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Trump Blames Fox News For WH Claim Of British Wiretapping; Fox News Blames Pundit Napolitano

Posted by Ellen -7859.80pc on March 17, 2017 · Flag

Smith_031717.png

Instead of apologizing for the international incident press secretary Sean Spicer caused by accusing British spies of working in cahoots with the Obama administration to wiretap him, Donald Trump sloughed off responsibility and blamed Fox News, Spicer’s source. In return, Fox News got around to issuing a statement that there’s no evidence to support the claim three days after it was made by pundit Judge Andrew Napolitano.

As explained in my previous post, Spicer cited Napolitano’s accusation yesterday as part of what looks like a desperate effort to shore up Trump’s claim that Obama wiretapped him. Trump’s evidence-free claim has been disputed by Obama, the national intelligence director, the F.B.I. director, the Republican Speaker of the House, and the Republican chairmen of the House and Senate Intelligence Committees. Today, Republican Congressman Tom Cole said Trump owes Obama an apology.

But Spicer’s attempt to save his boss’ face over what was clearly a lie, had disastrous consequences. From The New York Times:

The [British signals agency] GCHQ quickly and vehemently denied the contention on Thursday in a rare statement issued by the spy agency, calling the assertions “nonsense” and “utterly ridiculous.” By Friday morning, Mr. Spicer’s briefing had turned into a full-blown international incident. British politicians expressed outrage and demanded apologies and retractions from the American government.

Today, Trump not only refused to apologize (though Spicer and national security adviser H.R. McMaster reportedly have done so privately), he blamed Fox News. From The Times:

“We said nothing,” Mr. Trump told a German reporter who asked about the matter at a joint White House news conference with Chancellor Angela Merkel. “All we did was quote a certain very talented legal mind who was the one responsible for saying that on television. I didn’t make an opinion on it.” He added: “You shouldn’t be talking to me. You should be talking to Fox.”

[…]

After the news conference Mr. Spicer echoed Mr. Trump’s defiant tone. “I don’t think we regret anything,” he told reporters. “As the president said, I was just reading off media reports.”

In other words, the White House is claiming it has no responsibility to make sure a pundit’s accusation is true, no matter how inflammatory.

Fox News is dodging responsibility, too. Today, Fox News anchor Shepard Smith played the role of fact checker and truth teller when he responded:

Of course, the president could learn first-hand whether the building in which he lives was wiretapped. All he’d have to do is ask the intelligence services. They work for him.

[…]

Fox News cannot confirm Judge Napolitano’s commentary. Fox News knows of no evidence of any kind that the now-president of the United States was surveiled at any time in any way.

Before you get excited over Smith’s independence, consider the fact that he offered no explanation as to why Fox let Napolitano’s accusations go unvetted until now.

Napolitano made his accusations on the March 13, 2017 The First 100 Days and the next morning on Fox & Friends. Media Matters summed up his statements:

Fox News senior judicial analyst Judge Andrew Napolitano claimed on the March 13 edition of Fox News’ The First 100 Days that “if then-Mr. Donald Trump, the president-elect, was surveilled as he says he was, … it was done by a foreign intelligence entity,” Britain’s Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), at the request of former President Barack Obama. The following morning, Napolitano again claimed on Fox that “three intelligence sources have informed Fox News that President Obama went outside the chain of command” and “used GCHQ” to acquire “transcripts of conversations involving candidate Trump,” ensuring that “there is no American fingerprints on this” and no evidence of the alleged surveillance.

During each interview, Napolitano referenced "sources" for his claim. On The First 100 Days, he said, “This is what sources in the Intelligence Community have told Fox.” On Fox & Friends, he said, “Three intelligence sources have informed Fox News,” that Obama went to the GCHQ. In a Fox News op-ed yesterday, Napolitano said, “Sources have told me that the British foreign surveillance service, the Government Communications Headquarters, known as GCHQ, most likely provided Obama with transcripts of Trump’s calls.”

But apparently, Fox News felt no need to check Napolitano’s assertions until today, after the stink spread to the network.

Watch Smith below, from the March 17, 2017 Shepard Smith Reporting and Napolitano’s allegations from the March 13, 2017 The First 100 Days and the March 14, 2017 Fox & Friends.

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Bemused commented 2017-03-19 07:43:17 -0400 · Flag
Although I’d be glad to see Schultz replace Merkel, I’m very happy (thrilled, actually) that it was she who had the honour of facing President Trump down. At that photo-op, he looked and acted like a resentful and petulant child who’d just been thoroughly schooled by the head teacher. Merkel came with her ducks (lots of hard facts) all lined up as well as a supporting team of business folks who’ve made real investments in the USA … jobs that will disappear should they get really mad. President Trump doesn’t like to be proven wrong even in private and it showed. Angela’s little talk at the press conference was packed with delightful little jabs. Danka shoen, Angela.

Must also extend my heartfelt thanks to President Trump for being totally unable to back down. Methinks that a EOF’s friend is not the only person to wonder “what the hell is going on?!”
mj - the same one commented 2017-03-18 15:13:44 -0400 · Flag
Drumpf got his claim of President Obama wiretapping him from Fox . . . who got it from Napolitano . . . who got it from Russian media . . . who got it from a discredited former CIA analyst . . .

Gracious — its like a worldwide telephone game . . .

.
Eyes On Fox commented 2017-03-18 12:48:07 -0400 · Flag
We’re dealing with propaganda factory GOPTV™ here. So when Napolitano cites “sources” his anus is 100% legitimate in Fox News’ and Der Furor’s eyes.

Talking to a leaning right, wholly independent very close friend who has had her eyes opened since the election and now no longer blows off Fox or sees Trump as funny, she’s of the opinion Trump continually citing Fox News as a source of his crackpot conspiracy theories and fake news will greatly undermine Fox News’ credibility outside of Liberal Land. I agree.
David Lindsay commented 2017-03-18 08:23:09 -0400 · Flag
Time marches on. Donald Trump insulted former President Obama with wiretap allegations and now the British. He refused to shake hands with Angela Merkel. At the current time he has moved on to insulting China.

Keep up world!!!
Erik Christiansen commented 2017-03-18 05:52:24 -0400 · Flag
“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.

- Joseph Goebbels (as channeled by Mike Pompeo during a recent Oval Office seance)
Christine Lamb commented 2017-03-17 23:42:01 -0400 · Flag
Did you see now, Napolitano’s surce was Larry Johnson??? who floated the lie on RT! Holy crap, if this was a movie plot I’d say it’s too unbelievable.
David Lindsay commented 2017-03-17 21:26:00 -0400 · Flag
Not yet two months and he’s pissed off our oldest allies. Trump is gonna be as popular as poison ivy at a nudist camp. Spicer may stroke out having to explain it all on live TV. Shepherd Smith isn’t just there to hedge bets either. He’s gotta do CYA duty for Faux whenever Trump blows shit out of his pie hole. Trump doesn’t give a damn. He’s the runaway beer truck. Entertaining, but I hope he can be a President should the need arise.
Richard Simms commented 2017-03-17 19:56:11 -0400 · Flag
It’s a start. Maybe now they realize we have a mad man helming the ship. To see fox news spin around up its own ass to to eschew trumps trumpness… Boy what a show…
Thx4 Fish commented 2017-03-17 18:52:59 -0400 · Flag
Amateurs. Welcome to the new USA where our president doesn’t even have the gravitas of a junior propaganda minister from a steamy banana republic. He’s just a clown on stage with his pants down around his ankles and holding his duck in his hand.
Quack.
john howard commented 2017-03-17 18:46:50 -0400 · Flag
This is so pitiful!!!!!








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