Courage
As you all know, both Brian Williams of The 11th Hour on MSBC and Chris Wallace of Fox News Sunday announced they were leaving their respective shows this past week, which reduced the number of aging white guys doing, commenting on, shaping and/or writing the news in America to a mere 1,347,967; still, the country, generally, and the Fourth Estate (does anyone even use the term anymore?), specifically, will miss them.
Which is not to say they both don’t have some journalistic ‘splainin’ to do for past sins and missteps. Wallace’s pushback against the daily rancid stench of Fox News was never so unambiguous that he refused to cash Murdoch’s checks, and Williams' knee-jerk jingoism — his “home team” references whenever American military shot a round — had all the subtlety of a Lee Greenwood song.
America, I still maintain, is better off with them behind the specially designed news desks than not. Their goodbyes this week said much about the country on which they will no longer be reporting and the DNA of the networks they’re leaving and, you should excuse the expression, trumpeting.
Here’s how I scored it.
Brian Williams: After 28 years of peacock logos on much of what I own, it is my choice now to jump without a net into the great unknown. As I do, for the first time in my 62 years, my biggest worry is for my country.
Two things jumped out right away:
There were plenty of reasons to worry before this, and
Millionaires who claim that when they jump they’re doing so without a net are pretty hilarious.
Chris Wallace: After 18 years, this is my final "Fox News Sunday." It is the last time, and I say this with real sadness, we will meet like this. Eighteen years ago, the bosses here at Fox promised me they would never interfere with a guest I booked or a question I asked, and they kept that promise. I have been free to report to the best of my ability to cover those stories I think are important, to hold our country's leaders to account.
Williams was worried about America, and Wallace was worried we might think unkindly about Fox News executives.
Round 1: Williams
Williams: The truth is, I'm not a liberal or a conservative, I'm an institutionalist. I believe in this place and in my love of country I yield to no one, but the darkness on the edge of town has spread to the main roads and highways and neighborhoods, it's now at the local bar and the bowling alley, at the school board and the grocery store, and it must be acknowledged and answered for.
Wallace: It's been a great ride. We've covered five presidential elections, interviewed every president since George H.W. Bush, traveled the world sitting down with France's Emmanuel Macron and Russia's Vladimir Putin.
The road to hell will be paved with institutionalists, but Williams seems to be unearthing something here, both profound and troubling, about the place. Whatever was unleashed in this country by the decision of 79,646 votes in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin in 2016 has now metastasized throughout America. Meanwhile, Wallace thought it was a good time to remind us about his access to world leaders.
And, yeah, Williams gets extra points for dropping a Springsteen song.
Round 2: Williams
Williams: Grown men and women who swore an oath to our Constitution, the elected by their constituents, possessing the kinds of college degrees I could only dream of, have decided to join the mob and become something they are not, while hoping we somehow forget who they were. They've decided to burn it all down with us inside — that should scare you to no end, as much as it scares an aging volunteer fireman.
Wallace: And I've gotten to spend Sunday mornings with you. It may sound corny, but I feel we built a community here. There's a lot you can do on Sunday mornings. The fact you've chosen to spend this hour with us is something I cherish.
Round 3 (TKO): Williams
Williams carefully, mournfully reminded us that while Donald Trump has always been Donald Trump, we never knew how many of our brothers and sisters were. Worse, who knew that GOP leadership would sell its collective soul for a lifetime pass to TrumpWorld — or reveal itself to have no soul to begin with. Wallace, by contrast, reminded us that Fox is the wellspring from which anti-vaxxers, climate-deniers, and women-subjugators all emerged. This is the community he and it helped build.
Their final words remind us of what’s ahead.
Wallace: And so, for the last time, dear friends, that's it for today. Have a great week and I hope you'll keep watching "Fox News Sunday."*
Williams: What a ride it's been. Where else, how else, was a kid like me going to meet presidents and kings, and the occasional rock star? It has been and remains a wonderful life. It's as if I'm going to wake up tomorrow morning in Bedford Falls. The reality is, though, I will wake up tomorrow in the America of the year 2021. A nation unrecognizable to those who came before us and fought to protect it — which is what you must do now.
The choice is easy.
Till someday they just cut it loose / Cut it loose or let it drag 'em down.
*He barely got this out of his mouth before announcing he was taking a gig with CNN+
I've actually gotten to the point where I actually somewhat liked Williams and his goofball corniness this year, after just barely tolerating him before. The less said about Wallace the better - suffice to say that his dad would probably never have been the willing beard for Fox "News" and all the evil that they perpetrated. May god have mercy on his soul.
Here's hoping Chris Wallace will return to doing "30 Minutes" on Saturday mornings.