Birther bulls**t
October 26, 2011
Van Susteren And Hume Slam Birther Republicans – Promoted On Fox News
Immediately following Greta Van Susteren’s interview with Donald Trump last night, she brought on Brit Hume to discuss the varying tax plans of the 2012 Republican presidential candidates. But before she got to that, she and Hume discussed Governor Rick Perry’s recent birther comments. Clearly, she and Hume were repulsed by them. But what neither of them mentioned was that Perry announced he had become skeptical about Obama’s birth certificate after discussing it with Donald Trump, the same Donald Trump whom Van Susteren had allowed to talk up his birther conspiracy theory without much challenge and had then gone on to give him a platform as a credible pundit.
Continue reading >>October 25, 2011
Donald Trump Goes Birther Again – And Fox News Lets Him Skate
In case you missed it, Presidential candidate Rick Perry announced over the weekend that after talking birtherism with Donald Trump, Perry could not give “a definitive answer” as to whether or not the long-form birth certificate President Obama released last spring is real. Tonight, Greta Van Susteren hosted Donald Trump on On The Record and asked him if it’s true he’s not convinced. Trump revived his original claims and then pretended it wasn’t important. Van Susteren made a point of saying she thought the birth certificate real and she said she “thought” Trump had previously acknowledged its validity. However, she never pointed out the mountain of evidence confirming its authenticity and she never asked Trump what happened to that big investigation in Hawaii he was supposedly conducting into the matter – and then stopped mentioning after Obama's release of the birth certificate.
Continue reading >>October 18, 2011
"Not A Birther" Hannity Attacks Obama For Not Releasing His Birth Certificate
During the latter part of last night's “Great American Panel” segment (in which actor Kevin Sorbo complained about “the race card” and then suggested American black voters are racist) pollster Bernard Whitman said there was a “major racist element” to the birthers. Predictably, Sean Hannity didn’t think so. Then he said, with a straight face, “It was never my issue." But his next words were, "But I gotta tell you something. What was such a big deal to say, ‘Show your birth certificate?’ Why didn’t they just show it and get it over with? Why did this have to drag on forever?” Did Hannity’s nose just start growing again? UPDATE: Hannity also just so happened to add fuel to the birther fire by falsely stating that Obama "grew up in Kenya."
Continue reading >>September 21, 2011
Eric Bolling: Fox's New Conspiracy Theorist
When Fox “News” unceremoniously dumped Glen Beck, conspiracy nuts across the planet not only mourned his loss, but actually spun it into their web of conspiracy theories: authorities needed to silence The Beckinator because he was getting too close to the truth. With Beck off cable, where could nut jobs go to get their [free] daily adult requirement of conspiracy theories? Not everyone is flush enough to fork over whatever crazy amount it costs to subscribe Beck’s webalicious GB[L]TV. Genius that he is, Eric Bolling has recognized that fact and has sought to fill the gap by spewing one whacked out conspiracy theory after another. Hardeep Dhillon of Media Matters makes that very point in an article titled, “Bolling Uses Obama's Support Of Israel To Claim He Doesn't Support Israel.” According to Dhillon:
Continue reading >>August 9, 2011
Fox News And The Outfoxed Effect: Seven Years Later
As one of the researchers for Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch’s War on Journalism, I’m proud of the impact the film has had on the public’s perception of Fox News. Before Outfoxed, few people paid much attention to what the network was up to. Now, it’s a regular topic of political conversation and even mockery by The Daily Show and The Colbert Report. Other than from a Fox News employee, when was the last time you heard someone arguing that the network doesn’t have a conservative/Republican bias? I think we can thank Outfoxed for exploding that "fair and balanced" myth to smithereens. And yet, while we can call that particular mission “accomplished,” there is still plenty more work to be done. I hope you'll join Outfoxed's producer/director Robert Greenwald tonight at 8 PM ET as he holds an online discussion about the seventh anniversary of Outfoxed. There will be special commentary from a variety of people including myself.
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