Limbaugh says Fox News 'caved' in Sherrod coverage
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/06/21/art.getty.rush.limbaugh.jpg caption="Rush Limbaugh attacked Fox News on Thursday."]
(CNN) – Rush Limbaugh said Thursday on his radio show that Fox News and at least one of its anchors "caved" in its coverage of Shirley Sherrod, the former USDA employee who was fired in haste on Monday after an edited clip of her was posted on a conservative website.
"I have to go after it … because even Fox caved on this," Limbaugh said. "Even Shep Smith. Even poor old Shep Smith went down there and said that everybody's wrong on this, that [BigGovernment.com founder Andrew] Breitbart is wrong and so forth. There's only a handful of us that have the guts to put this story straight. If we don't hammer back nobody will."
Limbaugh dismissed the story, saying he was bored by it.
"It's nothing more than the left playing the race card, the NAACP has thrown down the gauntlet because the big government argument has failed," Limbaugh said. "They are keeping alive the divisions in this country and I hate taking the bait, I hate playing along with it, I simply despise the whole thing."
"We've got a bunch of cowards in the conservative media inside the beltway which will not deal with this honestly," Limbaugh added.
Limbaugh took aim at Fox News anchor Shepard Smith because on Wednesday, Smith sharply criticized Breitbart's website as well as his network's own reporting on the story.
"The video taken completely out of context it ran all over…and on television including this network," Smith said Wednesday on his show. "We on Studio B did not run the video and did not reference the story in any way for many reasons. Among them: We didn't know who shot it, we didn't know when it was shot, we didn't know the context of the statement, and because the history of the videos on the site where it was posted. In short-we did not and do not trust the source."
On Monday, Fox News host Bill O'Reilly was the first cable news anchor to play part of the edited clip, saying afterward "That [Sherrod's comment] is simply unacceptable and Ms. Sherrod must resign immediately."
One hour later, Sean Hannity played the clip at the top of his show and announced Sherrod's resignation.
On Wednesday, O'Reilly apologized for his statements saying: "I owe Ms. Sherrod an apology for not doing my homework, for not putting her remarks into the proper context."
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Sounds like Shep Smith is the only one who actually acted like a journalist. What I take away from this – Limbaugh points out that Fox is a conservative news source (yes, we all know it, but they never own up to it), and that being competent means that you are a coward in Limbaugh's eyes. Fortunately for him, the rest of the network is "brave" enough to be terrible journalists and misinform the public.
Is Rush.... delusional?
More hate speak from the right side wingnuts.
Talk about blowhards. Rush, just shut up, you are wrong.
A made for TV movie of her life and her transformation would be the icing on the cake that would make this a teachable moment. for most Americans.
Also, a successful liable, slander lawsuit against fox news and Breitbart would be a teachable moment for them.
This is almost funny coming from the clown king. The words like honesty, integrity, truth and journalism can't be in the same sentence with Limbaugh let alone a paragraph. He has been the greatest hate baiter since McCarthy. Facts will never get in the way when his mouth opens. On the up side he actually sounds sane compared to Beck.
Rush is right!
Is he serious?! Honestly...anyone who actually follows this clown is just as dumb as he is. It is people like him that are to blame for this country's continued division. He does however make following the lefts agenda THAT much easier because I never want to be associated with the likes of Limbaugh
Fox "caved" when it was irrefutably proved that they were aiding and abbetting fraud and character assasination? rush is either suffering from delusional psychosis of is hitting the pills again. It is like getting caught inside a bank vault with a gun in one hand, a bag of money in the other, and the rush solution" claim until you turn blue in the face that you were there to put money in the bank.
So what this spokesperson for the right wing is that despite the fact that the video has been proven to be a blatant falsehood planted by a known liar doesn't mean that it shouldn't be used to further the right wing agenda of lies. FATSO FAILS!!
O'Reilly should have apologized but an apology without restitution or action are just empty words...sort of like FOXNEWS.
Yellow Journalizm at its best.
Can all of these Fox News blowhards leave the face of the Earth? They serve no purpose.
Well yeah Fox is denying they had anything to do with it. I guess Fox viewers have very short term memory loss. Can't remember what happened the day before. Sharrod has every right to sue Fox for slander. It was bad journalism. Rush well Rush and Glen are probably having a party with David Duke.
Limbaugh, what an idiot.....glad he is the mouth piece of the Republican party.
The only people I see playing the race card is the right wing media. They are trying to play up instances of black racism as much as they can. This is a repeat of the Southern strategy that tried to get white southerners to vote Republican.
Sherrod was right, the real issue is class, not race. The rich are represented by Republicans and they have to use every possible side issue that they can to distract you from the fact that their real purpose is to help the rich and not you.
Rush is right as usual.
Blabber-mouth (one who talks indiscreetly and incessantly) you stay true to yourself you big fat bloke. I feel sorry for anyone that listens to you spew hatred and takes you serious.
One of a kind. He may be a pinhead blowhard but he is predictable.
Why is CNN promoting the rubbish that comes out of this man's trough!
Go gettum Rush!
I bet when Mr. Breitbart loses his shirt because of the defamation and slander suit he will get slapped with, maybe you can contribute to his legal defense fund.
You gotta give Limbaugh credit for having the strength of his convictions. If you are going to tell a lie, keep repeating it until it becomes truth.
EXTRA! EXTRA! In his daily radio show today Rush Limbaugh called the anchors for Fox News a bunch of dishonest cowards. Is Rush Right? Did that pill-popping reactionary lard bucket finally call the ball on one? Is result oriented news editing as fair and sweet as it seems? Is responsible journalism the practice of editing news to make news? Will the Obama Administration stampede next time the flat-earthers cry 'wolf?' Ahh. Rush is right. Who cares. Reward the lady for being the only real pro in that mess. See ya on Oprah soon Ms. Sherrod, and I'll watch that one.
Rush, you sniveling blowhard!! Quit defending this scumbag liar.
Apparently Rush hasn't bothered to watch the rest of the Sherrod tape (the parts that Breitbart edited out to make Sherrod look bad). But the truth and Rush have never been close friends.
Fox has taken the high road