So this is what he means by “truthiness.”
During Saturday’s Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Keep Fear alive, Stephen Colbert presented one of his “fear” awards to “those news organizations who barred their employees from attending Jon’s rally.” He then called out ABC News, CBS News, the Associated Press, the New York Times and National Public Radio.
But not all of those news organization had banned employees from attending.
“CBS News covered the rally and did not place any restrictions on its employees,” CBS spokeswoman Sonya McNair told us.
“That claim in the program was totally false,” another CBS source told Yeas & Nays. “No idea where they got that.”
ABC’s staff wasn’t informed of a ban if there was one, a source reported.
Colbert’s claim was accurate about National Public Radio, which, along with the Washington Post, had placed restrictions on the rally. The New York Times, the Associated Press and the broadcast networks prohibit political activity by employees, with a New York Times spokeswoman telling AOL News that the satirical rally would be considered a political event.
Comedy Central did not respond to a request for comment.
And, because Colbert didn’t think anyone from those news organizations was there, he gave it to someone else.
“I’m forced to present this award to someone with more courage: a seven-year-old girl,” he said.
