Thoughts for the Day, December 22, 2025: Why did CBS balk?

Inch by Inch: CBS balks. The question is why?

CBS balked on Sunday evening when they pulled, at the last minute, a story on Sunday’s “60 Minutes” about the conditions of the prison in El Salvador that the Trump administration has used to deport alleged illegal immigrants for detention. Was it because Bari Weiss was concerned about the credibility of the story or was it out of political concern? You be the judge.

Since the start of the Trump’s second term, CBS News has settled a lawsuit by President Trump by providing $16 million to various Trump causes, they have had a merger approved, and CBS agreed to be more friendly to conservative issues and news. Did this enter into the decision to pull the story on “60 Minutes” at the last minute?

From multiple sources. Bari Weiss, two months into her post as CBS News’ editor-in-chief, was responsible for spiking a “60 Minutes” segment on the “brutal and tortuous conditions” at a prison in El Salvador where the Trump administration has deported alleged illegal immigrants for detention, according to reports.

The CBS News program abruptly announced on Sunday — three hours before airtime — that it was delaying the segment for a future airdate. The report, as previously announced, was to have featured correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi interviewing deportees who the Trump administration has sent to the Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo (CECOT) prison in El Salvador.

Weiss, after requesting “numerous changes to the segment,” spiked the report on Saturday, the New York Times reported. Among Weiss’s suggestions: that the piece should include an interview with White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller or another senior Trump administration official. Weiss, according to the Times, gave Miller’s contact info to the “60 Minutes” team working on the CECOT segment; Alfonsi said she already requested comment from the Department of Homeland Security, the White House and the State Department.

Alfonsi, in an email to CBS colleagues Sunday that was first reported by the Wall Street Journal, wrote, “Our story was screened five times and cleared by both CBS attorneys and Standards and Practices. It is factually correct. In my view, pulling it now, after every rigorous internal check has been met, is not an editorial decision, it is a political one.”

Alfonsi also wrote, “We have been promoting this story on social media for days. Our viewers are expecting it. When it fails to air without a credible explanation, the public will correctly identify this as corporate censorship. We are trading 50 years of ‘Gold Standard’ reputation for a single week of political quiet.”

Ms. Weiss said in a statement late Sunday: “My job is to make sure that all stories we publish are the best they can be. Holding stories that aren’t ready for whatever reason — that they lack sufficient context, say, or that they are missing critical voices — happens every day in every newsroom. I look forward to airing this important piece when it’s ready.”

Weiss addressed her decision to pull the segment…, saying Monday that the story wasn’t ready for publication and “we simply need to do more.”

“The only newsroom that I’m interested in running is one where we are able to have contentious disagreements about the thorniest editorial matters, and do so with respect and, crucially, where we assume the best intent of our colleagues,” Weiss said on the network’s morning editorial call Monday, according to a recording viewed by The Wall Street Journal.

“And anything else is absolutely unacceptable to me and should be unacceptable to you,” she said.

I am sure this type of give-and-take occurs every day in newsrooms across the country. My heightened awareness on this issue involving CBS has everything to do with the events I outlined above between CBS, the Trump administration as well as the various donations Paramount owner billionaire Larry Ellison has made to Trump and his various causes.

CBS with Walter Cronkite and “60 Minutes” have always represented integrity in medial to its highest level. Time will tell whether Bari Weiss keeps her promise to run this story in the future while maintaining the integrity of the story as written by reporter Sharyn Alfonsi.

This is my Question of the Day. Was this a media integrity decision or was it a political decision?

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Does wealth make for better immigrants?

From Kaitlyn Buss of the Detroit News

Trump’s Gold Card Visa program, which allows applicants to quickly obtain status as a lawful permanent resident — and eventually U.S. citizenship — is the most recent example. It also broadly reflects a theme of the past year: America’s fundamental values go to the highest bidder.

But our national character shouldn’t be for sale.

The program, which could face legal challenges and is arguably unconstitutional, is essentially a fast-track for wealthy foreigners to become Americans. The plan offers lawful permanent resident status in exchange for a $1 million contribution — or $2 million if sponsored by a company — before the pathway to citizenship opens up.

Contrasted with Trump’s announcement last week that the administration will pause migration from all Third World countries and “remove anyone who is not a net asset to the United States,” the goalposts on who he wants in and out seem set to revolve mainly around money.

But all other factors being equal, who’s to say the rich make better Americans than the “poor,” “huddled masses yearning to breathe free,” words inscribed on the Statue of Liberty? Some of the most influential, productive and greatest Americans have come here with nothing.

Making affluence the price of favored entry tears at the centuries-old story of how America was built, which was not just by the wealthy or the well-connected to power, but by the dirt poor, the abused and neglected and those hungry for self-determination.

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Wait until next year

With the Lions loss to the Steelers yesterday, their chances of making the playoffs have all but been eliminated. Like last week, it was a winnable game, but the injured riddled defense couldn’t stop the big play in the last 30 minutes and 10 seconds of the game. (The Steelers scored a touchdown in the last 10 seconds of the first half on a “hail-Mary” pass that tied the score 10-10)

The game ended in controversy with the Lions scoring touchdowns in the last minute only to have them waived off by offensive interference calls.

The game should never have come down to the Lions needing a touchdown to win in the end. Earlier in the game, the Lions went for it with fourth and goal at the three-yard line and they were not successful. They chose to forego a field goal and three points. If they had taken the three points early in the game, they would have only needed a field goal at the end of the game to win, which from the three-yard line was all but guaranteed. This was at least the second game where Coach Campbell left points on the board early in the game that ultimately cost the Lions the game.

It is easy to second guess Coach Campbell after the fact. I love Gambling Dan, but sometimes he needs to know when to hold them, know when to fold them, know when to walk away, and know when to run. Leaving points on the board early in the game is never a good strategy.

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Orchid of the Day: Fellow umpire, Shaun Amos

Nearly two years ago, fellow umpire, Shaun Amos’ family home was burned to the ground in Howell, Michigan. Shaun, who will give you the shirt off his back, was taken back by the groundswell of support that happened immediately following the fire by the Howell and umpire communities. I was able to be with Shaun at the house a week after the fire. What was left standing was burned badly, only the foundation appeared to be intact.

While Shaun was showing me the devastation, his spirits never wavered. He and his wife were committed to rebuilding the home on the same spot, with Shaun doing a good share of the work.

I am happy to report that Shaun and his wife received their certificate of occupancy last week. Shaun gets my Orchid of the Day.

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Quote of the Day: “So some narco-terrorists are really okay and other narco-terrorists, we’re going to blow up? It’s a bizarre and contradictory policy, and I sure hope we don’t go to war with Venezuela.” Senator Rand Paul talking about the contradiction of pardoning the former Honduran president who was convicted of flooding the U.S of drugs and sentenced to 45 years in prison and then blowing up the ships of alleged narco-terrorists from Venezuela.

Orchid of the Day: Fellow umpire, Shaun Amos.

Onion of the Day: Lions’ coach Dan Campbell, for once again leaving points off the scoreboard early in the game that potentially cost the Lions a victory.

Question of the Day: CBS balked. Was this a media integrity decision or was it a political decision?

Lyrics of the Day: I won’t make a list and send it
To the North Pole for Saint Nick
I won’t even stay awake to
Hear those magic reindeer click

If you think you know the answer, post your response in the comment section of the blog.

Lyrics of the Day for December 17. Do they know it’s Christmas?

Video of the Day: George Winston - Carol of The Bells (Music Video)

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