Talk:Sharyl Attkisson

Not Relevant?
The whole argument between Attkisson and the network was on the alleged bias of CBS and their lack of investigative reporting. How could anyone not think it is irrelevant to ignore that the head (David Rhodes) of the news network that Attkisson is alleging bias at is a brother to President Obama's deputy NSA (Ben Rhodes)? Especially since Ben Rhodes has bragged how he influenced the press in creating an echo chamber on the Iran Deal? — Preceding unsigned comment added by Dreap3421 (talk • contribs) 07:17, 3 July 2020 (UTC) Dreap3421 (talk) 19:24, 18 July 2020 (UTC)
 * This is the sort of absurd conspiracy nonsense that has been pushed by Atkinson for years. We're not required to publish conspiracy theories here. Toa Nidhiki05 20:27, 18 July 2020 (UTC)


 * Apparently I have to make a "good faith effort" in this discussion. I will attempt this. In your reply to the dispute you state: "This frequently involves trying to legitimize or downplay her conspiracy theories - including that vaccines cause autism and, in this case, that the Obama administration was spying on her." I never mentioned anything about "vaccines causing autism" (nor do I believe that) or "Obama spying on her" (nor do I believe that as well). To try and link "autism-causing vaccines" and "Obama-spying" is most disingenuous. Also, "...and mentioning some sort of brother relation as proof of a conspiracy between CBS and the Obama administration is by definition a conspiracy theory." Where exactly did I say it was "proof a conspiracy"? Saying that the head of CBS has a brother that was President Obama's NSA is a conspiracy theory? No, it is definitely relevant to the discussion. Thank you.2600:8805:A980:E40:DB7:5D82:6EAD:D1F (talk) 16:57, 12 August 2020 (UTC)

Conspiracy theory? Saying that David Rhodes, the head of CBS News at the time, is a brother of Ben Rhodes (Obama's deputy National Security Advisor) is a "conspiracy theory?" The article states numerous times that she is alleging bias on the part of CBS News. Regardless if it is true or not, it is relevant that the head of the news organization she is alleging is showing bias towards President Obama is the brother of a top Obama advisor. Seeing some of your past "edits," I am not even going to go any further with you: I'll bring it to another opinion.Dreap3421 (talk) 01:28, 19 July 2020 (UTC)


 * Sharyl Attkisson is not mentioned in the source which keeps being added. It cannot be used here as it counts as synthesis, an assertion or connection is being made which is absent from the reliable source. Philip Cross (talk) 06:15, 19 July 2020 (UTC)


 * What? The source was changed to one that was already in use in the article.Dreap3421 (talk) 14:54, 19 July 2020 (UTC)


 * I have requested assistance for conflict resolution. Thank you.Dreap3421 (talk) 22:08, 3 August 2020 (UTC)

Andrew Zimmerman
I guess we need to try and settle this. Currently, we say:
 * "According to Snopes, in a January 2019 episode of her television show Full Measure, Attkisson mischaracterized statements made in 2007 by a medical expert, Andrew Zimmerman, regarding a hypothetical relationship between vaccines and autism."

The source is. The thing is, Snopes did not find that Attkinson mischaracterised his statements, but did find that she overstated the significance of them. I've been over the Snopes article, and can't find any point where Snopes states that his statements were mischaracterised. Specifically, Snopes founds two claims made by Attkisson to be false: In both cases, Snopes found that Attkisson had overstated the significance of Zimmerman's clams, but not that she mischaracterised what Zimmerman had said. Ultimately, Snopes stated:
 * "The legal decisions refuting a connection between autism and vaccination during the Omnibus Autism Proceeding rested primarily on the written testimony of Andrew Zimmerman"
 * "Zimmerman’s knowledge about a potential circumstance in which a vaccine could theoretically affect ASD was hidden from the public until he came forward in 2018"
 * "Zimmerman, a scientist with serious credentials who was once a government expert on vaccines, believes that narrow circumstances might exist in which the combination of pre-existing mitochondrial dysfunction and vaccination could trigger ASD."

This has become a point of contention by those supporting Attkinson, who have argued that we are misrepresenting Snopes. I'm proposing that we make a minor change to the wording to read:
 * "According to Snopes, in a January 2019 episode of her television show Full Measure, Attkisson mischaracterized the significance of statements made in 2007 by a medical expert, Andrew Zimmerman, regarding a hypothetical relationship between vaccines and autism."

That way we retain the fact that her report was misleading but are fully in keeping with the Snopes findings and the rest of our paragraph. - Bilby (talk) 01:41, 16 February 2021 (UTC)
 * It's been a week, and I assume that this is an uncontroversial change. Accordingly I'll make the change as described. - Bilby (talk) 07:26, 24 February 2021 (UTC)

Basic biographical elements and WP:V
I recently removed an unverified date of birth, and swapped birthplace for one supported by several references that state Sarasota, Florida. However I now see there was a previous discussion of alleged errors in place and date of birth initiated by an IP address claiming to be Sharyl Attkisson. Many sources state Attkisson is a Sarasota "native" while some explicitly state born in Sarasota. A directory of questionable reliability for a BLP (Marquis Who's Who) gives a birthplace of St. Petersburg, Florida, as well as names of parents, spouse, and daughter. A full date of birth is listed at her Library of Congress authority file (based on a "CIP data sheet"), as well as a 2003 version of her CBS News biography (subsequent versions of her official biography apparently omitted place and date of birth). She was also previously known as Sharyl Thompson. I haven't yet found sources where the subject has clearly self-published or Tweeted DOB or POB, which could be used per WP:BLPSELFPUB. I guess the salient question is: which birth elements should we use, and how best to address the discrepancies? --Animalparty! (talk) 01:27, 12 May 2022 (UTC)