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Jon Stewart Catches Fox Using 9/12 Footage To Make Tea Party Look Bigger
November 11, 2009, 9:48AM
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On the Daily Show last night, Jon Stewart pointed out that, in a segment about Rep. Michele Bachmann's tea party rally at the Capitol last week, Fox News' Sean Hannity used footage from the much bigger 9/12 rally, apparently to pump up the attendance numbers.
Watch:
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Sean Hannity Uses Glenn Beck's Protest Footage | ||||
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thomas1
November 11, 2009 10:30 AM
I saw this last night and thought, "Why am I surprised?"
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LFC
November 11, 2009 10:39 AM
Isn't it sad when the Daily Show is literally the source of the best investigative journalism on television?
The mainstream news networks are a joke, and Fox is an opinion outlet, not a news network. No wonder so many people turn to the web for real news.
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Matt Jones
November 11, 2009 11:10 AM in reply to LFC
Unfortunately, that's not a new trend. For quite a bit of the last administration up till now, TDS has been one of the only shows that calls pols (of either persuasion) out for their BS. After all, the jokes practically write themselves when you've got Politician X saying today, "I never said Y" and then you run video of (some time ago) Politician X saying *exactly* that.
As Jon frequently says, "You do realize there are people *watching* you on CSPAN, right?"
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Al Roderick
November 11, 2009 2:28 PM in reply to LFC
They aren't doing investigative journalism, they're investigating other people's non-investigative journalism. It is still an indispensable service to the country; using a parody of the news to expose the problems with the news. The medium is the message. Which is really what the show is about; it's always been more about the process of the news than the events.
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fkaZk0sm0
November 11, 2009 4:41 PM in reply to Al Roderick
Alvy Singer: "I happen to have Mr. McLuhan right here..."
Marshall McLuhan: "...You know nothing of my work!"
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Lovelynina
November 12, 2009 10:45 AM in reply to Al Roderick
As much as I love Jon Stewart, and as much as I adore this opportunity for feel-good and "gotcha," I've got to point out an ugly hidden downside of Daily Show... he IS only entertainment and he inadvertently serves as an escape valve for our frustrations with the journalistic practices of today. The moderate-lefties and the progressives among us can now lull ourselves into believing that a media outlet has "caught" Fox Propaganda in the act, and that goodness will soon follow. Sadly, no, Jon isn't investigative journalism, and he's not investigating non-investigating. He's a showman, and a good one, chock full of liberal and (d)emocratic sensibilities, and he sounds like what we want to hear from MSM. But he's not MSM. He's a showman. And the truth is that MSM is afraid of Fox and afraid to call them out. This latest Fox "news" report of recent tea-baggers' events is clearly a lie, and a reasonably well-crafted one, and despite Jon's "report," it's all still funny business and off MSM's radar screen. MSM are the ones who must speak out. The fourth estate has to engage in a little integrity maintenance and self-preservation or we're all doomed.
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WTFox
November 12, 2009 6:11 PM in reply to Lovelynina
It perpetuates a tired, black and white world view to first imply the MainStream Media somehow does not include Fox, the "news" network with the most viewers, and then refer to Stewart as a mere entertainer, without similarly kneecapping the likes of Hannity, Beck, Limbaugh, and countless conservative AM radio gods.
Back when he'd risk airing the odd, dissenting voice on his show, Limbaugh used the fallback fact that his tripe was intended only as entertainment when outmaneuvered by a caller. Yet today, his bombast is a rudder for the GOP agenda.
The media as a whole is a business, no longer worthy, if it ever was, of a title like "The 4th Branch of Gubmint", which would signify accountability to any other than shareholders and multinational advertisers.
We'd all do well to appreciate the rare, prime time fact check, whatever the source.
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dustbunny44
November 11, 2009 3:15 PM in reply to LFC
This is not an example of Fox being an opinion outlet. Opinion is belief based on fact.
This is an outright lie, a deliberate misrepresentation of fact for propaganda purposes. This shows pretty plainly that Fox and Murdoch are the worst of yellow journalists.
Humiliation and imprisonment is not an unreasonable response to this.
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CranialRectalLoopback
November 11, 2009 10:56 AM
You don't need to fool all of the people all of the time, because 50% + 1 people are fools already.
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Kuyleh
November 11, 2009 11:15 AM
My first inclination was to ask "Does he think we're stupid?" but...Yeah. He knows the people that hang on his every word are that stupid.
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RobertSeattle
November 11, 2009 11:22 AM
Faux Trees News
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The Other Ed
November 11, 2009 11:27 AM
What do you think are the odds that Howie Kurtz will call Fox News out for fraudulent reporting?
If he does, he'll probably get Michelle Malkin on to provide the "blogger" perspective.
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Steve Garrett
November 11, 2009 11:27 AM
At this point Sean will fall back to the "I'm not a journalast, I'm a pundit" line that allows him to wave off all ethical transgressions and one that his followers will quickly forget in the coming weeks.
Futhermore if pushed it will come out that the errounus clips had been inserted by a rogue unnamed temporary employee that has since been let go.
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tonigo
November 11, 2009 12:42 PM in reply to Steve Garrett
Sean Hannity is a known child molester.
What? I'm not a journalist, I'm an online commentator.
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AdAbsurdum
November 11, 2009 11:33 AM
I eagerly await to hear Jake Tapper and the rest of the press corps(e) defend this.
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Morbo
November 11, 2009 11:44 AM in reply to AdAbsurdum
Tapper et al, won't defend it, they'll just do their usual "Sin of Omission" bullshit. If the dimwit Villagers don't report it, it didn't happen.
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Silence
November 11, 2009 11:41 AM
There were only a few hundred people at the 9.12 march, remember?
That can't be the 9.12 footage.
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Duck Stab
November 11, 2009 12:07 PM in reply to Silence
Wrong! There were 1.6 billion million people there because Glen Beck said 'some university' says so and by gods, that's good enough for me.
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Silence
November 11, 2009 12:29 PM in reply to Duck Stab
MSNBC is the only REAL news outlet and they reported just a few hundred on 9.12.
So, what could possibly be the origin of this footage?
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Duck Stab
November 11, 2009 12:45 PM in reply to Silence
Wrong! Fox NEWS is the ONLY news outlet. All the media is biased, except Fox and talk radio. Because they are fair and balanced like Sarah Palin and Jesus and the NFL and Ford trucks.
Why do you have America and little dogs?
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ClosetLuddite
November 11, 2009 1:43 PM in reply to Duck Stab
Hey, now! Lay off my truck! I was right there wih ya until you started in on the only domestic automaker that _didn't_ need a bailout!
:)
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twirling fartknocker
November 11, 2009 2:46 PM in reply to Silence
you're a liar. that's not what MSNBC reported.
additionally, viewers of Faux News were proven by a Pew study in 2007 to be more ignorant of hard facts about current events than viewers of any other news outlet, so it is indeed Fox that actually spews lies 24/7 (just like you)
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hollywood
November 11, 2009 2:52 PM in reply to twirling fartknocker
That is exactly right. Fox News viewers were objectively the most ignorant and misinformed group of all the networks. They overwhelmingly thought Sadam Hussein attacked us on 911, they overwhelmingly thought that WMD were found in Iraq. These idiots are lied to for political gain by the fascist corporatists that benefit financially from an ignorant angry right wing mob keeping thinking people out of power. We need a group of real patriots to chase Rupert Murdoch around and keep asking him why he is trying to destroy American democracy.
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thomas1
November 11, 2009 4:24 PM in reply to Silence
you got a link?
didn't think so.
Sometimes silence is golden, but this silence is usually bovine feculance.
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fkaZk0sm0
November 11, 2009 4:47 PM in reply to Silence
when you pass on lies that someone else told you, that makes you a liar and a fool.
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thomas1
November 11, 2009 12:08 PM in reply to Silence
actual silence would be so much better
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mjshep
November 11, 2009 1:22 PM in reply to thomas1
Hah!
Good one.
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Headlight
November 11, 2009 3:41 PM in reply to Silence
Actually, Silence, this appears to be a repudiation of the right wing's previous estimates. Michelle Malkin was reporting estimated turnout on 9/12 at 1.2 million to 2 million. At the time, MSNBC reported "tens of thousands" of people: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8kE_PzvOcI. Now Hannity is using the old footage and claiming tens of thousands, rather than hundreds of thousands, let alone one or two million.
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slb
November 13, 2009 2:14 AM in reply to Headlight
I think "tens of thousands" was generous. The police estimate was 5-8,000, as I recall. Police estimates can be a little on the low side (though I believe TPM's own reporter thought it was more like 3-5,000), so I'd be incined to go with the Post estimate of 10,000 that Stewart cited.
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dswx
November 11, 2009 12:23 PM
And all the resident Republicans here run and hide, too coward to say a thing.
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JEP07
November 12, 2009 3:45 PM in reply to dswx
They're crowding together under the bridge...
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ohyeathatsright
November 11, 2009 12:25 PM
They did a pretty meticulous job at video editing too. How very diabolical.
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11A7E
November 11, 2009 12:42 PM
Green leaves on a fall day. Way to pay attention in the editing room at Fox. Broadcast journalism at its finest.
Is there a more dishonest person on television than Sean Hannity?
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Silence
November 11, 2009 12:52 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOPEAPe0cZk&feature=geosearch
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Headlight
November 11, 2009 4:30 PM in reply to Silence
Here's another view -- surprised Faux News didn't try claim this was all teabaggers as well . . . http://tinyurl.com/c8jabs
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matyra
November 11, 2009 1:05 PM
Someday, they'll be changing the color of the leaves and the color of the sky--Once we see LucasArts credits at the end of our news, we will know we have reached the age of completely manufactured news.
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mroben
November 11, 2009 1:57 PM in reply to matyra
As someone who does video editing and motion graphics for a living, what's funny to me is that it wouldn't have taken that much more time for them to at least give the leaves on the trees a bit more of a orangeish/yellowish tint. You don't need to be from LucasArts to do something that simple.
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davcbr
November 11, 2009 1:07 PM
I guess they just didn't notice the green trees.
But what is more revealing to me is that they FINALLY admit that that crowd was in the 20 - 30,000 people range [9/12]. The voice over is right there panning this crowd and saying it ios 20 - 30,000.
That's all I got.
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mikedrevguy
November 11, 2009 5:11 PM in reply to davcbr
You might say that Faux has trouble seeing the trees for the forest?
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SS247
November 11, 2009 1:21 PM
I don't understand why they cannot be sued or charged for outright fraud. This is not political speech or an opinion. It's an outright lie. There should be no 1st Amendment protection for this crap.
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slb
November 13, 2009 2:19 AM in reply to SS247
Who would have any standing to sue?
There's no law that I know of that would include lying on television under the definition of fraud, even if the liar calls itself a news organization. There is a law against the U.S. government feeding propaganda to the American people, but if there were a law against anyone else doing it, the advertising industry would disappear, and most politicians would be in jail. (Hmmmm, maybe not such a bad outcome, when you think about it...)
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ericf
November 11, 2009 1:35 PM
The big question is how do we get the other news media to report this, and how do we possibly get the Fox's credulous single-source viewers to find out they faked it? Though would this finally convince them?
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hollywood
November 11, 2009 2:46 PM in reply to ericf
Yes! Why don't the other news outlets run with a BIG BIG STORY of fake news that is not in any way a mistake but a clear deliberate manipulation. Why oh why oh why do the other networks sit by and let this shit fly??? Dan Rather was run out of the news business for trying to tell a REAL STORY and these clowns get a pass on every LIE they tell ..... except by a comedy show.
America is a lot more in the shitter than we all might care to admit .....
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hollywood
November 11, 2009 5:41 PM in reply to hollywood
Well well ~~ I just watched Chris Matthews on Hardball run the Daily Show piece and totally make fun of "fair and balanced" hahahahahah!!! That ought to get some well deserved attention to the fake news liars.
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rbeats
November 11, 2009 1:48 PM
Has Fox News responded?
Can Fox News be fined?
If there is no consequence then why give a shit?
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twirling fartknocker
November 11, 2009 2:48 PM in reply to rbeats
I forget if it was the US Supreme Court or who, but it was ruled a few years ago that Fox News is under no obligation to tell the truth, despite being granted such a huge slice of the broadcast spectrum. nice, huh?
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slb
November 13, 2009 2:24 AM in reply to twirling fartknocker
Ummmm -- isn't that show offered by cable rather than broadcast? They wouldn't be covered by rules that applied to broadcast channels.
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CajunModerate
November 11, 2009 2:29 PM
Hey, Sean Hannity is the greatest journalist in the world. DON'T YOU EVER MAKE FUN OF HIM!
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MT from CC
November 11, 2009 4:34 PM in reply to CajunModerate
Excuse me while I puke.
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THEMEDIA
November 11, 2009 2:40 PM
If you are as outraged about this as I am, I strongly encourage you to file a complaint to the FCC here:
http://esupport.fcc.gov/complaints.htm
The appropriate Complaint Type is "Broadcast (TV and Radio), Cable, and Satellite Issues" and the Complaint Category is "Unauthorized, unfair, biased, illegal broadcasts" (the form states that this includes "Biased or distorted news stories by the media"). The original show aired on Fox News at 9:00 pm Eastern on November 11th 2009.
We have an avenue to correct this type of falsification and to make change we must make a complaint.
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druidity
November 11, 2009 2:50 PM in reply to THEMEDIA
Yes but didn't an appeals court decide that Fox News doesn't have to tell the truth during its news segments?
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BronxInTN
November 11, 2009 3:55 PM in reply to druidity
Yes, and I think it was a federal court in Florida which accepted Fox's defense claim that lying to the public on a news program is not a violation of FCC regulations. This defense might be restricted to cable news channels, as compared with broadcast (radio/TV frequency) channels who must periodically renew their licenses as in the public interest.
Fox News has a legal right to lie to its audience, and it will continue to do so in the future. Howie Kurtz and Jake Tapper will not raise an eyebrow by so much as a milli-meter.
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THEMEDIA
November 11, 2009 4:45 PM in reply to THEMEDIA
Correction: The original broadcast date was November 5th 2009.
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fsudirectory
November 11, 2009 4:28 PM
If interested, according to the NY Times Blog, Hannity will be addressing this issue tonight.... by probably calling Stewart a "left wing ideologue that's sole purpose in life is to tarnish the reputations of good, america loving, patriots"
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MT from CC
November 11, 2009 5:06 PM
I just filed my complaint. This ridiculously biased hack who is pretending to be a journalist (or "opinion journalist", whatever that means), and his lying cohorts at Faux News, need to be held accountable for the fraud they commit on a daily basis. Enough already -- our citizens are ignorant enough without being aided by widely viewed, but terribly biased, "news" source.
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ejg3
November 11, 2009 10:21 PM
I heard a CNN representative on a law school reunion presentation on truth in journalism note how the Teabaggers tried to pass off their summer march numbers by showing footage from the Million Man March. The aerials showing the absence of buildings since constructed on the mall (such as the Smithsonian American Indian Museum) made it perfectly clear that the pitch was a switch. It looks like they are bag to the same bag of tricks or lies or saying picture this when it's really a picture of something else.
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Peter Principle
November 11, 2009 11:14 PM
Well Fox may be lying, but Obama better not say anything about it -- after all, that would make him just as bad as Nixon. Ruth Marcus and the Washington Post told me so.
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geofu54
November 12, 2009 1:15 AM
Inadvertent mistake? Ha!
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jimlscotland
November 13, 2009 12:00 AM
I would have though that all mistakes would be inadvertent. I think what Hannity meant to say was that he inadvertent got caught telling a lie by showing the video from a month ago.
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bracken
November 17, 2009 8:34 AM
Here's the Free Republic take on it, for grins:
"When you're over the target, you take the most flak. I didn't see Hannity's show - but I'm pretty sure they weren't trying to fraudulently portray the turnout as anything it wasn't.
The libs are obsessed by the numbers of people showing up to "teabag". Now they are girding their loins for Sarah's book tour next week. They're getting all wee-wee'd up about it.
10 posted on Thursday, November 12, 2009 8:00:26 AM by alicewonders (Sarah Palin is the face of America's future.)"
"Who cares how many people were there. The people who would normally attend these events HAVE TO WORK for a living!!!
28 posted on Thursday, November 12, 2009 8:46:54 AM by fellowgeek (To geek or not to geek.)"
"To: christianhomeschoolmommaof3
OR it could have been one of the NYC mindset staffers who put it in and then “leaked” it.
29 posted on Thursday, November 12, 2009 8:49:59 AM by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)"
I used hand sanitizer before and after visiting FR.
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bracken
November 17, 2009 8:42 AM in reply to bracken
Had to include this one, it's too good.
To: alicewonders
"...for Sarah's book tour next week."
I will be praying for her safety over the next few years. She is one of the very few people on this planet that is capable of defeating Obama in 2012.
The democrats know that Sarah can beat Obama in 2012, and I fear that one of them may try to murder her and make it look like an accident or something.
Please be safe and extremely careful, Sarah.
My prayers are with you and your family.
Always.
34 posted on Thursday, November 12, 2009 10:13:11 AM by GI Joe Fan (GI Joe represents Real American Heroes, not a bunch of globalist drones.)
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