of damage control that would ever restore his credibility. He really crossed the Rubicon (an extreme analogy, I know, but I am thinking he did commit an inalienable act of warfare - on himself). He needs to go and not come back.

It reminds me of the Tucson politician who was caught shoplifting decades ago. He stuck a steak down his pants. Of course he got caught. Forever after, that incident has followed him with negative impact to his career and his life. This situation is Brian Williams' "steak in the pants."

He should have claimed it was a fraternity pledge dare. That worked in Animal House.

As far as Brian Williams is concerned, I just don't think a 6-month suspension will work. If he came back, the story would get repeat play after the public's short attention span had moved on. I can't imagine NBC would want it all rehashed again.

It he were just an entertainer, then no big deal after time passes. As a journalist, once you lose your credibility, your career is over. I hate it for him because I've always kind of liked him, but he screwed the pooch on this one. It would have been a perfectly dramatic and interesting story to have just told the truth. He didn't have to insert himself into the drama.

He'd be a great addition to the SNL cast.

That NPR story summed up everything I've ever thought about him. I know I'm going to sound like a grandma, but he always was more of a performer than is seemly for a newsman. It's just not appropriate. As far as the Walter Cronkite comparison - that was a history program as well as being entertaining. And re Merideth Viera, the Today show =/= the nightly news.