Fox News’ Shep Smith: Pretending Wisconsin Is About A Fiscal Crisis Is “Malarkey”

[jefferson_dem]

Fox News’ Shep Smith: Pretending Wisconsin Is About A Fiscal Crisis Is “Malarkey”
by Matt Schneider | 4:53 pm, February 23rd, 2011



Shepard Smith’s conversation today with commentator Juan Williams would likely surprise loyal viewers of both Fox News and MSNBC. Shep’s repeated assertion that there is no longer a budget crisis in Wisconsin and that the battle in the state is all about politics and union-busting was most shocking because that’s the exact argument many of MSNBC’s commentators have made, and continue to be suggesting.

Shep suggested that the Democratic party could be in big trouble if their biggest donors, the unions, lose their power and summed it up as “bust the unions – it’s over.” Furthermore, Shep brought up the fact that the “Koch brothers, among others, were organizing to try to bust labor – it’s what big business wants to do.” Given that the Koch brothers contributed to the campaign of Wisconsin Governor Walker, Shep said people should not be surprised that now they want unions busted. Despite Shep claiming “I’m not taking a side on this, I’m telling you what’s going on,” Williams warned Shep that “just by telling the facts, you’re angering a lot of people.”

Oddly, it seems Shep’s unexpected disclosure of facts does give some credence to at least the Koch brothers component of Ed Schultz’s argument that the union showdown is part of a right wing “master plan.” However, given that Shep adamantly declared pretending “this is about a fiscal crisis in the state of Wisconsin is malarkey,” it seems like Fox News’ participation in such a “master plan” isn’t what Schultz might have suspected.

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/shep-smith-pretending-wisconsin-is-about-a-fiscal-crisis-is-malarkey/

[steve2470]

1. How does this man still have a job at Fox ?

He must be their token truth teller/left of Hitler guy.

[Selatius]

6. Alan Colmes was the same way. Of course, even Alan eventually left. nt

[Viking12]

11. Colmes is still the 'liberal' punching bag at Faux.

He's just not a co-host anymore. Colmes was on O'Reilly last night and roll over like a submissive dog.

[The Nexus]

19. No, he went to Fox News Radio nt

[FLAprogressive]

2. How is he still employed at Faux?

[emulatorloo]

3. Good for Shep. The only good thing on Fox news n/t

[texastoast]

4. Did he mention the Koch brothers are likely calling the shots for puppet Walker

I want their NAMES out there.

[NeedleCast]

5. Good for Shep

People, I think Shep has started to realize they're spiking the kool-aid. His conversion the to dark side has begun. I'd put his tenure as a Fox News talking head at under six months.

[Egnever]

7. Hardly

This isnt even close to the first time Shep has gone off the reservation. I dont know how he keeps dodging the bullet over there but this isnt the first time he has defied the talking points openly.

[NeedleCast]

8. Yup, I know

Just seems like he's had the same sort of moment of enlightenment when I switched sides. At some point you just can't take the bullshit anymore and you become a Democrat. Shep seems like he's at that teetering point where he's started to pull the wool off. I know he's gone off before, but those moments seem to come more and more frequently.

[vaberella]

24. Hiya Egnever. It's because he has one of the highest ratings after Beck and O'Reilly.

They won't touch him. I think he beats out Tweety cause they're on at the same time.

[highplainsdem]

9. Good for him!

[Arkana]

10. How does Shep Smith still have a job?

I'd have thought Fox's goon squads would have taken him out long ago.

[thereismore]

12. +1

[katnapped]

13. + infinity

Same thing I'd thought...why haven't they shut him up yet?!?

[highplainsdem]

27. Lots of wingnuts on Twitter now complaining they thought they were listening to MSNBC.

Most of them probably came close to breakdowns, after hearing some facts for a change in the Fox no-facts zone.

[dkofos]

14. You told the truth....... YOU'RE FIRED

[Canuckistanian]

15. One good thing about this

Fox is now OPENLY DISCUSSING the Koch brothers. They aren't "shadowy figures" any more.

[cleanhippie]

16. “just by telling the facts, you’re angering a lot of people.” - Pretty much sums it up.

[Dappleganger]

17. Sometimes I wonder if Shep sees himself as an emmisary

of reason on that channel. Why he continues to even try to bother with those who couldn't care less about facts eludes me, however.

[Rex]

18. Shep no longer toes the bullshit line. I guess they like having him around

to keep the FCC off their backs.

[tallahasseedem]

20. I love when Shep goes rogue!

LOL!

[highplainsdem]

21. Mark Levin is already attacking him on Twitter, calling him "Shemp" Smith and a "dummy"

in a tweet linking to that Mediaite article:

marklevinshow Mark R. Levin
Shemp Smith: Dummy http://tiny.cc/gnoym http://fb.me/AwtyH4Ld
2 hours ago Favorite Retweet Reply

[highplainsdem]

23. Levin went after Shep on his show, too, as I just found out. Not familiar with this website,

but it has a clip:

http://www.therightscoop.com/levin-blasts-shep-smith-for-koch-brother-conspiracies

Levin sounds crazy and vicious. Unstable.

[jillan]

22. I have a great idea - why doesn't Msnbc trade Joey Scar for Shep?

Let Shep be Msnbc's #1 Repug & put Joe where he belongs!

[vaberella]

26. Absolutely not. I want Fox to have some GRAIN of rationality left.

So when those fools are bored they may be swayed to listen to facts some of the time.

[Poboy]

28. Actually thats a great idea. If only we were station heads.

[vaberella]

25. I've always loved Shep. More so than Tweety---he's my TV anchor crush. n/t