Staff Reports
Judy Woodruff, the veteran PBS correspondent who’s spent her career peddling liberal views through a “journalistic” lens, recently made headlines for all the wrong reasons. During coverage of the Democratic National Convention, she apparently indulged in an act of wishful thinking, suggesting that former President Donald Trump was playing political puppet master with Israel and Hamas. According to Woodruff’s version of the story, Trump had supposedly been telling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to stall any peace talks until after the U.S. elections, a move she implied was meant to benefit Kamala Harris’ campaign.
Using Axios and Reuters as her sources, Woodruff didn’t bother to check if this speculative jab at Trump had any grounding. Apparently, the concept of fact-checking is just a little too mainstream for a PBS alum. She later backtracked, admitting on X, formerly known as Twitter, that she wasn’t aware Trump and Israel had outright denied her claims. No surprise there; after all, this is the same outlet that has spent years portraying Republicans as villains in a never-ending drama of imaginary conspiracies.
PBS’ Judy Woodruff apologizes for an on-air remark about Trump, peace talks in Israelhttps://t.co/wEGEA9KEKS pic.twitter.com/Tbz2nfZArF
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) August 22, 2024
In her attempt to rectify the situation, Woodruff offered a half-hearted apology, which is about as heartfelt as a corporate press release. She made it clear that her comments had not been the result of her diligent reporting. Instead, they were merely recycled gossip from left-leaning sources, which will likely be glossed over by those in her circle who are all too happy to keep shooting arrows at the previous administration.
This incident is a perfect illustration of the media’s continual effort to undermine conservatives at any opportunity. Rather than focusing on facts, Woodruff’s comments served as fodder for the left, stirring the pot and reinforcing the narrative that Trump is somehow at fault for everything under the sun as if leftist media outlets aren’t guilty of pretending to have a crystal ball every time an election approaches.
While being a veteran journalist brings a certain level of credibility, it’s clear that some in the industry have swapped impartiality for advocacy. Judy Woodruff’s slip-up shouldn’t be viewed as an isolated incident but rather as part and parcel of a larger trend. The left is not just reporting the news; they are crafting it, hoping that their carefully curated narratives will sway public opinion. If integrity in journalism means anything, it’s time for outlets like PBS to take a long, hard look at themselves and remember that the truth isn’t supposed to be political.
