>>Rooney: I'M EMILY ROONEY.

WELCOME TO "BEAT THE PRESS."

OUR TOPICS: HE'S OUR POPULAR GOVERNOR, BUT HAS THE PRESS BEEN TOUGH ENOUGH ON CHARLIE BAKER?

FOX NEWS WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT PETER DOOCY LIKES TO SASS WITH THE PRESIDENT BUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN MORE SERIOUS FOES GET WHITE HOUSE CREDENTIALS?

AND THE NEW YORK TIMES UNDER SCRUTINY FOR ITS UNEVEN TREATMENT OF JOURNALISTIC VIOLATIONS.

PLUS, OUR PANELS "RANTS AND RAVES" OF THE WEEK.

JOINING ME ARE, FORMER CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: DAN LOTHIAN.

NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY'S DAN KENNEDY.

JON KELLER OF "WBZ NEWS."

AND CALLIE CROSSLEY OF "GBH NEWS."

FIRST UP, FROM THE START, GOVERNOR CHARLIE BAKER HAS ENJOYED ENORMOUS POPULARITY AMONG CONSTITUENTS, AND FRANKLY THE MEDIA.

NOW THOUGH SOME ARE QUESTIONING WHETHER HIS LIKABILITY HAS MADE IT TOUGH FOR JOURNALISTS TO BE TOUGH ON HIM.

>> AFTER MONTHS OF BATTLING THIS HORRENDOUS VIRUS, THE COVID VACCINE IS FINALLY HERE.

>> Rooney: GOVERNOR BAKER HAS ALWAYS BEEN A, A TECHNOCRAT.

BUT FOR WEEKS NOW, HIS PRESS BRIEFINGS HAVE BEEN MORE ROBOTIC THAN USUAL, WITH ONLY THE OCCASIONAL QUESTION BRINGING HIM TO LIFE.

>> SOME OTHER STATES HAVE ONE GIANT SITE TO GO ON, CLICK ON IT, MAKE AN APPOINTMENT.

NO PLANS TO STREAMLINE.

>> HOW MUCH MORE STREAMLINED WOULD YOU LIKE IT TO BE THAN THAT?

>> Rooney: WELL, SINCE YOU ASKED.

>> ONE OF MY FIRST QUESTIONS IS, WHAT EXACT WEBSITE ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?

>>Rooney: THAT'S GBH EXECUTIVE ARTS EDITOR JARED BOWEN WHO WAS TRYING TO BOOK A VACCINE FOR HIS DAD AND WAS FURIOUS NO ONE PUSHED BACK AT BAKER OVER THE STATE'S CONFUSING ONLINE VACCINE PORTAL.

>> I SPENT AN HOUR IN A VIRTUAL LINE AT HANNAFORD, ONLY TO BE BUMPED OFF AT THE END.

THEN YOU GO TO A DIFFERENT GRAPHIC WHERE YOU ARE CLICKING ON THESE DIFFERENT STARS.

THEN I FINALLY LAND ON THE MAIN SITE, WHICH IS www.maimmunizations.com.

ARE.

>> Rooney: THE REPORTER WHO ASKED GOOD STREAMLINING DID BITE BACK AT BAKER ONLINE AND A FEW REPORTERS HAVE QUESTIONED WHY BAKER IS ONLY NOW ROLLING OUT A HOTLINE FOR PEOPLE WHO AREN'T COMPUTER SAVVY.

A QUESTION CHANNEL 5'S SHARMAN SACCHETTI DID ASK.

>> FOR THE SECOND TIME IN TWO DAYS I ASKED THE GOVERNOR IF A CALL CENTER SHOULD BE SET UP >> THE PHONE PIECE IS SOMETHING I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE HAD ALREADY.

>> THE BOSTON GLOBE'S JOAN VENNOCHI HAS MUSED ABOUT THE TEFLON GOVERNOR HERSELF, WONDERING WHY NO ONE HAS HELD HIM ACCOUNTABLE FOR A VARIETY OF VACCINE MISFIRES.

I DUNNO.

MAYBE BRING BACK ANDY HILLER?

>> WHAT DOESN'T CHARLIE BAKER KNOW THAT HE IS ABOUT TO FIND OUT?

>> Rooney: THAT HE'S HUMAN?

HONESTLY JON KELLER YOU HAVE MISSED ANDY HILLER.

ABOUT YOU HAVE COVERED BAKER FOR YEARS.

HE HAS THE AUTOAUTOMIC RESPONSE TO EVERYTHING.

I FEEL LIKE THERE'S BEEN VERY, VERY LITTLE PUSH BACK ON HIM.

AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S ONLY GOING TO GET -- HE'S BEING DEFENSIVE ABOUT THE TIERED SYSTEM.

THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE TIERED SYSTEM.

THE PROBLEM IS THEY HAVEN'T ROLLED THIS VACCINE OUT PROPERLY, HE ISN'T TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT AND THE PRESS ISN'T HOLDING HIM ACCOUNTABLE.

>> I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT.

HE'S GETTING PUSH BACK, HE'S CERTAINLY DOING IT HERE TODAY.

EMILY IT'S NOT HIS FINEST HOUR TO SAY THE LEAST.

CONTRARY TO YOUR INTRODUCTION THERE, I DON'T FIND CHARLIE BAKER ALL THAT LIKABLE.

I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE BASIS OF HIS APPEAL.

BOTTOM LINE IS, CHARLIE BAKER IS LIKE THE NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR YOU HAVE WHO YOU MIGHT DISAGREE WITH EVERYTHING HE HAS TO SAY ABOUT POLITICS.

BUT IF HE KEEPS HIS YARD NEAT, HE DOESN'T BLAST HIS TWISTED SISTER RECORDS, AT TIMES WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO SLEEP, AND DURING A BLIZZARD HE ONCE IN A WHILE COMES OVER WITH HIS NO BELOWER AND HELPS YOU.

I THINK THAT'S THE SUMMING TOTAL OF WHAT MANY, MANY RESIDENTS WANT AND EXPECT FROM THEIR GOVERNOR.

THE INSIDERS AND POLITICAL JUNKIES GO INTO OTHER ABOUT THIS POLICY GAFF OR THAT, THAT'S FINE, BUT THE FACT IS THAT HIS APPROVAL RATING BY MASSACHUSETTS VOTERS THAT POLL LAST MONTH DROPPED FROM 82% TO 73%.

AND THAT WAS CONSIDERED A BIG BACK SLIDE.

AFTER NINE MONTHS OF MAKING UNPOPULAR DECISION AFTER UNPLOP DECISION?

I THINK THAT'S AMAZING AND IT SPEAKS JUST HOW HE FITS THE MOOD OF WHAT MOST PEOPLE WANT OUT OF THAT OFFICE.

>> LOOK, I DO THINK THAT THERE IS SOMETHING TO THE FACT THAT REPORTERS REALLY HAVEN'T BEEN PUSHING HIM THAT HARD.

I KNOW OF AN ACQUAINTANCE WHO WAS A BIG SUPPORTER OF THE GOVERNOR.

AND OVER THE LAST YEAR OR SO HAS REALLY TURNED ON HIM.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS HE KEEPS ANNOYING ME WITH IS WHY AREN'T REPORTERS ASKING THE TOUGH QUESTIONS EVERY TIME SOMETHING COMES UP?

AS IF I CAN FIX IT FOR ALL REPORTERS?

I HAVE SEEN THIS FOR AT LEAST THIS PERSON WHO WAS QUITE SUPPORTIVE OF THE GOVERNOR BY WONDER IF THIS HAS PERHAPS SOMETHING, THIS IS A BIT OF SPECULATION ON MY PART, FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS COVERING THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION THERE WAS ALWAYS THIS SENSE AMONG REPORTERS OF PUSHING BACK NOT ONLY ON POLICIES AND ISSUES THAT WERE SURROUNDING PRESIDENT TRUMP BUT ALSO MORE CONSERVATIVE POLITICIANS, IT WASN'T A WHOLE LOT TO PUSH BACK AT.

AT LEAST WITH THAT KIND OF PRESSURE.

AND MAYBE THAT PLAYED INTO IT A LITTLE BIT, BUT CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, YOU HAD SOME GOOD EXCHANGES THERE, SHOWING THAT THERE ISN'T A LOT OF HEAT WHEN THE GOVERNOR STANDS UP IN HIS PRESS BRIEFINGS.

>> Rooney: THERE WAS MORE OUTRAGE ABOUTING deVAL PATRICK'S DRAPES.

>> MAYBE THAT WOULD BE TYPICAL OF ANY GOVERNOR BUT THAT TO ME INDICATES THAT WHERE THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN SOME, I DON'T KNOW, GIVE WAY TO HIM ON SOME OTHER SUBJECTS THAT PEOPLE ARE STANDING FIRM.

SO THAT'S THE FIRST THING.

THE SECOND THING I WOULD SAY IS, THIS HAS BEEN A DESERT DURING THE CORONAVIRUS WHEN IT HIT AND WE WERE ALL LIKE WHAT IS THIS?

WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?

WHERE IS LEADERSHIP?

ABECAUSE THE DEARTH OF LEADERSHIP WAS MORE APPLICABLE IN THE GOVERNORSHIPS AND CERTAINLY IN THE PRESIDENCY THAN ANYPLACE ELSE.

BY COMPARISON GOVERNOR BAKER LOOKS DOGGONE GOOD.

FIRST HE SAID WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT SCIENCE.

B WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO FIGURE THIS THING OUT.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS EITHER.

AND, YOU KNOW, HE TRIED TO DO SOME THINGS AND MAYBE HE WASN'T RIGHT IN TRYING TO DO IT OR HOW HE DID IT INITIALLY BUT HE GOT OUT THERE AND SAID, THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT HAS TO BE SOLVED AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE INVOLVED.

ALL THE DETAILS OF IT, YES HE COULD BE CRITICIZED FOR.

BUT THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE WHO DID NOTHING AND SAID NOTHING THAT I THINK THERE MAY BE WHAT MY MOTHER USED TO CALL A HALO EFFECT.

HEY, WE WERE SO GLAD TO BE HERE AND NOT FLORIDA, AS I PERSONALLY LAST YEAR, CATCHING UP TO THE FACT THAT OKAY, OTHER HARDER QUESTIONS NEED TO BE ASKED BECAUSE THIS THING KEEPS GOING ON AND WE KNEAD OTHER ANSWERS.

HE PROMOTES HIMSELF WITH AS THE GUY WITH THE ANSWERS.

HE SHOULD BE QUESTIONED ABOUT IF YOU ARE THE ANSWER GUY, WHERE ARE THE ANSWERS?

>> Rooney: YOU KNOW DAN ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAVE, WHY DO YOU HAVE TO LOOK INTO THE CAMERA?

HE CAN'T EVEN JUST LOOK INTO THE CAMERA AND SPEAK TO THE ISSUES OF THE DAY LIKE QUOMO OR EVEN TRUMP.

HE CAN'T DO IT.

>> THAT'S A STIERL KIND OF THING.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A TOTAL FAIR CRITICISM, IT IS A STYLE KIND OF THING.

>> Rooney: IT'S TERIBLE.

AS A POLITICIAN YOU GOT TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

>> IT HASN'T BOTHERED HIM THUS FAR, THAT'S ALL CAN I SAY.

>> HE'S ALWAYS BEEN KIND OF WOODEN AND I WOULD POINT OUT THAT CHARLIE BAKER IS NOT THE ONLY GOVERNOR WHO HAS MAINTAINED VERY GOOD POPULARITY RATINGS THROUGHOUT THE COVID CRISIS, DESPITE SOME MISTAKES ALONG THE WAY.

I WOULD PUT GOVERNOR QUOMO AND GOVERNOR NEWSOM IN CALIFORNIA IN THAT CATEGORY.

AND I THINK AS CALLIE SAID, THEY HAVE ALL BENEFIT EVIDENCE IN COMPARISON TO WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP.

NO MATTER WHAT YOU HAD TO SAY THE ABOUT THEM AT LEAST THEY WERE SERIOUS AND SHOWED SOME EMPATHY.

THE OTHER THING I FIND CURIOUS ABOUT THIS IS MASS INC. DID SOME POLLING THE OTHER DAY AND FOUND THAT NOT ONLY WAS GOVERNOR BAKER QUITE POPULAR BUT SO IS THE LEGISLATURE.

IF YOU LOOK BACK OVER THE LAST TEN, 12 YEARS OR SO I THINK ALL OUR GOVERNORS AND ALL THE MAYORS OF BOSTON HAVE BEEN PRETTY POPULAR MOST OF THE TIME.

NOW, DOES THAT MEAN THAT WE'RE NOT AS WE'RE EASILY PLEASED THESE DAYS OR DOES IT MINE THAT THE MEDIA HAVEN'T BEEN TOUGH ENOUGH?

>> Rooney: I DON'T KNOW BUT SOME OF THOSE OTHER GOVERNORS GOT A WHOLE LOT OF PUSH BACK.

ALL RIGHT, WELL, THROUGHOUT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, THERE WAS A PREDICTABLE DYNAMIC IN THE WHITE HOUSE BRIEFING ROOM.

THE PRESIDENT MALIGNED THE MEDIA, AND BIG-NAME REPORTERS MILKED HIS HOSTILITY FOR MAXIMUM EFFECT.

BUT NOW THAT JOE BIDEN IS PRESIDENT, THAT STORYLINE IS SHIFTING.

ADAM REILLY HAS MORE.

>> Reporter: WE'RE LESS THAN TWO FULL WEEKS INTO THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, BUT ALREADY, FOX NEWS WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT PETER DOOCY IS PLAYING A STARRING ROLE.

>> MR. PRESIDENT, WHAT'D YOU TALK TO VLADIMIR PUTIN ABOUT?

>> YOU.

HE SENDS HIS BEST.

>> Reporter: THAT DOOCY QUESTION DIDN'T GET A SERIOUS ANSWER BUT OTHERS HAVE.

>> WHY WEREN'T PRESIDENT BIDEN AND MEMBERS OF THE BIDEN FAMILY MASKED?

>> HE WAS, CELEBRATING A HISTORIC EVENING OF A HISTORIC DAY.

>> Reporter: TO BE CLEAR, THE TONE OF THE DOOCY-BIDEN BACK AND FORTH ISN'T TENSE, AT LEAST, NOT YET.

INSTEAD, IT'S SASSY.

>> HE ALWAYS HAS AN EDGE TO HIM, BUT I LIKE HIM ANYWAYS, SO GO AHEAD AND ASK THE QUESTION.

>> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.

>> Reporter: AND BOTH PARTIES BENEFIT.

FOX CAN BRAND DOOCY AS A BRAVE REPORTER WHO STANDS APART FROM THE LIBERAL-MEDIA HERD.

BIDEN CAN SAY HE'S OPEN TO THE CONSERVATIVE PRESS, A DYNAMIC DOOCY IS AWARE OF.

>> IF HE WANTS TO SHOW THAT HE TAKES THE TOUGH QUESTIONS, OR CAN TAKE A TOUGH QUESTION, HE WILL LOOK TO ME.

THAT'S VERY RESPECTFUL AND I HOPE THERE'S A LOT MORE OF THAT TO COME.

>> Reporter: SO FAR, WE HAVEN'T SEEN OR HEARD MUCH FROM FAR-RIGHT OUTLETS LIKE ONE AMERICA NEWS, WHOSE CORRESPONDENT CHANEL RION GOT BOOTED FOR NOT FOLLOWING COVID PROTOCOL.

BUT POLITICO REPORTS THAT NEWSMAX, SINCLAIR, AND BREITBART WILL ALL BE JOINING THE BRIEFING-ROOM ROTATION.

WHICH MIGHT HAVE BIDEN TURNING TO FOX NEWS WHEN HE NEEDS A RELATIVELY FRIENDLY FACE.

>> Rooney: ALL RIGHT SO CALLIE WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON THIS?

HE HAS HAD SOME FUN WITH PETER DOOCY, A LITTLE BIT SASSY BUT OTHERS ARE GOING TO COME IN TRY TO RUFFLE HIS FEATHERS.

>> FIRST OF ALL, SO HAS DOOCY.

DOOCY HAS BEEN ON HIM ABOUT HUNTER BIDEN AND THE COMPUTER.

THIS HASN'T ALL BEEN SASSY BUT THIS FOLLOWS ALONG THE TRAIL WHEN PETER DOOCY WAS COVERING HIM, HE ASKED, WHO WAS GOING TO BE VICE PRESIDENT AND HE SAID YOU.

THE THE WHOLE OTHER BREED, IF YOU FOLLOW THEIR OWN RULES, THE ONES THAT BIDEN HAS SAID THEY'RE GOING TO FOLLOW, WHICH IS AS LONG AS THE PRESS PEOPLE IN THE ROOM, THEY CAN CHALLENGE US, THEY CAN BE CONFRONTATIONAL, WE'RE NOT GOING TO RESPOND, BE MAD ABOUT THAT, BUT YOU CANNOT TELL THE MISTRUTHS.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO TOLERATE THAT.

YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE SOME DECISIONS.

I PERSONALLY THINK THEY SHOULD THE DO IT ON THE FRONT END AND JUST NOT ALLOW THEM IN THE ROW DAYS TO BEGIN WHERE.

BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO MAKE A BIGGER SPLASH WHEN INEVITABLY IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, THEY HAVE TO BOOT THEM OUT.

YOU COULDN'T TAKE A TOUGH QUESTION FROM THE RIGHT AND THE CONSERVATIVES.

WHICH IS NOT THE POINT IF THEY'RE FOLLOWING THEIR OWN RULES.

SO I KNOW IT IS A TAD BIT TRICKY BUT HEY, JUST GO BACK TO THE QUOTE NORMALCY THAT EVERYBODY IS PRAISING JEN TSAKI FOR AND FOLLOW THE RULES.

>> CALLIE, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT AS FAR AS BOOTING THEM OUT.

I THINK THE ONLY WAY YOU'RE GOING TO DEAL WITH LIES IS TO ADDRESS THEM ON TV.

AND IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE THE ONES TEEING UP THE LIES MAYBE THAT SERVES A PURPOSE FOR BIDEN AND HIS PEOPLE.

YOU KNOW, LOOK, ADAM TOUCHED ON THIS IN HIS PIECE THERE.

THERE'S A MUTUAL GFT, BENEFIT, THERE'S A GAME GOING ON.

LET'S FACE IT EVERYONE.

EVERYBODY IN AMERICA JUST ABOUT LOVES TO HATE THE MEDIA, RIGHT, LEFT, CENTER WE'RE THE EASIEST TARGET THERE IS, PEOPLE HATE US IN THEIR SLEEP.

SO THE NOTION THAT THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IS NOT GOING TO PLAY THAT GAME, MAYBE NOT TO THE EXTENT THAT TRUMP DID, WOULD BE HARD TO MATCH THAT.

IS SORELY MISTAKEN.

THINK BACK TO THE OBAMA YEARS.

WHICH WERE DAN KENNEDY I'M SURE CAN GIVE YOU CHAPTER AND VERSE ON THIS CONSIDERED TO BE VERY ADVERSARIALLY TOWARDS THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS CORPS TOWARDS MEDIA IN TERMS OF GOING AFTER WHISTLE BLOWERS AND REPORTERS WHO BROKE STORIES THEY DIDN'T LIKE.

SO THE IDEA THAT IT'S ALL MILK AND HONEY NOW BETWEEN THE MEDIA AND THE WHITE HOUSE JUST NOT TRUE AND GOING TO BECOME LESS TRUE AS TIME WEARS ON.

>> NO, THAT'S RIGHT.

AND THE OBAMA WHITE HOUSE WAS ACTUALLY TOUGHER ON LEAKERS AND THUS ON THE PRESS THAN TRUMP WAS.

PROBABLY MORE A MATTER OF COMPETENCE THAN ANYTHING ELSE.

I THINK THE BIDEN WHITE HOUSE HAS A REAL PROBLEM HERE BECAUSE IT'S ONE THING FOB FIELDING QUESTIONS FROM FOX NEWS ABOUT HUNTER BIDEN THAT HAVE BEEN ASKED AND ANSWERED 150 TIMES.

IT'S QUITE ANOTHER THING TO START TAKING QUESTIONS FROM THE REAL RADICAL FRINGE OF THE PRESS, ABOUT SATANIC PEDOPHILE RINGS AND THE LIKE.

BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT HAS INFECTED THE POPULATION AS A WHOLE.

AND IT'S ALSO INFECTED CONGRESS.

SO I THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE THAT INFECTING THE PRESS AS WELL.

AND I THINK THAT FRANKLY I TEND TO AGREE WITH CALLIE.

WE REALLY DON'T NEED TO HEAR THOSE QUESTIONS.

IT'S PURE CRAZY CONSPIRACY THEORIZING AND IT HAS NO PLACE IN THE WHITE HOUSE BRIEFING ROOM.

>> HERE'S THE THING.

JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE IN THE BRIEFING ROOM DOESN'T MEAN YOU ARE DID REQUESTING TO GET TO ASK A QUESTION.

YOU CAN SHOUT IT AND THEY CAN KICK YOU OUT BECAUSE YOU'RE RAISING CANE INSIDE THE ROOM.

BUT THERE'S A PROTOCOL, USUALLY THE FIRST TWO ROWS GET QUESTIONS AND THEY CAN DECIDE WHO THEY WANT TO CALL ON.

SO I DON'T THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE AN ISSUE WITH EVERYDAY, SOMEONE RAISING THEIR HAND GETTING CALLED ON AND THEN SPOUTING SOME CONSPIRACY THEORY.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THEM IN THE ROOM.

IT'S A WAY TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THEM, EVEN IF YOU DON'T TAKE THEIR QUESTIONS SPECIFICALLY.

I THINK IT'S A WAY ALSO TO DEFUSEFULLY KIND OF CRITICISM THAT -- DEFUSE ANY KIND OF CRIT SIMCRITICISM.

WHEN I SAW JEN TSAKI GIVE HER FIRST PRESS BRIEFING, IT WAS LIKE, ISN'T THIS SO GREAT, SHE IS ANSWERING ALL MY QUESTIONS, I DO AGREE WITH YOU DAN AND JON AS WELL.

HANG ON HERE, IT MAY LOOK SLICK, IT MAY APPEAR THAT ALL THINGS ARE BACK TO NORMAL BUT NORMAL ISN'T WHAT PEOPLE THINK NORM WAS, RIGHT?

A LOT OF THINGS THAT PLAYED OUT DURING THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAPPENED DURING THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION, YOU JUST DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT.

THIS IS A HONEYMOON PERIOD BUT THEY CAN BITE.

>> Rooney: ALL RIGHT.

EARLIER THIS WEEK THE NEW YORK TIMES FIRED A PART-TIME EDITOR OVER A TWEET, ALTHOUGH THE PAPER SAYS IT WAS MORE THAN JUST THAT.

STILL IT RAISES QUESTIONS OVER WHY AN EDITOR WAS LET GO OVER A MISTAKE WHEN A STAR REPORTER WAS KEPT ON AFTER IT WAS DISCOVERED HER ISIS REPORTING WAS BASED ON A BOGUS SOURCE.

LAUREN WOLFE WAS A PART-TIME EDITOR AT THE NEW YORK TIMES WHO SPENT MOST OF HER CAREER REPORTING ON RAPE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT AS A WEAPON OF WAR.

>> Reporter: I RUN A NONPROFIT JOURNALISM PRACTICE ABOUT RAPE AND WAR.

IT'S CALLED WOMEN UNDER SIEGE.

>> Rooney: LAST WEEK WOLFE WAS WATCHING THE PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION WHEN SHE TWEETED FROM HER PRIVATE ACCOUNT; "BIDEN LANDING AT JOINT BASE ANDREWS NOW.

I HAVE CHILLS."

THE NEW YORK TIMES PROMPTLY FIRED HER, AND IMMEDIATELY RECEIVED PUSHBACK FROM OTHER JOURNALISTS THEN THE PAPER RESPONDED WITH THIS: "FOR PRIVACY REASONS WE DO NOT GO INTO THE DETAILS OF PERSONNEL MATTERS.

BUT WE DIDN'T END SOMEONE'S EMPLOYMENT OVER A SINGLE TWEET."

STILL, SOME TIMES CRITICS COMPARED THE HARSH TREATMENT OF WOLFE TO ITS LENIENT TREATMENT OF RUKMINI CALLIMACHI, HOST AND REPORTER OF THE CALIPHATE PODCAST WHO WAS DUPED BY A PHONY ISIS KILLER.

>> I STABBED HIM.

THE BLOOD WAS WARM, AND IT SPRAYED EVERYWHERE.

>> Reporter: CALIPHATE WON A PEABODY BEFORE IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE MAIN CHARACTER WAS A FRAUD.

AND EVEN AFTER THE FAKER RECANTED, CALLIMACHI STUCK BY THE STORY.

>> "WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO VERIFY, ID SAY, THE SCAFFOLDING OF WHAT HE SAYS.

>> Reporter: AND WHILE THE NEW YORK TIMES HAS RETRACTED THE CORE OF THE CALIPHATE STORY, THEY'VE KEPT RUKMINI CALLIMACHI ON STAFF.

GUESS LAUREN WOLFE SHOULD HAVE FOCUSED ON MUSHY SOURCES INSTEAD OF GUSHY TWEETS.

YES, DAN KENNEDY, THIS IS A MYSTERY TO ME AND THERE WAS ANOTHER STORY THAT SURFACED JUST A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO ABOUT AN EDITOR WHO TOOK A BUNCH OF STUDENTS ON A TRIP AND USED RACIST COMMENTS, HE SAYS IT'S ALL IN CONTEXT, BUT WHAT KIND OF CONTEXT WAS THAT?

THERE IS AN INVESTIGATION GOING ON.

THEY LET THIS WOMAN GO, THEY KEEP ON CALLIMACHI.

I DON'T KNOW.

>> SHE CLAIMS SHE WAS TOLD, WELL YOU'RE A FREELANCER, WE CAN JUST GET RID OF YOU AND THERE YOU HAVE IT.

YOU KNOW, NEVER TWEET, RIGHT?

THIS IS THE JUST THE LATEST IN A LONG SERIES OF JOURNALISTS GETTING INTO TROUBLE OVER THEIR TWITTER FEEDS.

THIS ONE SEEMS TO BE PRETTY INNOCUOUS.

WE HAD JUST COME THROUGH A VIOLENT INSURRECTION INSIGHTED INCITED BY THE PRESIDENT.

IT DOESN'T MEAN WE'RE GOING TO GIVE JOE BIDEN A FREE PASS BUT I THINK HER TWEET WAS UNDERSTANDABLE.

AT WORST IT SEEMS LIKE MAYBE SHE SHOULD HAVE BEEN TAKING ASIDE AND SAID, OKAY, ENOUGH!

I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT THAT STATEMENT THAT THE NEW YORK TIMES WAS PUT OUT, WAS JUST TERRIBLE.

BECAUSE IT RAISES THE IMPLICATION, WITHOUT ANY EVIDENCE, THAT SHE DID SOME REALLY AWFUL THINGS AND THAT THIS WAS, YOU KNOW, THE LAST STRAW.

AND I THINK THAT DID HER A TERRIBLE DISSERVICE BECAUSE WE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT.

>> LOOK, I THINK IF IT IS BECAUSE OF THE TWEET THERE IS THIS SENSITIVITY AMONG MAJOR NEWSPAPERS AND NEWS ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL, THAT YOU AREN'T BIASED RIGHT, THAT IS THE CRIT SIM E-CIVIL THAT -- CRITICISM OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS.

MAYBE THIS IS LOOK, WE'RE NOT GOING TO TOLERATE THIS TYPE OF THING.

WHEN YOU PUT IT OUT IT SORT OF SUPPORTS OUGHT THE CRITICISM FROM CONSERVATIVES THAT OH YOU'RE JUST GOING TO THROW SOFTBALL QUESTIONS NOW FOREVER AT THE NEW ADMINISTRATION.

SO PERHAPS THAT'S WHAT'S BEHIND IT.

UNFORTUNATELY, WHAT YOU END UP DOING IS YOU'RE TREATING SOMETHING LIKE THAT POTENTIAL BIAS AS A CAPITAL OFFENSE AND THEN WHEN SOMEONE SCREWS UP IT'S A MISDEMEANOR AND THAT'S UNCLEAR.

BUT IT IS THE NATURE OF THINGS THESE DAYS, THOUGH, IN THE NEWS.

>> NOT EVERYTHING ABOUT THE MODERN ERA IN JOURNALISM IS PREFERABLE TO THE WAY THINGS ONCE WERE.

IN THE GOOD OLD DAYS IF YOU PARDON THE EXPRESSION YOU WOULD HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS TWEET.

AND YOU WOULD HAVE NEVER KNOWN ABOUT HER GETTING LET GO.

YOU MIGHT NEVER HAVE KNOWN ABOUT WHAT WAS WRONG WITH CALLIMACHI'S PODCAST.

THAT'S NOT GOOD.

IT'S BETTER TO KNOW WHEN INFORMATION YOU WERE FED WAS FAULTY.

BUT LOOK, THE FACT IS WE LIVE IN THE TIME WE LIVE IN.

DAN'S RIGHT.

NEVER TWEET.

KEEP YOUR CHILLS TO YOURSELF.

PARTICULARLY IF YOU'RE IN AN EDITORIAL POSITION WHERE YOU'RE NOT A COLUMNIST OR AN ANALYST OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

YOU'RE REALLY JUST SUPPOSED TO KEEP THAT STUFF PRIVATE.

I THINK THE MORAL OF THIS WHOLE STORY IS FOR PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T GET THIS ALREADY, THE NEW YORK TIMES IS NOT A NONPROFIT ENTERPRISE.

IT'S A BUSINESS.

AND THE PEOPLE OF THE TOP OF THAT COMPANY ARE BUSINESS MEN AND WOMEN.

AND THEY ARE GOING TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT HOPEFULLY ARE JOURNALISTICALLY SOUND AND KUDOS HAVE GREAT RESPECT FOR THEIR JOWMPLE MOTION OF THE -- JOURNALISM MOST OF THE TIME BUT OFTENTIMES THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON BUSINESS OR IN PLACE OF.

>> LET ME PICK UP ON THAT JON.

I WOULD SAY, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TIMES I'VE BEEN SITTING IN THIS CHAIR SAYING THIS.

IF THEY LIKE YOU, THEY'RE GOING TO FIGURE OUT A WAY AROUND WHAT THE SUPPOSED RULES WERE.

THERE ARE SOME JOURNALISM RULES IN PLACE THAT WE ALL NEED TO FOLLOW BUT THEN WHAT HAPPENS IN A SCENARIO LIKE THIS WITH THE BUSINESS MEN AND WOMEN THEY'RE WEIGHING THE WEIGHT AND THE VALUE IF YOU WILL OF WHO IS COMMITTING THE OFFENSE.

THEY JUST ARE.

AND DEAN BAQUEY THE EDITOR SAYS, THEY ARE UNDER PRESSURE TO STREET THE DISARS FOR WHAT THEY ARE.

THE SCIENCE REPORTER WHO WENT ON THE TRIP AND USED THE N WORD ALL OVER THE PLACE AND THE STUDENTS AND THE PARENTS COMPLAINED.

THEY SAID THEY TALKED TO HIM AND TOLD HIM THAT WAS A BAD THING.

SO THEN THEY MOVED -- >> Rooney: I'M WITH YOU.

>> SO THEY MOVED THE OTHER WOMAN OFF OF THE PODCAST BECAUSE FOR HOWEVER THEY DEEM IT SHE IS MORE VALUABLE AND LIKEWISE THEY'RE NOT TELLING MICHAEL BARBERA TO GO ANYWHERE EVEN THOUGH HE WAS A PART OF THAT.

>> Rooney: EXACTLY.

>> SO AT SOME POINT FOLKS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO OWN UP TO THAT.

I ALWAYS SAY IF YOU JUST LIKE THEM WE MADE A DECISION WE JUST LIKE THEM.

>> MICHAEL BARBERO'S FIANCEE WORKED ON THE CALIPHATE AND HE WASN'T LET GO.

>>> RANTS AND RAVES, I'M.STARTING WITH YOU JON.

>> REAL FAST, DAN ABRAMS, HE IS A LEGAL BEAGLE FOR THE NEW YORK NEWS.

HE WROTE A COLUMN, I GUESS I'M RANTING FOR HIS RAVE.

AND REALLY JUST BECAUSE HE ECHOED SOMETHING I'VE BEEN RANTING ON THIS PROGRAM AND ELSEWHERE FOR SOMETIME AND IT'S ABOUT PEOPLE WHO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE MEDIA BUT DON'T HAVE THE FACTS STRAIGHT AND HADN'T BOTHERED TO GET THEM STRAIGHT.

IT'S LIKE WHEN PEOPLE COMPLAIN TO YOU WHY DOESN'T THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA, WHY AREN'T YOU REPORTING ON THIS STORY?

AND IT TURNS OUT BECAUSE THEY KNOW ABOUT THE STORY BECAUSE OF THE MAINSTREAM COVERAGE.

WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT IT, WE AS WELL AS YOU THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA.

>> Rooney: DAN.

>> I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN GET ON THE COVER BUT FOR $2,000 YOU CAN TELLING ROLLING STONE THAT YOU ARE A THOUGHT LEADER AND THAT YOU DESERVE TO HAVE AN ESSAY PUBLISHED ON THE ROLLING STONE WEBSITE.

IT IS A PAY-TO-PLAY SCHEME THAT'S JUST REALLY KIND OF NAUSEATING FOR A ONCE GREAT MAGAZINE.

THERE USED TO BE A NAME FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS AND WE CALLED IT ADVERTISING.

>> Rooney: GOOD ONE I KNOW IT'S OUTRAGEOUS.

CALLIE.

>> I'M RAVING FOR WHAT I FIRST THOUGHT WAS A STYLE ELEMENT THAT BRIAN WILLIAMS USED ON HIS 11th HOUR SHOW AND THEN I'VE COME TO SEE IT AS SOMETHING ELSE.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK.

>> WELL GOOD EVENING ONCE AGAIN.

DAY 1461 OF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.

WELL GOOD EVENING AT THE END OF WHAT WAS DAY ONE OF THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION.

>> SO HE'S BEEN DOING THIS PRESIDENTIAL COUNT DOWN ALL THROUGH THE TRUMP PRESIDENCY WHICH I ASSUME HE MIGHT END WITH THAT, AND HE PICKED IT UP WITH BIDEN.

ACTUALLY IT IS A REALLY GOOD COUNT DOWN TO PAY ATTENTION WHAT'S HAPPENING AS THE TIME PASSES.

I'M GLAD HE'S KEEPING IT UP WITH BIDEN.

I'M RAVING IT.

IT IS KIND OF A CHECK IN.

I LIKE IT.

>> Rooney: DAN LOTHIAN.

>> I HAVE A RAVE FOR LARRY KING WHO PASSED AWAY AT 87.

I DON'T THINK HE EVER GOT A LOT OF RESPECT FROM JOURNALISM.

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW, HE NEVER PREPARED FOR HIS INTERVIEWS.

HIS RESEARCHERS WERE HE TRYING TO GIVE HIM INFORMATION, GIVE HIM CARDS, HE DIDN'T WANT TO PREPARE.

HE JUST WANTED TO SIT DOWN AND ASK THE QUESTION THAT HE FELT SOMEONE WAS WATCHING WOULD WANT TO ASK.

SO I THINK GENERALLY SPEAKING JOURNALISTS THOUGHT HE WAS A LIGHT WEIGHT IN TERMS OF THE KINDS OF QUESTIONS HE WOULD ASK BUT THERE ARE TIMES HE MADE REAL NEWS BY ASKING THOSE KINDS OF QUESTIONS.

JUST AN OPEN ENDED QUESTION, WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?

HE WOULD BREAK NEWS WITH THAT, OR ROSS PEROT ANNOUNCED HE WAS RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT.

I DESPITE WHAT EVERYONE THOUGHT OF HIM I THOUGHT HE DID BRING A CERTAIN KIND OF TELEVISION THAT WE LEARNED A LOT FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE.

>> Rooney: FINALLY I HAVE A RANT FOR THE PAKISTANI GOVERNMENT.

IF 2002 THE WALL STREET JOURNAL REPORTER DANNY PEARL WAS CAPTURED, AND DECAPITATED ON CAMERA.

THEY HAVE THE RIGHT GUY.

THE REASONS THE COURTS IN PAKISTAN HAVE NEVER EXPLAINED, THE VERDICT WAS OVERTURNED AND THIS GUY IS OUT FREE.

WHILE THERE ARE APPEALS THAT WILL BE FILED AND WHATNOT THERE IS I HAVE VERY LITTLE LIKELIHOOD THAT THE KILLER OF DANNY PEARL WILL BE PUNISHED.

THAT'S IT FOR OUR SHOW.

Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH access.wgbh.org