Not long after Democratic presidential candidate and South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg and his campaign received backlash for their misuse of a Kenyan woman’s stock image, MSNBC is now caught up in a photo faux pas of its own.
Richard Spencer, the co-organizer of the deadly Unite the Right rally back in August 2017, has received increased attention over the past two years following his polarizing appearances on CNN and other Western media.
However, the self-proclaimed white nationalist has recently found himself being referenced not for his controversial views and discriminatory language, but for the fact that he shares a name with former US Navy Secretary Richard V. Spencer. In a Sunday broadcast of “AM Joy” concerning the recently ousted Navy secretary, the show’s producers apparently dropped the ball and mixed up their Spencers.
What is going on with the production team of @JoyAnnReid? This is the wrong Spencer! Yikes. pic.twitter.com/ALDNxB7eCK
— Joan Donovan, PhD (@BostonJoan) December 1, 2019
“I want to make a quick correction. This is a pretty big correction. Earlier in the segment as we were talking about former Navy Secretary Richard Spencer, we mistakenly showed the wrong image of white supremacist Richard Spencer,” Reid said during the Sunday broadcast, adding that MSNBC was “very, deeply sorry for that mistake.”
The latter Spencer also commented on the matter.
“On some deep, unconscious level, America wants me to be in charge of the U.S. Navy,” the white supremicist said in a Sunday tweet.
Despite Reid’s apology, many netizens were not convinced that MSNBC simply made a careless mistake.
Mistake? Yeah right.
— David Hitt (@pdhitt) December 1, 2019
I feel like some folks over there need to speak up and tell @MSNBC to get their act together right now.
— Transgender Rights (@TransRightsMOVE) December 1, 2019
I don't know what's going with things, but from tech to programming to invited guests and topics, it's as sloppy as it gets right now. Not YOUR fault, I realize. But, oof.
I swear every day there's always something where the leftist media is saying "We made a mistake." Happens with @MSNBC all the time.
— Tchaikovsky and Rachael (@shak091379) December 1, 2019
If only a multibillion dollar broadcasting company could tell the difference between governmental officials and white nationalists. pic.twitter.com/jwKyYGryq6
— Ash Boyd 🌹🌱🐝🌐🛰️ (@Ashfallen0) December 1, 2019
Other Twitter users revisited Reid’s not-so-distant history of “mistakes,” such as those unearthed in 2018 through scrutiny of her old blog - which included conspiracy theories on 9/11 and anti-LGBT remarks.
@JoyAnnReid if you're issuing retractions- how about addressing your disgusting homophobic blog posts & your dishonesty when they were discovered.
— bonhomie (@bohemiantoo) December 1, 2019
You blamed time traveling Russian hacks for changing your blog + making you sound homophobic. You are homophobic and a hack.
Russian time traveling hackers did it
— Patrick Bruck #NotMeUs (@scott_satzer) December 2, 2019
Hey look at you taking responsibility for your mistakes instead of blaming Russian hackers. Kudos!
— Insurance companies can go to hell 🏳🌈🌹 (@electrovert) December 1, 2019
