Fox News Channel is owned by News Corp, who also owns Harper Collins, the publisher of Sarah Palin’s book, Going Rogue. It’s no surprise, many Fox News personalities were lined up to interview Palin and provide free publicity for her book. Early last month she posted the following on her Facebook page (emphasis added):

We’re in the process of arranging interviews with local and national media. An interview with Oprah Winfrey is already scheduled, and I’m also hoping to have the opportunity to talk with Bill O’Reilly, Barbara Walters, Sean Hannity, Greta Van Susteren, Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Mark Levin, Laura Ingraham, Dennis Miller, Tammy Bruce, and others, including local Alaska personalities Bob & Mark and Eddie Burke. (Variety is the spice of life!)

At the end of her book, Going Rogue, Sarah Palin thanks, by name, the “bold and patriotic, fair and balanced media folks” who “mak[e] the idiots’ heads spin” (emphasis added):

To some media professionals whom I admire because you don’t let anyone tell you to sit down and shut up, please keep making the idiots’ heads spin. Thanks for not taking our Freedom of the Press for granted, you bold and patriotic, fair and balanced media folks. Keep calling it like you see it: Amanda, Andrew, Ann, Bill(s), Bob, Cal, Dennis, Dick, Eddie, Fred, Glenn, Greta, Hugh, Joey, John, Jonah, Larry, Laura, Lou, Mark, Mary, Michael, Michelle, R.A.M., Rich, Rush, S.E., Sean, Tammy, Walter … and there are more. I join you in standing up for what is right. Remember that as your voice is heard and your spine is stiffened, the spines of others are stiffened, too. (Going Rogue, Page 413) Source

It’s a safe bet the people she’s referring to include Fox News’ Andrew Napolitano, Bill O’Reilly, Dennis Miller, Glenn Beck, Greta Van Susteren, Laura Ingraham, Michelle Malkin and Sean Hannity, in addition to Ann Coulter, Lou Dobbs and Rush Limbaugh.

If Palin is the type of person to like having two people fight over her, she must have been thrilled when she made her promotional rounds. Apparently, there was a feud between Bill O’Reilly and Sean Hannity regarding who would would get to air their interview with Palin first. They both recorded their interviews on a Tuesday, but Hannity beat O’Reilly in getting it on air by a day. According to a Fox News insider, O’Reilly threw a “hissyfit” and released a teaser on YouTube. Source

Also important to note is that Greta Van Susteren hyped Palin’s book, saying, “the entire country is buzzing…” and “no one — and we mean no one — can stop talking about her.” She also criticized media who “pooh-poohed” Palin. However, Greta failed to disclose the fact that her husband, John Coale, was an adviser for Sarah Palin and is also the creator of the political action committee, SarahPAC. Source

Unless Palin enjoys sexist behavior, the love may not be universal. While she seemed to entertain the idea of a Sarah Palin / Glenn Beck ticket for the 2012 presidential election, and Beck would certainly have his lips firmly planted on her derriere, he remarked that “She’d be yapping or something, and I’d say, ‘I’m sorry, why am I hearing your voice? I’m not in the kitchen.’”

View more News Corp. properties

Share this article

Fox News is reporting that American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) has lost 60,000 members since July 1, 2009. Keep reading to see why the following claims are BS.

Hannity claimed loss of 60,000 members “very indicative.” On August 18, Fox News’ Sean Hannity stated: “[W]hat are we to make of the AARP? According to reports now — CBS News had a report — 60,000 members of the AARP have left. I think that’s very indicative that they’re losing seniors. There is a conservative alternative, American Seniors for Choice, which is against Obama’s plan. They gained as many as 5,000 members.” He also stated that AARP’s “love affair” with President Obama “has cost the AARP tens of thousands of members.”

Fox News’ Van Susteren: “Sixty thousand senior citizens have bolted AARP.” On the August 18 edition of her Fox News show, Greta Van Susteren stated: “They’re out — 60,000 of them. Sixty thousand senior citizens have bolted AARP since July 1.” She then interviewed an AARP member who stated that she is planning to quit the group because of her views on the AARP’s position on health care reform.

Doocy: “Sixty thousand people: that is the number of people who have left or canceled AARP.” On August 19, Fox News Fox & Friends co-host Steve Doocy stated: “Sixty thousand people: that is the number of people who have left or canceled AARP — the American Association of Retired Persons — since July 1st. Some members are outraged and continue to criticize the over-50 group because of their support for health care reform.” The following graphic appeared onscreen while Doocy spoke:

There are two sides to every story, and in this case the other side provides the whole truth… Let’s look at the figures, first, regarding membership numbers for AARP to see why Fox News’ claims are misleading. AARP claims that they regularly lose 300,000 members per month due to reasons including death. AARP also gained 400,000 members and 1.5 million members have renewed since July 1. AARP has around 40 million members, making that 60,000 a fraction of a percent.

Original Story

Share this article

John Coale, married to Fox News Channel‘s Greta Van Susteren, is a one time adviser to Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin. While he was an outspoken Hillary Clinton supporter during the 2008 primaries, he supported Palin during the general election. He has also traveled with his wife to Alaska and met personally with the Palins regarding use of SarahPAC money. Apparently, he suggested using the money to pay down Clinton’s $2million campaign debt, but downplayed the amount and claimed it was an effort to build a friendship between the two families. Coale does state that he is friends of Sarah and Todd Palin, but that the relationship is not political. You may recall; however, that Greta Van Susteren invited Sarah Palin to the White House Correspondents Dinner and ended up bringing Tod Palin in her place.

Original Story

Share this article

If you’re shaking your head in disbelief, you’re not alone… Today is the day for Tea Party 2.0, a public teleconference hosted by the Republican Governors Association (RGA). Greta Van Susteren hosted Gov. Mark Sanford (R-SC) to promote the event and Fox News also had the following advertised on air.

So, if you want to join a teleconference with Governors Mark Sanford and Rick Perry (R-TX), you know what to do…

Original Story

Share this article

Coming out of Starbucks, minding her own business, Janeane Garafalo was ambushed with with questions about her comments regarding the Tea Party protesters being “racist rednecks.” She handled herself well and turned the table by pointing out some of the offensive signs and asking, several times, “Why were they not protesting for the last eight years under the Bush spending?”

Might I also point out the irony that it was Greta Van Susteren who aired the video. That’s right, Van Susteren, who recently denounced ambush journalism when she was watching over Todd Palin at the White House Correspondents Dinner.

Share this article

As you know, Bill O’Reilly is known for having his people conduct ambush-style reporting. Recently, The O’Reilly Factor producer Jesse Watters has made a name for himself for this very reason. Fox News, obviously, sees no problem with this lack of journalistic integrity.

Someone should tell Greta Van Susteren that she works for Fox News. Here she is after the White House Correspondents Dinner, to which she brought Todd Palin…

The reporter may have been working – but he was not. He was at a social event and not looking to be ambushed by a surprise interview.

This looks like another case of Fox News personalities wanting to dish it out, but not being able to take it.

Original Story

Share this article