In case you’re not up on the case of UVA student Hannah Graham, the latest missing blonde story in the news, an arrest warrant was issued for an African American man named Jesse Matthew today. There was no indication Matthew’s grandmother had anything to do with the crime. Yet a Fox News reporter and contributor ambushed her at home and demanded to know if she had talked to Matthew.
No matter how awful a person Matthew may be, surely his grandmother is suffering and stressed out at this time. Not only is her grandson in terrible trouble but the harsh glare of the spotlight on him is probably hard on her as well.
So what was the point of Fox reporter Griff Jenkins and contributor Ted Williams ambushing the grandmother at her house? Did they really think she would spill the beans to them? Or were they just looking for sensational video at her expense?
Apparently, taking a camera crew to the door had been nixed. So we saw the grandmother from afar as Jenkins and Williams apparently called from the street. “We just wanted to ask when you saw him last,” Jenkins said.
Matthew’s grandmother was unequivocal in her desire not to speak to them “Don’t ask nothing. I’ve got nothing to say to you,” she said.
But Jenkins ignored her desire. He repeated, “When was the last time you saw Jesse?” Then, in a slightly accusatory tone, “Ma’am, a girl is missing.”
Williams said, “Ma’am, Just one question: Have you talked to Jesse?”
“No one here knows and no comment. Bye,” The woman went back into the house.
Back in the studio, Fox host Greta Van Susteren said, “Ted, that didn’t work too well.”
No, Williams agreed. He even acknowledged that the grandmother is a victim, too. “She’s a victim of a grandson who has now, Greta, been charged with a felony. A felony abduction with the intent to defile. Greta, the stakes in this case have now been raised hugely. The ante is up.”
Van Susteren asked why they went to the grandmother’s house.
Williams said they went there “primarily” because she “made some statements that she raised Jesse Matthew. And so we wanted to talk to her. He’s, as you know, on the run and when you’re on the run like that, Greta, you’re more likely to go to people who love you and who care for you and the grandmother is, like I said, someone we wanted to talk to.”
Williams was described by Van Susteren as a “former D.C. homicide detective.” But it’s not his job to track down Matthew nor interrogate his grandmother. I suspect that the local police would be less than pleased with national media sticking their nose in the investigation now.
Nevertheless, Williams said “We have been on numerous occasions to Jesse Matthew’s apartment. I talked to individuals there. They’ve told me that he was an odd fellow, that he was weird.”
What’s next, phone hacking?
Watch the report below from tonight’s On The Record.
I would say there’s very close to zero chance she didn’t approve this stunt. Then she saw how bad it looked on tape so played the innocent. If her producers blindsided her on this and sent her own people out to do something they knew she’d disapprove of without telling her, she needs to quit the network, or get those producers fired.
And please, she had the option of refusing to air the video at all since it added absolutely nothing to the story.
I have many criticisms of Greta but I don’t think she’s dishonest or deceitful the way Megyn Kelly or Hannity would be.
I love Greta’s innocent pretense. She sent Jenkins and WIlliams to that poor woman’s house, but she tries to make it look like it was their idea all on their own.
For shame. It’s totally disgraceful behavior for someone who spent so many years as a defense attorney for low-income African-Americans in D.C.
Anybody still want to pretend she’s a liberal?
I’m sure they’re working on it at this very moment.
Fox “News” third-rate, so-called producers are the biggest race-baiters in the history of broadcast journalism. We blame them for digging in the sewers for ratings purposes. They would exploit their own mothers if it can boost their ratings.
That male senior producer in the D.C. Bureau is pure slime. If Satan had a son…
’Nuff said.
