Posted on 01/15/2006 5:17:10 AM PST by governsleastgovernsbest
by Mark Finkelstein
January 15, 2006 - 08:04
Once might be excused as an aberration, but twice signals a troubling trend.
On Saturday's Fox & Friends Weekend, over-promoted host Julian Phillips seemed to downplay the threat posed by Iran's nuclear ambitions. He implied that there was limited cause for concern since Iran has agreed agreed to allow International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors to carry out surprise inspections of its nuclear sites with as little as two hours notice.
Phillips was back at it this morning. His guest was Barry Schweid senior diplomatic correspondent for AP and a Fox News contributor. And once again, Phillips trotted out his pet theory:
"They agreed to protocols with the UN in 2003 for snap inspections in two hours or less. Why are these inspections not enough?"
Like a patient teacher gently correcting a slower student, Schweid explained:
"There are reports of secret facilities, of building 5000 centrifuges ready to be put on platforms [centrifuges are used to enrich uranium. Not clear whether his reference to platforms suggested they would be mobile and hence harder to detect], If Iran refuses to let people look at what they're doing and are hiding things, monitoring is not going to do the job."
Phillips is also apparently unaware that just three days ago, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki threatened to cancel permission for surprise inspections and end other cooperation with the IAEA.
It is emblematic of Phillips superficiality that to end the interview, he tossed out as a throwaway this question:
"Real quickly: military action looming ahead shortly, what do you think?"
Consider Julian's frivolousness. He is invoking the possibility of war in a nuclear-charged situation. Nothing could be graver. Yet he did it "real quickly" as a way to end an interview.
For the record, Schweid's response: "Who am I to know, but no I don't. The president has said this is different from Iraq. We keep hearing diplomacy, diplomacy, diplomacy, Iran is not Iraq, and you would get almost no support for anyhow."
Julian, it could be time to consider an offer to join the Live at Five Team in Terre Haute.
Heh! Does anybody know what happened to Lori Dhew (sorry for the spelling)?
Julian is very liberal, but Kiran has him beat as the most liberal. When she came on the air pimping for the gay cowboy movie, she made even Julian seem reasonable! The other host, Gretchen Carlson, seems very intelligent and grown-up. I think she's probably more middle-of-the-road than her fellow co-hosts. Again, two libs against someone more conservative. Isn't that always the ratio in the mainstream media?
I get to watch her. Ultimate eye candy....VA..VA...VOOM!
She took a position working for Geraldo on his syndicated show....she was on the tail end of O'Reilly the other night and 'splained the situation.
Same here. I never watch on the weekends.
Geraldo "The Fake" is hoping to pull some people to watch his show, just to see Laurie. She may have made the wrong move on this one. I sure hope she can come back to FNC. Juliet, still has my vote.
That's some alliteration.
Alliteration always animates articles ;-)
They both might be nice but they are both way over their heads.
But did he mention he is a Christian?
For those who are not regular Phillips watchers, in virtually every show he manages, rather ostentatiously IMHO, to mention that he is a Christian.
Sibilance keeps us sassy, as Cherice's slow skunk circles.
Ok, it has NO relevance to either subject at hand...but shhhhhhhhhh....
:-D
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Thanks for the ping!
That's exactly what I thought when reading this. Thanks for letting us know what went on at FOX over the weekend.
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