Fox runs more "dirt" on Wilson; it's really mud-slinging
Reported by Chrish - November 2, 2005
The Grapevine gossip segment on Fox's 'flagship serious news' program Special Report (11/1/05) is a cesspool of mini-smears and incomplete innuendoes, with plenty of attacks on other media outlets (especially the New York Times) and critics of the Bush administration. It could be dismissed as meaningless pap but a steady diet of it served up daily slowly drips the agenda into viewers' brains.
Today a little bit of information on Joe Wilson was read by Hume.
(Picture of Wilson, caption "Wilson's attack") Former Ambassador Joseph Wilson first attacked the administration's rationale for invading Iraq back in a May 2003 New York Times article, citing his own mission to Africa as part of the basis. (Caption changes to "Not so Negative") But in multiple public appearances after his trip and before the Times article the ambassador never mentioned his trip or criticized the president's assertion that Iraq had been seeking uranium in Africa. (Changes to "Worries about weapons?") In October '02, Wilson told a policy forum that he conceded that Iraqi weapons could fall into the hands of terrorists. (Changes to "WMD "Immaterial"?") And in an on-line chat in April '03, Wilson called finding weapons of mass destruction in Iraw "immaterial", saying "the liberation is now the rationale. If we don't find them discussion about them will cease."
Comment: Just another dram of dirt to the pile they've already slung at Wilson in efforts to take the attention off their boys. It's trivial information that has no point or meaning, taken as it is so far out of context, but adds to the impression Fox wants to create for the administration that Wilson is not to be trusted or believed.
