Posted on 09/05/2005 5:40:25 PM PDT by ventana
I watched Fox News over the last few days. I don't have tv, as of recently, at my own home. Self-editing in order to get to all those books that never get read when TV is a click away. Daughter needs a break from the easy entertainment, too. Been there, done that before; and read a lot! But, anyway, I was on vacation at the Beach with TV, and glad for it.
The news had us riveted to the monitor. The chaos was cataclysmic. What was happening? Were welfare blacks going mad? Where was the Governor? Was the government ignoring the plight of those in New Orleans? Was Bush in touch? What was wrong with the Mayor of New Orleans? How many people were affected? What was happening, what were they going through, what could be done? This was what was going through our minds. And we wanted to know: who could we trust to get us the real story?
Amidst all this Shep was great. He was human in the way he put a human face on what we were watching. He was a journalist. He had class. He may be possibly responsible for actually moving the rescue mission forward by hours if not days. We felt his palapable anger and frustration as he stood on the bridge stating, then grumbling, then lamenting, then bewailing the lack of action. He was a voice in the abandonment. He spoke to us, for us, and , most importantly, for them. His impassioned pleas and description, his true balance in the face of two sided finger pointing--wherein he explained that there WAS bad behavior, but there WAS ALSO a lack of response to human need that, he hinted, insiniuated a note of complacency, a complacency that might not have charitable origins, got everyone's attention.
Shep did yeomans work. He continued to point out that Aid was promised and Aid was not arriving. He put a human face on a catastrophe.He allowed his emotions to work in front of the camera for the good of his fellow man, knowing, I believe, full well he was compromising his Journalistic position as a professional above the fray. He did it to save lives. He is a hero.
Shep Smith should win a Pulitzer, and I hope he does.
Yeah, I am with you. Sometimes I wanted to shake him. But, my God, Geraldo! "I am tearing my own skin AHHHHH!" That's what Geraldo came off like. Not believable. Shep, I believed.V's wife.
I agree Ventana. You'll get flamed, but who cares. Shep was a hero.
Personally, I like Shep. I watched him for 14 hours the Sunday preceding landfall. So what if he got a bit emotional or passionate at times? He's human after all.
By yesterday afternoon I realized that if I had been there, I probably would have been the female Geraldo!! :) (and he got on my last nerve!)
Geraldo is great too, but you have to keep in the back of your mind- he's Geraldo. If he had acted any differently I would be disappointed.
I admire anyone who could endure the horror that was New Orleans before, during, and after the storm.
Did anyone notice after the medics carted Shep away in a straight jacket (I'm sure they did) the guy who replaced him was a Shep look a like only about 40 pounds heavier.
Yeah - now it's some brain-damaged poop in a plastic poncho with a backwards baseball cap on his head, standing out in the storm while his cameraman is hunkered-down in a doorway.
Hard to believe that Shemp Smith could have a national audience with his worthless "Around his brain in 80 seconds" show.
cluelessness has it's advantages.
LOL! Yeah, Shep had a rough time of it. But, that's the (cynic here) theatre of it. Surely we have all seen Network. These are the days we are living in. V's wife.
Sometimes he was overly dramatic but I'll give him a pass. He must've seen some really nasty stuff.
Geraldo manufactured and staged his reports from the convention center. He is an entertainer and not a journalist.
I know that I won't forget what he's done. He has caused immeasurable damage and it was uncalled for ignorance on his part and on the part of the producer who put it on day after day.
Where can I get one of those?
On his home turf too - he's from Mississippi I believe.
Lt. Gen. Russel Honore expressed solidarity with the frustration Shep Smith voiced. And he was a military man with Chain of Command and the ability to execute a mission. Shep was a bystander with just frustration to voice and no ability to act. He did what he could: he pleaded. Well, so anyway, you and I see it differently. C'est la Free Republic.V's wife.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.