Bruce Feiler - Where God Was Born, Abraham, Walking The Bible

"Some People"
Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Perhaps the most notable part of Katie Couric's now oft-denounced grilling of John and Elizabeth Edwards the other night on 60 Minutes was her repeated use of "some people," as in "Some people are saying you are in denial." I was complaining about this to a friend when, a few minutes later, I discovered that Nora Ephron, naturally, had said it much better than I could:

"Some people" are saying that Katie Couric went too far on 60 Minutes. I don't actually know who those people are, because I haven't done any reporting on it. Why bother? "Some people" must be saying it. "Some people" will say anything. And there's no real need to mention their names, because I can just say that "some people" are saying it and get away with it.

Last night on 60 Minutes, Katie Couric kept referring to "Some people." She said that "some" were saying the Edwardses were courageous, and "others" were saying they were callous and ambitious. She said that some people were wondering how someone could be president if he was "distracted" by his wife's health. (This question, in a year when there are two presidential candidates who are themselves cancer survivors, seemed particularly disingenuous.) (And never mind that it was being asked by someone who managed to keep working while dealing with her own husband's terminal illness.)

I kept waiting for John or Elizabeth Edwards to ask her who "some people" were exactly, but they didn't. They cheerfully answered her questions. Elizabeth Edwards said, "We're all going to die."

Labels: Politics in America

Posted by B Feiler at 8:00 AM
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