News Hounds

Bill O’Reilly: The Occupy Wall Street Protests Are A George Soros Plot

Reported by Ellen - Thu 6:47 PM

In another Fox News effort to turn the Occupy Wall Street protests into some kind of political talking-point for the right, Bill O’Reilly came up with a way to blame Fox News uber-boogeyman George Soros for the whole thing. Never mind that he had to twist the theory into a pretzel explaining why a big capitalist like Soros is behind an effort to force socialism down the throats of Americans (as O’Reilly sees the protests). Bill has it figured out!

Palin’s Fox & Friends Colleagues Mock Her Announcement Not To Run For President

Reported by Ellen - Thu 2:11 PM

In yet another sign that Palin is on her way out at Fox News, her own colleague at Fox & Friends this morning openly laughed at her syntax during her discussion with Greta Van Susteren last night about the decision not to run for president. This is quite a contrast from The Five tip-toeing around their comments about Palin just a few months ago. (H/T Think Progress)

Bill O'Reilly Still Believes That Jesus Guided Evolution & Atheists Suck

Reported by Priscilla - Thu 12:22 PM

Despite science having determined that gravity causes tides, Bill O'Reilly believes that it's really Jesus who is pushing all that water. Despite science having provided us with a plethora of evidence that supports evolution, Bill O'Reilly believes that Jesus "guided" evolution and that "intelligent design," which is repackaged creationism, is the real deal. Despite his history of an accusation of sexual harassment, lies, voyeurism, and personal attacks, Bill O'Reilly presents as a devout Catholic who sees "Judeo-Christianity" as a "restraining" force for the good of society. And as a product of a 50's Catholic educational system which taught that "non-Catholics" were going to a hell that had a special place for commies and atheists, Bill O'Reilly has some big time fear and loathing of atheists like Richard Dawkins who occasionally stops by the Factor so that Bill can burnish his Christian creds by scoring an imaginary intellectual victory over the forces of atheistic evil. On last night's Factor, Bill touched on all the aforementioned memes in his discussion of Dawkin's newest book. Contrary to the Fox Nation headline, O'Reilly didn't "crush" Dawkins. In fact, he, once again, showed himself to be a true intellectual lightweight and poster boy for the anti-science right wing who, one assumes, are a major component of the Fox "News" audience and whose views are living proof of Neanderthals among us.

Fox News Crew Maced and Beaten On Wall Street As Jon Stewart Mocks Fox’s Coverage Of Occupy Wall Street

Reported by Aunty Em - Thu 9:24 AM

As News Hounds has reported, Fox “News” has been dismissive of the Occupy Wall Street protests springing up across the nation. This seems odd, considering how much free publicity the unfair and balanced network gave to the astro-turfed Teabagger protests. Contrast that with Occupy Wall Street, which appears totally organic: A few weeks ago most people knew nothing of it and it has been growing daily, despite getting very little coverage in the MSM. This has obviously spooked the Fox “News” Channel because it has yet to accurately report on the protests. Instead the so-called news channel has employed the spin and ridicule for which it’s known when something disturbs The Force. Since the sharpest observer of today’s political scene remains a cable comedy show, Jon Stewart couldn’t help but point out the Fox News hypocrisy on OWS, with special shout outs to Sean Hannity and Steve Doocy. Watch:

Van Susteren Helps Spin Palin’s Decision Not To Run For President

Reported by Ellen - Thu 2:16 AM

As I’ve repeatedly posted, it’s been abundantly clear for quite some time that Sarah Palin would not run for president. And while it’s hard to believe that Fox News, Palin’s employer, didn’t know it, too, Fox nonetheless fueled speculation that she might run, as she coyly played along. Or vice versa. Not surprisingly, Palin chose her BFF Greta Van Susteren’s On The Record as the Fox News show on which to discuss the “breaking news” that she officially will not run.* Even then, Van Susteren helped keep up the charade that Palin had been a serious candidate.

Breaking News: Sarah Palin Not Running For President

Reported by Ellen - Wed 8:47 PM

As if we didn't already know... Unfortunately for Palin, Steve Jobs had the bad manners to die right around the time she made her announcement. Guess who got top billing on Fox? Answer after the jump.

Neil Cavuto Whines About Occupy Wall Street Coverage

Reported by Guest Blogger - Wed 5:50 PM

By Brian

With the Occupy Wall Street protests going full steam ahead, methinks Fox News is getting a little worried. Never mind that Fox relentlessly covered and promoted the Tea Party protests. The “fair and balanced” network thinks the OWS protests are getting covered too favorably. So Cavuto trotted out a guest to accuse the OWS protesters of being un-American.

Fox News Website Features Another Persecuted Christian

Reported by Priscilla - Wed 3:40 PM

Once again Jon Stewart is proven right about the genius of Fox News and victimized conservatives, espcially those who are Christian and who are anti-gay. I guess Roger Ailes gets frequent flyer miles on his ticket to heaven because for the second week in a row we have a secondary lede story about yet another persecuted Christian who is anti-gay. In this case, it's a Michigan graduate student who was dismissed from her counseling job at the university after she refused to counsel a gay student. Meanwhile, a Tennessee high school student has alleged that his school principle assaulted him for wearing a tee shirt in support of establishing a gay/straight alliance at the school - something the school has forbidden. Wonder if we'll see anything about that on the "fair & balanced" Fox "News." Nah....

Rep. Allen West Tells Bill Hemmer That Tea Party Isn't Racist! Seriously?

Reported by Priscilla - Wed 2:28 PM

African American actor Samuel L. Jackson recently said that the Tea Party is racist and that he thinks that “everything right now is geared toward getting that guy out of office, whatever that means. It’s not politics. It is not economics. It all boils down to pretty much to race. It is a shame." Well them's fighting words for teabaggers whose racial tolerance is relegated to only those blacks who share their worldview including one of their heroes, GOP Representative Allen West who defended his beloved (mostly white) bagging bros on Bill Hemmer's alleged Fox "news" show. He was also able to criticize President Obama and, with Hemmer's prompting, talk up Herman Cain; so it was all good in Hemmer's hood.

More News Corp. You-Know-What To Hit The Fan

Reported by Ellen - Wed 2:09 PM

One of the former reporters for News of the World has threatened to spill the beans about phone hacking in his lawsuit against NOTW owner, News Corporation. (H/T Aunty Em)

Hannity Pimps Palin’s Pretend 2012 Candidacy

Reported by Ellen - Wed 2:00 PM

The only 2012 so-called candidacy less likely than Chris Christie’s is Sarah Palin’s. But now that Christie is absolutely, positively not running (as opposed to obviously not running), Sean Hannity threw out Palin’s name in a discussion and asked, “Is it possible Governor Palin could get in?” As if everyone didn’t already know the answer.

What Shannon Bream Didn't Say About Christian TX Anti-Gay Student & His "Punishment"

Reported by Priscilla - Wed 12:20 PM

As Jon Stuart noted, "conservative victimization is the true genius of what Fox News has accomplished." Much of the victimization involves godly Christian kids who are being victimized by the evil, librul secular school system. Last week, Fox News featured a lede, for almost the entire day, about how a good Christian student was "punished for saying that homosexuality is wrong." Fox reported that a Christian Texas high school student, Dakota Ary, was suspended for telling a fellow student, in German class, that homosexuality is wrong. He was suspended for a couple of days but his story went viral in the Christian world. Aiding and abetting the "outrage" was Fox News which had, as an accompaniment to their story, a video of from a local Fox affiliate. Fox Nation also had a thread which elicited the usual knuckle dragging homphobia which must have been really bad cuz the thread was shut down. Over the week-end, on a Fox "news" show, Shannon Bream had a report on the story which featured the young, aggrieved Christian. Despite this being a "news" show, Ms. Bream didn't report subsequent details which provide added perspective on the story - details that include the teacher's version of the incident which focus on some homophobic activity, on the part of Ary and his pals, that has been directed toward the teacher who is gay. But given that homophobia is a Christian "family value" in the Fox audience, one can understand why this segment wasn't "fair & balanced."

Special GOP Victim Hannity Stands Up For Hank Williams, Jr. Likening Obama To Hitler

Reported by Ellen - Wed 11:54 AM

Remember when Sean Hannity’s tender feelings were so hurt because Joe Biden (supposedly) called the Tea Party terrorists? Or when President Obama (supposedly) called President Bush unpatriotic? Well, Special GOP Victim Hannity doesn’t seem to have quite the same sensitivity when it’s a Democrat on the receiving end. Not only did he condone Hank Williams, Jr.’s comments likening President Obama to Hitler and calling him “the enemy!” Hannity was outraged that Williams had been removed from the opening of Monday Night Football. He was joined in the defense by, Mrs. “Nappy-Headed Ho,” Deirdre Imus. So impassioned was Hannity at the unfair judgment of Williams, he attacked a Republican state senator who had the gall to denounce Williams’ remarks.

Hannity Teams Up With Discredited J. Christian Adams To Paint Obama As BFF's With New Black Panthers

Reported by Ellen - Wed 2:19 AM

I have a feeling that Sean Hannity must have been the first person to buy J. Christian Adams' new book. Why? Because even though Adams' accusations of racial bias in the Obama Department of Justice have been debunked, his new book out goes through it all over again and with more racial accusations. I doubt there's anything race-baiting Hannity would like better than another excuse to race bait against President Obama - while pretending that white people are the ones being discriminated against. It's one of Hannity's favorite memes. So last night, Hannity didn't just unquestioningly welcome Adams' discredited claims that the DOJ dismissed charges against some New Black Panther Party members because of racial preference for black people, Hannity used it to smear President Obama, too, for “sharing a podium” with NBPP head Malik Shabazz. The only problem? While Obama and Shabazz only happened to meet up at the same function – Shabazz was an invited guest many times on Hannity's own TV show.

In Honor Of His Retirement, Fox News Trashes 92 Year-Old Andy Rooney

Reported by Ellen - Tue 4:23 PM

92 year-old Andy Rooney signed off from CBS’ 60 Minutes Sunday – and Fox News covered it by taking potshots at him. Bernard Goldberg appeared on The O’Reilly Factor and told an unflattering anecdote about Rooney in which he supposedly acknowledged liberal bias in the media and then supposedly caved to corporate pressure and walked it back. FoxNews.com called the segment, “Was Andy Rooney Good For America?” Why would you ask such a question if not to raise doubt? And why would anyone feel the need to cast doubt on a guy like Rooney – who, after all, was not particularly controversial – except out of maliciousness?

Fox News Witch Hunt For Eric Holder Kicks Up A Notch

Reported by Ellen - Tue 2:37 PM

Developing... It's even bigger news on FoxNews.com than Chris Christie not running. Right now, Fox News' BFF on Obama administration witch hunts, Darrell Issa, is on America Live.

No Joy In Foxville: Chris Christie Still Not Running For President! - Definitely!

Reported by Ellen - Tue 1:53 PM

As if we couldn't have guessed... but Fox and other media have milked this story for more than all it's worth. Now, after weeks of breathless speculation, Christie has gone from almost certainly not running to definitely not running.

Steve Doocy Hosts Tim Groseclose For Encore Attack On Media Matters

Reported by Priscilla - Tue 8:53 AM

Part of effective propaganda is reinforcing it. When Fox News has a message that it wants out there (pun intended) it repeats it on several shows. In case you missed Saturday's second string Dave Briggs' interview with Tim Groseclose, about how the evil Media Matters is "abusing your tax dollars," Tim was baaaaack on yesterday's Fox & Friends. Roger Ailes "lackey" Steve Doocy went over pretty much the same territory that Briggs did with the same result; i.e. that despite the thousands of complaints filed by Fox fans, Media Matters is still a 501(C)3. But there was a new angle. Groseclose urged the viewers to write their member of congress in hopes that congress can convene hearings. Doocy said "that's a great point." So who cares about congress needing to do something about the economy. Let's have congress waste even more time investigating Media Matters because they expose Fox News for not being "fair & balanced." Oh, the humanity!

Herman Cain Pretends He Never Called Rick Perry “Insensitive” – And Sean Hannity Helps!

Reported by Ellen - Tue 1:56 AM

As many know, the Washington Post recently came out with a lengthy article tying Republican candidate Rick Perry to a hunting camp called N***erhead. On ABC’s This Week Sunday (10/2/11), Herman Cain – the guy who blasted African Americans as being “brainwashed” out of voting conservative – said he found the name “insensitive” (well, who wouldn’t?) and then said, “Since Governor Perry has been going there for years to hunt, I think that shows a lack of sensitivity for a long time of not taking that word off of that rock and renaming the place.” OK, so maybe Cain has an odd set of conditions for sensitivity that just so happen to be self-serving. But on the Hannity show last night (10/3/11), Cain became even more self-serving – and less sensitive – when he assured Sean Hannity that it was the name of the camp Cain condemned, not Perry. Rather than challenge his rewriting of history, Hannity helped Cain do it.

Hank Williams, Jr. Crashes And Burns As A Fox News Political Pundit

Reported by Ellen - Mon 3:05 PM

Hank Williams, Jr. appeared on Fox & Friends this morning and, undoubtedly knowing that Williams is a Republican, the Curvy Couch Crew decided to probe his thoughts about the 2012 presidential election. The ensuing trainwreck as Williams compared President Obama to Hitler and called Obama “The Enemy!” proved too much even for these three hosts. It probably guarantees this will be the last time anyone on Fox asks for Williams’ political opinion again. How bad was it? Bad enough that Gretchen Carlson made a point of disavowing his comments after the segment was over. UPDATED: Williams dropped from ESPN's Monday Night Football.