It would appear that despite the best laid plans of Fox News producers, Fox contributors don't always follow the pre-scripted propaganda plan of attack. Yesterday morning, during Donald Trump's weekly rant, the curvy couch cretins teed up what looked to be a coordinated attack on the Rev. Al Sharpton who, in the Fox playbook, is considered a "race hustler" worthy of the hate and scorn directed against him by Fox talkers. Trump was tossed the propaganda ball - and then he dropped it! But Steve Doocy was still able to insult Sharpton, so it was all good.
The first part of Trump's presentation was the usual trip into The Donald's bizarro world. In responding to the responses he received about his Ebola related tweets, he doubled down on the crazy. He discussed his view that the US should cease allowing planes, from Africa, to land in the United States and that we shouldn't be taking Ebola patients. Despite the differences between the two viruses, he compared Ebola to AIDS.
After a discussion about the awesomeness of Mitt Romney and how, according to Trump, he would have "made an excellent president," the conversation turned to Al Sharpton. Anna Kooiman set up what looked like an imminent attack: "Al Sharpton made the headlines again. He's telling the mayor of New York and the NYPD following this chokehold case that's still under investigation but, uh, the death of that individual who was in the chokehold has been ruled a homicide but now Al Sharpton is saying he knows best." (Notice that Kooiman didn't identify the victim, Eric Garner, by his name). The chyron reinforced the message: "Who's the boss, Sharpton lectures NY Mayor and Police Commish." Kooiman didn't specify what it was that Sharpton, who is advocating for justice in the case, said. She asked Trump what he thought and that's where it got interesting.
Trump: "I know Al Sharpton very well. Believe it or not he's a friend of mine and he came up to visit me recently. He said something about me that he wanted to apologize. He actually came up to my office. I understand Al. Al does his thing and btw, the chokehold was terrible, that cop was so aggressive, it was ridiculous, I don't know where he came from, ridiculous situation to do. I mean if it's anything like we see [the chokehold video played while he spoke] you know what we saw was a terrible situation. But people go to Al and Al is...he's become quite a leader and they want to, they'll probably settle now because they took his gun away...the city will give him millions of dollars just like they give everybody else that has a problem...As far as Al is concerned Al is doing his thing." The question marked chyron reinforced the ongoing Fox message that criticism of "stop & frisk" is anti-police: "Anti-NYPD agenda, Sharpton slams NYC officials on stop & frisk." (Does Fox News know it's been ruled unconstitutional?)
Carlson asked Trump what Sharpton apologized for. Trump said that Sharpton called him a racist and he "came up to my office to apologize." After Carlson responded "good for him," Trump said that he "respected him for that." Steve Doocy looked stunned and amazed when Trump asserted that Sharpton "isn't the bad guy that a lot of people think he is." Ensuring that Trump's statement wasn't the last word, Doocy interjected "nonetheless he's telling the Chief of Police here in NY City and the Mayor how to do their jobs, but that's just Al Sharpton." In case you didn't get the message, the chyron provided it: "Laying down the law, Sharpton tells Mayor, Commish how to do their jobs."
Guess Trump didn't get the memo? Ruh Roh!!!!!!
Note: The pals might have been referring to the round table discussion, held at the NYC City Hall, which featured Sharpton, de Blasio, Police Commissioner William Bratton and other political and governmental personnel. Sharpton said this to de Blasio: "If Dante wasn't your son, he'd be a candidate for a chokehold. And we got to deal with that reality." To Bratton, Sharpton said this: "You got to deal with training, But I also think, commissioner, that the best way to make police stop using illegal chokeholds is to perp-walk one of them that did. . . . It will send a lesson that 10 training sessions will not give them." Sounds reasonable - but, for Fox & Friends, something completely different!
“Not for his past racism and antisemitism against whites and Jews, not for his involvement in Crown Heights…….”
Speaking of Crown Heights, I’ll never forget Al Sharpton’s signature one-liner that he dropped on a loudmouthed wisecracking Jew at Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel back in 1991. For those of you that don’t remember, in September 1991 Sharpton flew to Israel on the eve of Yom Kippur (i.e. the holiest day in the Jewish year) to serve a summons on the driver of the limousine that struck and killed Gavin Cato one month earlier. When one of the locals that knew about the Crown Heights tragedy spotted Sharpton walking through the airport terminal, he instantly shouted at him “GO TO HELL!”. Sharpton immediately retorted, “I AM IN HELL — I AM IN ISRAEL!”
;^)
Not for his past racism and antisemitism against whites and Jews, not for his involvement in Crown Heights, Freddy’s in Harlem, and of course the Brawley disgrace, has Sharpton ever said he was sorry.
It really is amazing what major weight loss (he denies surgery), a haircut and a shiny new suit can do for one’s image. The “Rev. Al” has bamboozled so many these days.
As one black caller to a radio show here in NYC the other day asked: “Who appointed Sharpton to represent me?”
Neither appointed nor elected, Sharpton nevertheless pounces on every single incident of racial abuse (real or perceived) and exploits them for his own image and, not insignificantly, his naked grab for power in this city. Though he was (somehow) re-elected, Charles Rangel has been virtually pushed aside by Sharpton who pulls Harlem Democratic Party strings (usually at meetings in back rooms at Sylvia’s). Sharpton got one of his assistants a 170k job as chief of staff for de Blasio’s wife (the more things change, the more they stay the same, at least for patronage!).
Does the family of Eric Garner have no other choice for guidance and a spokesperson? The killing of Garner was a tragic example of police abuse in this city. A survey (by the Daily News, I think) found that these “broken window” incidents — which keep multiplying every day — are taking place mostly in minority neighborhoods.
But making an effective civil rights case out of Garner’s death is a stretch at this point. The feds are always reluctant to step into until local prosecution is all over. Actually, according to a piece in Tuesday’s NYT, the history of prosecutions of police on Staten Island doesn’t bode well.
I’m sure there are many (perhaps a few here) who believe Sharpton is some kind of saint, but he still carries much controversial baggage. Is it really any surprise that he’s such a convenient target for the slime balls on FNC?