Mark Halperin should be ashamed of himself
I was taken aback when I saw Mark Halperin’s interview. I immediately wrote the piece “Journalist all but ask Ted Cruz to ‘sing & dance’ to prove he is a Latino” in which I said the following.
Mark Halperin, the pseudo journalist that disrespected President Obama by calling him ‘a dick’ on air is at it again. He disrespected a Senator with a very unprofessional manner of questioning. Who was that Senator? Ted Cruz.
To be clear, Ted Cruz is a demagogue. Ted Cruz is a hypocrite. Ted Cruz is full of hot air. Ted Cruz is a climate change denier. Ted Cruz is a fraud. Ted Cruz is the new McCarthy. Inasmuch as all these are true, journalists should practice journalism. Journalists should ask questions that impact the lives of those affected by the policies effected by the actions and policies of the politicians being interviewed.
Jon Stewart comedic take was poetic justice. He clipped the interview perfectly to show its insidious prejudice. “It seems to me your last name is Cruz and you are from Texas,” Mark Halperin said. “Based on that should you have appeal to Hispanic voters? … I want to close but we will talk a little bit about your Cuban heritage. … Do you have a favorite Cuban food? … Do you like Cuban music? … Do you have a favorite Cuban singer?”
Stewart was understandably shocked. He then amused himself with a fake line of questioning “Senator Cruz, I want you to finish this sentence if you would,” said Jon Stewart. “Upside, Inside, Outside. She is living la vida blank. Senator? Anything Senator. Or you even Hispanic Senator?”
The interview got worse. “Finally we want to give you the opportunity to directly welcome your colleague Senator Sanders to the race,” Mark Halperin said. “I would like you to do it if you would en Español.”
Ironically, Jon Stewart was thinking along the same lines I was as I watched the interview. “Or Senator if you prefer to dance the greeting as I am told your people enjoy,” said Stewart. “I will allow you to do that right now.”
Shameful journalism.