Piers Morgan, Touré: Fiery debate over interview with George Zimmerman’s brother
On Friday Touré appeared on the “Piers Morgan Tonight” show and got into a heated debate with Morgan over his interview with Robert Zimmerman. He said the interview wasn’t of quality, served to make matters worse, and that no other media outlet would consider interviewing the man. Morgan said that’s not what he heard thirty minutes earlier.
Touré strongly criticized Morgan, saying Morgan is too new to the situation and his British roots yield him unqualified to comprehend the complexity of the situation.
“These are things that hurt as an American very deeply and you are too new to this situation to fully understand what’s really going on here, what’s really at stake for America,” Touré said.
Disgusted, Morgan said, “What a load of fatuous nonsense you speak, don’t you Touré, don’t you? You think you have the only right to speak about what’s serious in America? You don’t think I have the right as somebody from Britain who spent the last six, seven years here, to address a story like this?”
Touré snidely said, “Six whole years – you have the right …”
The conversation got heated, Morgan frustrated that Touré continually interrupted him when he tried to speak. Not to say that Morgan didn't interrupt a time or two himself.
Morgan asked Touré, “What don’t I understand?”
“You’re showing clearly that you don’t understand the depth of the pain in the American soul that is at play in this situation,” Touré said.
Shaking his head back and forth in obvious exasperation, Morgan said, “What a load of nonsense. Absolute nonsense. You clearly don’t watch my show. You don’t have to. No one’s forcing you to. If you had watched my show you would have seen exactly the seriousness and responsibility that I brought to our coverage in the last week.”
Touré interrupted Morgan again saying, “I’m not saying you’re taking this case lightly but there are notes, subtleties, nuances. There’s a depth of history within this that you can’t possibly understand.”
Morgan said, “Rubbish. By the way, I haven’t tweeted stupid jokes about Zimmerman calling him …”
Interrupting again, Touré said, “You made jokes about me.”
“Do you think it’s funny?” Morgan asked.
“I’m talking about that you did not do a quality interview last night and you’re trying to talk about other television shows that I’ve done, calling me names, that doesn’t have anything to do with anything. It doesn’t have anything to do with it. The memory of Trayvon and the effort to get justice for him is extremely important and when we allow people to come on the airwaves and lie about what happened that night [referring to Robert Zimmerman], we are part of the problem and not part of the solution,” Touré said.
“Had you been listening to my show all week you’d know I’ve been saying we should have justice for Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman should be arrested …” Morgan said.
“I’m sure you want justice for Trayvon Martin. Who would go on the air and say anything else, except at Fox,” Touré said.
Morgan said, “Well, we’re not Fox, we’re CNN and we like to be fair-minded and impartial.”
Morgan asked Touré if he believes George Zimmerman is guilty of murder, to which Touré responded yes. Morgan then criticized Touré for not being impartial and of playing judge and jury, essentially, and convicting Zimmerman before all of the facts are known.
Watch the debate
The night Trayvon was shot and killed
On February 26, 2012, Trayvon Martin, 17, was walking to his father’s fiancée’s home from a convenience store after purchasing an Arizona iced tea and Skittles. Zimmerman started following Trayvon and called 911 saying he looked suspicious.
During the call, Zimmerman admitted he was following Trayvon and the 911 dispatcher said, “OK, we don’t need you to do that.” At some point the two allegedly got into a fight and Zimmerman pulled out his gun, shooting Trayvon in the chest at close range. Paramedics arived at the scene within moments but could not revive him.
There is question whether Zimmerman was the aggressor, or if it was Trayvon. Because Trayvon is black and Zimmerman is white/Hispanic, the case has become a racial flashpoint leading to a series of protests across the nation.
Update: Piers Morgan Books MSNBC’s Touré In Real Time To Settle Twitter Feud
by Tommy Christopher | 2:21 pm, March 30th, 2012
» 78 comments
MSNBC contributor Touré slammed CNN’s Piers Morgan via Twitter starting last night, criticizing the Piers Morgan Tonight host’s interview with Robert Zimmerman, Jr., brother of Trayvon Martin killer George Zimmerman (who claims self-defense in the shooting). Morgan and Touré traded barbs on Twitter, until Morgan challenged Touré
to come on his show to debate the topic. Alas, the invitation conflicts
with Touré’s MSNBC schedule, so they had to work something else out.“Piers did not challenge Robert Zimmerman the way a professional journalist should,” tweeted during the broadcast, adding “@piersmorgan Allowing Rob Zimmerman to spout unchallenged lies further poisons a tense moment in American history. Be professional.”
Morgan responded just as his show ended, tweeting “Oh Toure, you’re such a tedious little twerp,” adding a characteristic dig at his opponent’s follower count. “ps @Toure – 71k tweets for just 57k followers? Ouch. Ever get the feeling you’re doing a LOT of jabbering but nobody’s listening?”
Touré continued to slam Morgan’s interview, tweeting things like “Rob Zimmerman’s story makes no sense after video of George walking uninjured & unbloody thru Sandord PD,” and “If at a crucial moment in American history, ie now, you allow people on your show to spread misinfo & lies you are damaging America.”
“With respect @Toure – I don’t think I’ll take professional journalist lectures from a ‘bull-dodging rodeo clown,’” Morgan responded.
“@piersmorgan Glad you’ve seen my George Plimpton show,” Touré said. “You should watch my interview show where I challenge people on bs when they spout it,” then explained Morgan’s reference by adding “On my show I’ll Try Anything Once I was a bull dodging rodeo clown & a skydiver & a sumo wrestler & a snake & bee wrangler & movie stuntman.”
Touré then zinged Piers for his own TV silliness, tweeting ”Not sure what my hosting I’ll Try Anything Once has to do with anything when @piersmorgan was a pawn on Donald Trump’s show.#GlassHouses‘”
Morgan issued a rather narrow challenge. “OK @Toure – we’re on. Get to my CNN bureau in NY between 3-5pm ET and we will do this debate on air tonight. Deal?” Morgan tweeted, then goaded “Come on @Toure – everyone’s waiting. You man or mouse?”
“I’m on MSNBC today, doing Tamron & Dylan’s shows. That’s my 2-5pm,” Touré responded.
Morgan taunted Toure awhile with Britishisms like “all mouth, no trousers,” while Toure pointed out that he was unavailable because he had to go to his, you know, job. Finally, Morgan asked “OK @Toure – when ARE you available? Stop the excuses & the bull…. – give me a day and let’s debate this on CNN,” to which Touré replied “Tuesday.”
Something must have happened to Morgan’s trousers (whatever that means), because he responded “Tuesday is Primary night @Toure – can do it Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday.”
“Ugh. No can. Mon Fuse. Wed Iowa. Thrs St Louis. Fri MSNBC,” replied Touré, exposing the real weakness in the 21st Century’s new “booking by flame-war” procedures: you can’t really do both things well. “I’ll have Sheila call your booker…also YOU GOT PWNED!”
Touré added ”If you knew me you’d know I’d love to do this. Will be valuable TV. (The you’re chicken ploy is lame. No one’s scared of you.)”
Such a debate would undoubtedly make for great television, but hopefully, the discussion would focus more on this galvanizing national tragedy, and less on the wounded egos and interviewing chops of various media figures.
Update: In a crackling Twitter exchange, Morgan and Touré came to terms, and the result will air tonight at 9 pm. The real-time Twitter booking (the first of its kind?):
Morgan: Hey @Toure – just saw you on MSNBC. We’re ten blocks away, come down for a REAL debate on my show. #CNNOh, my God, Piers, the Tweet is coming from inside the house!
Touré: .@piersmorgan I’m free now. Are you still taping?
Morgan: Yes – come to CNN bureau at Time Warner now RT @Toure .@piersmorgan I’m free now. Are you still taping?
Touré: I’m at CNN in the chair waiting. Why is @piersmorgan keeping me waiting? You won’t like me when I’m angry.
