Kamala Harris gave an 179-word meandering answer on Israel that “60 Minutes” cut to just 20 words, according to transcripts released Wednesday by the Federal Communications Commission.
The FCC says its investigating CBS for possible election interference, after complaints that the venerated news program cut Harris’ word-salad answers to make her look more coherent. Donald Trump has filed a $10 billion lawsuit against the network.
Trump-appointed FCC chair Brendan Carr got the full transcript and video on Monday after a tug-of-war with the Tiffany Network, which has defended the editing as a standard practice for “time, space or clarity.”
But a CBS source told The Post on Wednesday that the “60 Minutes” edit did Harris “a lot of favors and makes her seem more succinct.”
“You have to watch the video. A lot of ‘word salad,’” the source said. “Feels like a clean up on Aisle 7. Not a technical foul but one could argue still news distortion.”
Trump and conservative critics have pointed to the vastly different answers given by the Democratic presidential candidate about the Gaza war that were aired during a promo for the interview on “Face the Nation” and what was shown on “60 Minutes” the following day on Oct. 7, the one-year anniversary of the Hamas-led massacre of more more than 1,200 Israelis.
In a question from “60 Minutes” correspondent Bill Whitaker about what the US can do to stop the war from spinning out of control, Harris provides a rambling 140-word answer, according to the full transcript.
“Well, let’s start with October 7th. Because obviously, what we do now must be in the context of what has happened. And as I reflect on a year ago, and that 1,200 people were massacred, young people at a festival, at a music festival, 250 hostages were taken, including Americans, women were brutally raped,” Harris began.
“And as I said then, I maintain Israel has a right to defend itself. We would. And how it does so matters. And as we fast forward into what we have seen in the ensuing weeks and months, far too many innocent Palestinians have been killed. And we know that, and I think most agree, this war has to end. And that has to be our number one imperative, and that has been our number one imperative. How can we get this war to end?”
The version that was broadcast showed a succinct 56-word reply.
“Well, let’s start with October 7th. Twelve hundred people were massacred, 250 hostages were taken, including Americans. Women were brutally raped. And as I said then, I maintain Israel has a right to defend itself. We would. And how it does so matters. Far too many innocent Palestinians have been killed. This war has to end,” Harris said.
Another question about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seemingly “charting his own course” while defying Biden administration calls to moderate the military response was also heavily edited.
The Harris reply that was broadcast was chopped to just 20 words: “The work that we do diplomatically with the leadership of Israel is an ongoing pursuit around making clear our principles.”
However, the full transcript shows Harris giving a long-winded 179-word answer.
“Well, let’s start with this. On this subject, the aid that we have given Israel allowed Israel to defend itself against 200 ballistic missiles that were just meant to attack the Israelis, and the people of Israel. And I think that is the most recent example of why what we do to assist in their defense around military aid is important. And when we think about the threat that Hamas, Hezbollah presents Iran, I think that it is without any question our imperative to do what we can to allow Israel to defend itself against those kinds of attacks,” she begins.
“Now, the work that we do diplomatically with the leadership of Israel is an ongoing pursuit around making clear our principles, which include the need for humanitarian aid, the need for this war to end, the need for a deal to be done which would release the hostages, and create a ceasefire. And we’re not going to stop in terms of putting that pressure on Israel, and in the region, including with other leaders in the region, including Arab leaders.”
In a follow-up question, Harris responds in the broadcast: “We are not going to stop pursuing what is necessary for the United States to be clear about where we stand on the need for this war to end.”
In the unedited version, Harris says: “Well, Bill, the work that we have done has resulted in a number of movements in that region by Israel that were very much prompted by, or a result of many things, including our advocacy for what needs to happen in the region. And we’re not going to stop doing that. We are not going to stop pursuing what is necessary for the United States to be clear about where we stand on the need for this war to end.”
After releasing the transcripts, Carr said the FCC will hold hearings over a complaint by the Center for American Rights, a right-leaning activist group, over CBS News’ alleged deceptive editing.
“The FCC has concluded that establishing a docket and seeking comment on the issues raised in the complaint would serve the public interest. The people will have a chance to weigh in,” Carr said in a post on X.
CBS, which also released the unedited documents to the public on Wednesday, said the transcripts “show – consistent with 60 Minutes’ repeated assurances to the public – that the 60 Minutes broadcast was not doctored or deceitful.”
The FCC is reviewing whether the broadcast violates “news distortion” rules. Though the agency is prohibited from censorship or infringing the First Amendment rights of media, broadcasters cannot intentionally distort the news.
If Carr finds evidence of misleading editing, it could impact regulatory approval of Paramount’s $8 billion merger with Skydance, which was set to close by next month.
That timeframe may be pushed back because the FCC’s public hearings are scheduled for March 7, with a reply slated for March 24, according to a filing by the agency.
Trump and CBS have reportedly begun “very preliminary” settlement talks over his lawsuit — which has drawn the rancor of network staff.
“This puts a ton of pressure on Shari Redstone and Paramount not to pay Trump. If they do it’s simple extortion over the licenses.” another CBS source told The Post.
Redstone, the media heiress who controls Paramount, will reportedly get $1.75 billion as part of the Skydance deal.
The FCC, an independent federal agency, issues eight-year licenses to individual broadcast stations, not networks.
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