Letters to the Editor: Mick Mulvaney is no Walter Cronkite

To the editor: Regarding Kurt Bardella’s op-ed on the “hiring’ of Mick Mulvaney: This is just the latest example of corporate mainstream media — and let’s underline “corporate” — prioritizing profits and ratings points over good, old-fashioned journalism. I doubt that the late, great Walter Cronkite would recognize the CBS of today, from those glory years when he anchored the “CBS Evening News.” But back then the news division was separate from the entertainment division where ratings drove the programming. When the search for profit is the be-all and end-all of a company that delivers news, employing seditionists and other unsavory characters becomes inevitable. As Walter would say: “And that’s the way it is.”

Bob Teigan, Simi Valley

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I share Mr. Bardella’s concerns regarding Mick Mulvaney’s dubious qualifications to serve as a paid contributor for CBS News. Given Mulvaney’s abysmal record as Trump’s interim chief of staff, I agree that he is a flawed source for informed and competent political analysis. Moreover, Bardella is right to criticize CBS for attempting to legitimize an arguably corrupt political hack. In doing so, CBS does a disservice to its audience that, presumably, relies on the network for reliably unbiased and fact-based political analysis. As Bardella points out, this is indeed an egregious case of journalistic malpractice on the part of CBS.

Andrew Spathis, Los Angeles

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Kurt Bardella is spot on. Just because someone once held a position of authority does not mean that they are capable to perform the critical thinking needed for reliable news analysis. In Mulvaney’s case, evidence has shown us that something is wrong with his perspectives and/or his motives. This is why I keep the remote control handy.

Lynn Segal, Woodland Hills