Geraldo Rivera visited Fox & Friends this morning where they engaged in a heated discussion of Fox’s faux scandal, Benghazi-Gate. Predictably, the curvy couch crew chickenhawks were full of concern that always seems to be more focused on discrediting the Obama administration than in reporting what happened. Rivera told them, “I think we need to stop this politicizing… these preposterous allegations, reckless allegations.”
As Think Progress noted,
Rivera was primarily responding to statements just minutes before by Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA), who sits on the House Government and Oversight Committee. In his remarks, Kelly claimed that the Pentagon was unable or unwilling to respond to the attack, which wound up killing four Americans, despite “real-time” information coming in. Rivera pushed back on Kelly’s claims and the idea that military assets could have made it to Libya in time.
Rivera said:
I think we have to stop this politicizing… We’re getting away from the real issue, which was why wasn’t there security before this happened? That’s the issue. But these preposterous allegations, reckless allegations, that somebody — They paint a picture - some fat bureaucrat watching TV. You heard him describe it, Congressman Kelly. I think that’s really beyond the pale.
Rivera said he had interviewed Senator John Barrasso, Senator James Inhofe and Senator Corker, three Republican senators sitting on the Foreign Relations Committee .“They all agree that the supercharged atmosphere around the story – prudence dictates that these hearings be postponed until November 15 when they will determine what happened. But in this climate now when you have people like Darrell Issa in the House Oversight Committee releasing documents…” Rivera was interrupted by Brian Kilmeade who actually said, "Al Qaeda's not gonna wait!"
But Rivera got this question in: "Do we want to know what happened or do we want to try and influence the election with a tragedy that happened in North Africa?"
I think we know the answer and so does he.
From: Roger Ailes
To: Geraldo Rivera
Cc: All Fox News on-air talent
Subj: RIVERA APPEARANCE ON F&F 26 OCTOBER
GR,
1. For your FAILURE to adequately politicize the Benghazi tragedy and discredit the Obama administration, you are hereby SUSPENDED with half pay from appearances on Fox News programming for a period of thirty (30) days, effective immediately.
2. Suspension to be lifted prior to 30 days ONLY in the event of one of the following:
a. A win by Romney on Nov. 6th, OR An anti-immigrant rant by Bill O-Reilly that YOU heartily SUPPORT in the form of a soundbite and/or op-ed piece in the mainstream media.
So ordered,
RA
.
NIXON———6%
BUSH IIâ-19
CLINTON-20
OBAMA—- 26
BUSH I——-27
REAGAN—32
FORD———38
ROMNEY-14