Decorum and PBS

The PBS NewsHour has too often been exceedingly decorous in its coverage of misogynistic, racist, and xenophobic remarks. No “grab them by the pussy,” no “shithole countries” on the NewsHour. I tuned in tonight expecting to hear Roseanne Barr’s vile tweet about Valerie Jarrett characterized as “controversial.” But no, there it was in Judy Woodruff’s summary of the news:

ABC Television abruptly canceled its top-rated revival of the show Roseanne today over a racist tweet by its star, Roseanne Barr.

True, Woodruff described Barr’s tweet (“muslim brotherhood & planet of the apes had a baby=vj”) only in vague terms:

She went after former adviser to President Obama Valerie Jarrett over her politics and her looks.

But in a longer segment, the NewsHour’s William Brangham offered a frank explication of the tweet and made a passing reference to Barr’s history of “racist tweets.” And guest Eric Deggans (from NPR) spoke of ABC refusing to tolerate “open racism.” Which is something we need to speak about openly, without evasion, without regard for decorum.