Fear & Loading: Couric's Distorted Documentary

by
posted on May 27, 2016
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
gsagi2015_fs.jpg (1)

When Katie Couric asked gun-rights activists how we could stop terrorists and convicted felons from buying firearms if there were no background checks, their answer was immediate, according to audiotape they recorded. But, when her documentary, “Under the Gun,” was aired, a lengthy pregnant pause of nine seconds mysteriously appeared between her question and their response, misleading viewers to believe they were struggling to find an answer.

The controversy is all over the Internet, and rather than regurgitate the entire debate, here’s a link from Fox News. There are many plausible reasons for this happening, including a college intern working on the segment that had his dog eat the missing audio. Here are a few more explanations just about as believable.

  1. The network purchased its audio recording devices surplus from the Nixon administration, so missing words and conversations are routine.
  2. What silence? You guys and gals must be deaf if you can’t hear the chirping crickets we dubbed in.   
  3. Couric’s contract specifies her close-up seconds, and we were behind schedule.
  4. The documentary was nine seconds short, and it was either add a pregnant pause or another Dancing with the Stars
  5. Hackers, from China, and they took vegan Friday of our cafeteria menu, too.
  6. The bargain basement videotape stretched.
  7. Someone fed gremlins after midnight, then showed them to the showers.  

Latest

Gotw Wilson Combat Bulwark 1
Gotw Wilson Combat Bulwark 1

Gun of the Week: Wilson Combat Bulwark

Wilson Combat has long been known for its custom work on 1911-style designs, but the company also develops its own firearms, and one of its latest in-house creations is the new Bulwark.

The Armed Citizen® Sept. 4, 2026

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

NFA Wait Times Continue to Drop

In early 2021, it took the ATF about 280 days to process a Form 4 NFA transfer. In August 2026, using the recently implemented eForms system, that wait time had dropped to only nine days.

Pelican Air Carry-on Case Review

An industry staple just made air travel more convenient.

The ROSE Program by SIG Sauer: Empowering Women in Shooting Sports Across the Nation

The ROSE Program is a shooting program created specifically for women. It aims to create a community of women in shooting that can learn about shooting and self-defense.

I Have This Old Gun: French MAS-49

Despite being early adopters of several semi-automatic rifles for military use, the French army took several decades to work out a standardized semi-automatic rifle for general service use. The rifle that finally came to being was the MAS-49.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.