CBS Sunday Morning Gaff by Jeff Greenfield
I find the closing remark made by CBS Sunday Morning commentator Jeff Greenfield this morning during his piece on President Obama’s first 100 Days in office offensive. While Greenfield made some fairly interesting points regarding the media’s take on Obama’s “First 100 Days” — noting the history of the tradition of giving presidents a 100-day report card and what other president had or hadn’t been able to accomplish, any cogent remark was lost when Greenfield ended by quipping that by the 100-day mark, President William Henry Harrison was already dead!
I believe his original point was to be that 100 days is a short period of time during which anything of real import can be accomplished, especially when it is Congress who actually moves on legislation – not the president. Hopefully it was that 100 days is not anywhere near enough time in which to judge the performance of the person who resides in the most important office in our land.
But ending with the thought that one President didn’t make it 100 days? Do you not realize, Mr. Greenfield, that there are crazy and/or evil people “out there” who could consider that off-hand remark an invitation to make sure the same could be said of President Obama’s first 100 days (i.e. that he is no longer alive)?
I’ve been a fan of “Sunday Morning,” and have watched it almost every Sunday morning for years. I have looked to the show for thought-provoking, interesting – sometimes even profound – comment and coverage. But in my opinion Jeff Greenfield’s remark was none of those things.
The only way I can think to protest such thoughtless-ness (other than communicate with CBS, which I have done) is to no longer be a viewer of the program. And I hope others will do likewise.
merrillcom
I too was stunned, amazed and insulted by this piece. I do however disagree about 100 days being a short period of time to judge a president. Out in the real world, most ALL the employers I have ever know give their new hires a 90 day probationary period.
It is during this time the employer takes a hard look at the work ethics of their employee and makes a determination on whether they are a good fit for the company. The overall tone from Jeff was that 100 days was not enough time and that we should give him a “break” in the case that he hasn’t been able to do all the things that he set out to do.
This is ridiculous. Obama ran on a platform of change and his first hundred days are coming to show that their really has NOT been that much change.
Can anybody say that they are financially better off now than they were a year ago? Can anybody say that they are more secure about the threat of terrorism? Did the press forget about the fact that we are at war?
The country has plunged deeper in debt and their doesn’t seem to be any hope for change on the horizon. It was very convenient for Jeff Greenfield to blame Congress for Obama’s shortcomings; but why weren’t the press blaming Congress for the state of our nation last year?
PS> The final quip about Harrison shows just how irresponsible the press can be.