Rumor mill or trusted news?

Dear Editor:

Joy Reid’s comments on Charlie Crist’s love life were more appropriate for an entertainment news channel than a mainstream media outlet that is supposed to be about the politician’s policy issues. It shouldn’t rise to the level of attention for news channels such as MSNBC unless it interfered with his public life.

That has never happened to Crist and the claims about his homosexuality were categorically false anyway. He got married a year out of undergraduate school. He got remarried later on in life and has never admitted to being a homosexual in a state that is politically friendly to them historically.

Crist was the first Florida governor to use social media such as Facebook, and he has certainly never used those platforms to berate another person’s private life like Reid has. She may be the only mainstream journalist who has insulted a politician’s sexuality and not been disciplined for it.

If those comments came from a news outlet that had a lot of conservative viewers, there would be demonstrations to get them to resign.  Mainstream media is supposed to be a vehicle of integrity that viewers can depend on.  Once the line is indistinguishable from the rumor mill and trusted news, a journalist shouldn’t be believed in to bring the truth.

The news is supposed to be free from gossip and provide a real take on the happenings in our world. The newsmakers aren’t defending Crist against speculation like they should and this disappointingly supports fake news.

Jordan Cooper