DID MSNBC DOCTOR NEWS CLIP?

Conservative commentators on Wednesday were taking MSNBC to task for “selective editing” of a news clip in which the father of a Sandyhook shooting victim appeared to be heckled by a member of the audience. In the video, Neil Heslin, whose 6-year-old son Jesse was killed in the shooting, says, “I ask if there’s anybody in this room that can give me one reason or challenge this question: why anybody in this room needs to have … one of these assault-type weapons or military weapons or high-capacity clips?” A member of the audience is then heard shouting, “The Second Amendment shall not be infringed.” MSNBC host Martin Bashir then appeared on camera, remarking, “A father’s grief, interrupted by the cries of a heckler.” In the unedited version, Heslin is seen looking around the room after asking his question, then challenging the audience, “Not one person can answer that question.” It is only then that the audience member interjects his remark about the Second Amendment. Heslin then responds, “Anyway, we’re all entitled to our own opinion, and I respect their opinions and thoughts, but I wish they’d respect mine and give it a little bit of thought.” Brent Bozell, founder of the conservative watchdog group Media Research Center commented, “MSNBC’s relentless anti-gun advocacy is bad enough, but this is downright dishonest.” (The MRC has posted this video comparing the edited version with the original.) On Fox News, Sean Hannity called the editing “disgraceful.” Conservative columnist David Limbaugh remarked that the “mainstream liberal media no longer reports the news, they try to influence the news.” At Breitbart.com, John Nolte commented, “The full, unedited video proves the media is lying.” MSNBC has not responded to the criticism but did play the unedited tape Wednesday night.