October 17, 2005
Shepard Smith Backpeddles - 'We're Not Naming Anybody'
From the minute I turned on Studio B with Shepard Smith, I knew it was going to be a fluff show. The top story was the murder of attorney Daniel Horowitz's wife, Pamela Vitale, 20 miles east of San Francisco, California. Smith reported that the San Francisco Chronicle was reporting an arrest of a caretaker in the case. He did say that Fox was unable to verify the arrest, but the San Francisco Chronicle was reporting it.
He went to reporter Claudia Cowan who was at the courthouse in Martinez, California, who reported that the buzz was all around the courthouse about the arrest of the caretaker, Joseph Lynch.
However, Smith got on the phone with Phil Bronstein, the editor of the San Francisco Chronicle who set the story straight. Bronstein said that the San Francisco Chronicle was not reporting this, that one reporter had heard from a source that was close to the family that an arrest had been made. He said they were still waiting to verify the story.
After hearing this, Smith quickly tried to smooth over the fact that they had reported that the San Francisco Chronicle was reporting this, when it fact, the Chronicle was not. He said that our information within our own wire service here at Fox News said that the newspaper is reporting an arrest in the investigation into Horowitz's wife's death. He went on to say that he was "reading that directly for you."
Then, Smith tried to further smooth things over by saying, "That, apparently, is not yet true. May be a little bit ahead of ourselves. We certainly haven't named anybody and no one has been indicted here."
Comments: "We certainly haven't named anybody?" The Fox reporter in San Francisco certainly did name someone, Joseph Lynch, as the caretaker who was arrested.
I have to admit, I was taken aback a bit when Phil Bronstein, the editor of the San Francisco Chronicle, set Smith straight when he spoke live via phone. However, Smith saying, "We certainly havent' named anybody" was just ridiculous. It reminded me of the story about the kid who ate the candy bar and said he didn't and the chocolate was all over his face and hands.
If you were looking for hard news on Traitorgate regarding Karl Rove or Scooter Libby, it wasn't to be seen today on Studio B. They were too busy reporting wrongly on a sensationalized murder case. While ithe information may turn out to be true, Fox may have also leaked a totally innocent man's name. Either way, he didn't have to lie about it and say that "We certainly haven't named anybody." Smith did make sure to tell everyone to check out Greta tonight because Greta would be 'all over this'. But, of course.
**Special Note** If you would like to discuss Traitorgate, Rove and Libby, please feel free. I've decided to open up this thread since there was so much fluff on Studio B and because Smith said they would 'no longer discuss' the Traitorgate story until new information came through.
Reported by Donna at October 17, 2005 05:10 PMIt would seem that the "accused" may have a very appropriate name for a story such as this.
Posted by: uk_dave at October 17, 2005 05:16 PM
...all we need now is a mob.
Posted by: uk_dave at October 17, 2005 05:17 PM
Smith is such an airhead he would have read his own name as the killer if it was on the screen. I can't blame him for reading what he is told.
Posted by: J at October 17, 2005 05:21 PM
uk_dave,
You are very astute and fast on the pickup - I didn't even notice the coincidence of his name.
Donna
News Hounds
Posted by: Donna at October 17, 2005 05:24 PM
who the fock cares, that isn't news.
you can find crap like that happening in any state of the union on any given day.
i think focks news should look into hiring jeff gannon away from the white house
i gotta run. its time to climb in my tree stand
http://seahunters.org/gallery/ALL-night-photos
Posted by: moose at October 17, 2005 05:28 PM
The Left's wet dream consists of a re-enactment of Vietnam followed by a re-enactment of Watergate.
Posted by: Jose Chung at October 17, 2005 05:53 PM
Wet dream? It may not be our dream, but that's what seems to be happening.
Posted by: Janie at October 17, 2005 05:56 PM
Unlike you Hose-A, Vietnam was not a dream to me, it was real. Unlike you Hose-A, Watergate was not a dream to me, it was real also, but I'll tell you what, the day Nixon got on that chopper for the last time and gave his idiotic salute goodbye, I must admit, I almost did have a little involuntary ejaculation. If we end up putting Monkey Man on that chopper, I just might manage a real live waking one.
But I think I would settle for Rove. After all, you unplug him and Bush just has to stand there looking like a lobotomized chimpanzee for the next three years.
Posted by: Ebonius at October 17, 2005 06:23 PM
HOSEBAG: So they decided to let you back on here huh? One would of thought that during your time out you might of pulled your head out, but I guess that was to much to expect.
Sorry to disappoint you but that smell in the air is the fresh print on these indictments. dry.
If you had taken the time to pull your head out you would of realized by now that we ARE ALREADY in another Vietnam style war.We now call it Iraqnam.
WAKE UP and stop doing all those nasty drugs or put the cork back in the bottle. It's called the 21st century and we've been waiting for you.
Posted by: edfromned at October 17, 2005 06:25 PM
Donna, I saw what you saw on Shep Smith. But only the teaser before the first commercial when he said something like, "We'll be right back after this, to cover the breaking story that there has been an arrest in the murder of Horowitz's wife."
So, channel flipper I am, I went straight to CNN and uncannily, Wolfe Blitzer was just saying the words, "Rumors about an arrest in the Horowitz case are now said to be FALSE!"
So CNN got it right, while Shep Smith was left trying to cover his ass for the next fifteen minutes.
So much for Fox 'news' .
Posted by: Ebonius at October 17, 2005 06:27 PM
Each morning, when Fox producers fall out of bed, they press their palms together as they kneel in prayer: "Please Jesus, give us another sensational murder! If possible, bring us another Hootie Holloway, but if that's too much to ask, then ANY white woman will do. Just anybody, Lord, to keep our beloved chimpanzee and his criminal gang off the air for a while."
Posted by: Ebonius at October 17, 2005 06:32 PM
Isn't Shep the one who said the Pope was dead when he wasn't quite yet?
Shep: "Oops! I did it again."
Posted by: dd at October 17, 2005 07:00 PM
So CNN got it right, while Shep Smith was left trying to cover his ass for the next fifteen minutes.
So much for Fox 'news' .
Posted by: Ebonius at October 17, 2005 06:27 PM
-------------------------------------------------
Ebonius,
Exactly. I just watched MSNBC and the live news conference from the head of the case who said that no one has been arrested.
Jumping the gun again. And, yes, dd, that's the same Shepard Smith.
Donna
News Hounds
Posted by: Donna at October 17, 2005 07:04 PM
It is ironic that the Repubs never never learn.
De ja vu all overagain.
lies = war = coverup and more lies.
The saddest of all is how many of a generation pay for the republican lies and greed with their lives.
Posted by: Diane at October 17, 2005 07:05 PM
Please change backpeddle to backpedal...Fox news shouldn't get you on a spelling error / typo and make you look bad...
Shep smith..what a joke...
Posted by: shyam at October 17, 2005 07:42 PM