Reporters Fire Back on Twitter After Prosecutor Lays Blame on Media
Before St. Louis Prosecutor Bob McCulloch announced that there would be no indictment for Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson in the shooting death of unarmed teenager Michael Brown, he spent a few minutes railing against the media for its role in the process leading up to Monday night’s announcement.
“The most significant challenge encountered in this investigation has been the 24-hour news cycle and its insatiable appetite for something, for anything to talk about,” he said, “following closely behind with the non-stop rumors on social media.”
Here’s how reporters responded on Twitter as he spoke:
That opening statement sounds like, "None of this would be a problem except the Internet."
— James Poniewozik (@poniewozik) November 25, 2014
McCollough started OFF insulting all the community eyewitnesses who used social media to share concern. #Ferguson #NoBueno AWFUL
— Van Jones (@VanJones68) November 25, 2014
The tone needed here would be hard for anyone to get just right, but McCulloch isn’t even in the ballpark
— Ezra Klein (@ezraklein) November 25, 2014
McCulloch: it's the media and twitter's fault
— Wesley Lowery (@WesleyLowery) November 25, 2014
when in doubt, blame twitter
— Matt Yglesias (@mattyglesias) November 25, 2014
Twitter is indicted for blowing it, prosecutor seems to say. GET TO IT.
— Brian Ries (@moneyries) November 25, 2014
It's always the weasels who blame the media. #Fergsuon
— Christina Wilkie (@christinawilkie) November 25, 2014
Twitter gave this story life, shaped the narrative. Even if you disagree, you must know that throwing shade on social media is a bad idea.
— Kate Dailey (@katedailey) November 25, 2014
Social media and the "24 hours news cycle" get blamed for everything.
— Chris Cillizza (@TheFix) November 25, 2014
McCulloch says "most significant challenge" was the 24-hour news cycle & "insatiable appetite for something, for anything, to talk about."
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) November 25, 2014
I guess Bob McCulloch's opening statement is, "If you think I haven't done my job correctly, that's Twitter's fault."
— Jeb Lund (@Mobute) November 25, 2014
So far the social media and the news-cycle have taken the most criticism in this statement. Okay then.
— Ali Lozoff (@AliLozoff) November 25, 2014
Things indicted so far: Social media, regular media, the public
Things not indicted: The person who killed a kid with his hands up
— Ryan Grim (@ryangrim) November 25, 2014
Hands up. Don't tweet.
— Jason Abbruzzese (@JasonAbbruzzese) November 25, 2014
My jaw's on the floor. This is really something.
— Christopher Hayes (@chrislhayes) November 25, 2014
to be fair, twitter IS a den of misery.
— Asawin Suebsaeng (@swin24) November 25, 2014
Twitter killed Michael Brown.
— John Aravosis (@aravosis) November 25, 2014
Dude, cable news and some of Twitter suck sometimes. They didn't put the gun in Wilson's hand.
— Evan McMurry (@evanmcmurry) November 25, 2014
Any chance this speech will end with “(guest opinion blog)”?
— Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) November 25, 2014
The big challenge to the legal process here is the awful, insatiable media. Oh, uh, also craven police brutality. #FergusonDecision
— Jordan Zakarin (@jordanzakarin) November 25, 2014
McCulloch is really blaming the Internet. #Ferguson
— David Corn (@DavidCornDC) November 25, 2014
This prosecutor is really giving it to social media! Good to know he has priorities in order.
— Ricky Camilleri (@RickyCam) November 25, 2014
Bob McCulloch: If you don’t like the way I’m doing my job, blame Twitter
— Brett LoGiurato (@BrettLoGiurato) November 25, 2014
Number of people social media shot and killed:
— Jack Mirkinson (@jackmirkinson) November 25, 2014
This guy's anger at the media digging into the story makes me very proud of my colleagues.
— Philip Bump (@pbump) November 25, 2014
Watch video of McCulloch’s statement below, via Fox News:
[Photo via screengrab]
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