Marjorie Taylor Greene’s ‘60 Minutes’ Interview Sparks Social Media Outrage
Topline
An appearance by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) on 60 Minutes, where she’ll be interviewed by correspondent Lesley Stahl, has spawned outrage on social media with some journalists and liberal celebrities questioning the program’s decision to host the controversial Congress member, who has promoted numerous baseless conspiracy theories—including her belief that school shootings were faked—in recent years.
Key Facts
Former Republican congressman Adam Kinzinger—a conservative critic of former President Donald Trump—said it was “insane” Greene would be featured.
New York Times journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones called the interview “the type of normalizing that mainstream media did of segregationists” and linked to an article condemning Greene and Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) for using racist rhetoric during campaign events.
Political commentator and former ESPN journalist Jemele Hill said “there’s nothing wrong with interviewing and profiling controversial, even despicable people,” but noted the program’s framing was “s–t” and said the show is “platforming stupid.”
NBC reporter Ben Collins tweeted: “Oh my god what are we doing here.”
Former West Wing actor Bradley Whitford compared Greene to Adolf Hitler, “who wasn’t afraid to share his opinions,” adding it was “too bad” Stahl was unable to interview Hitler to ask questions “about his vegetarianism and his love of dogs.”
Political commentator Elie Mystal criticized the 60 Minutes announcement for referring to Greene by her nickname “MTG,” suggesting it was a “cute moniker” that “just shows you’re here to launder her rep and complicit.”
Contra
New York Times reporter Jonathan Swan said there was nothing inappropriate about the interview, suggesting famed 60 Minutes interviewer Mike Wallace “wouldn’t have thought twice about giving her airtime” but would “have done a tough interview.”
Crucial Quote
In a tweet Saturday morning, Greene wrote (misspelling Lesley Stahl’s name), “it was an honor to spend a few days with the legendary icon Leslie Stahl,” adding she thought “Leslie is a trailblazer for women in journalism” though they both “may disagree on some issues”
Chief Critic
David Hogg, a gun control activist who survived the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, criticized the interview and said he looks forward to Stahl’s questions “about why she thinks school shootings are fake and why she’s supported QAnon.” Greene—who falsely claimed the Stoneman Douglas shooting to be fake—famously confronted the teenaged Hogg outside of Congress in 2019, before she was a member, calling him a “coward.”
Key Background
Greene has been criticized in recent years for promoting a number of QAnon conspiracy theories before she took office. Greene was removed from a House committee in 2021 after she questioned the events of 9/11, endorsed suggestions the 2018 shooting at Stoneman Douglas was fabricated and called to execute Democratic leaders in Congress. She also falsely claimed that John F. Kennedy Jr.—who died in a 1999 plane crash—was killed by Hillary Clinton. Twitter most recently restricted Greene’s account after she shared an image referring to a “Trans Day of Vengeance” in response to the gender identity of the suspect who carried out a mass shooting in Nashville last month. Her account was previously permanently banned last year after it was flagged for having posted misinformation about Covid-19, though it was later restored after Elon Musk’s takeover of the social media platform.
Further Reading
Twitter Temporarily Restricts Marjorie Taylor Greene After She Tweets About ‘Trans Day Of Vengeance’ (Forbes)
