Fox News host: Repeat after me

New York Daily News ^ | 4/15/05 | Llyod Grove

[Bubs]

Fox News host: Repeat after me

If the conservative guests on Fox News' "Hannity and Colmes" sound especially on-message, that's because they're being coached by the best:

Sean Hannity himself.

On the March 31 installment of the shouting-head show, the guests included two of the late Terri Schiavo's former nurses, Trudy Capone and Carla Sauer Iyer, arguing that their patient wasn't brain-dead.

Between commercials, according to an off-air audiotape obtained by investigative comedian Harry Shearer for last Sunday's episode of his weekly radio program, "Le Show," Hannity coached the women on exactly how to respond when liberal co-host Alan Colmes cross-examined them.

"Just say, 'I'm here to tell what I saw,'" Hannity can be heard instructing his guests. "No matter what the question, 'I'm here to tell you what I saw. I'm here to tell you what I saw.'"

Hannity adds helpfully: "Say, 'I'm not going to be distracted by silliness.' How's that? Does that help you? Look into that camera. Look at me when I'm talking."

On the air, Iyer performs beautifully. "I don't have any opinions or judgments. I was there," she declares

After the segment ends, Hannity gushes off the air to the nurses: "We got the points out. It's hard, this isn't easy. But you did great, both of you. Thank you, guys. Those nurses are powerful, aren't they?"

On his radio show, Shearer injected: "Yeah, especially when they do what you tell 'em to do. Very powerful when they follow instructions from the host!"

A Fox News flack didn't respond to Lowdown's detailed message yesterday.

[ThisLittleLightofMine]

Except over half the people here apparently got all their news on the Schiavo case from Fox, the Schindlers' website, and based on the word of what a couple of questionable characters (Terry and Hammesfahr) said. So yes it is important if they were coached what to say or how to say it. Not saying I necessarily believe it but it's plausible

I stated that Hannity & Colmes were not reporting the news, they are commentary...Fox does report the news.

So please enlighten me why are these nurses questionable characters? They were sharing their point of view based upon their experience as her care givers. I think this makes them more credible than people who have not cared for her. I think that if I were on TV I might appreciate someone comforting me and helping me not get rattled over repeated badgering from Mr. Colmes...Just my opinion.

[billbears]

They were sharing their point of view based upon their experience as her care givers. I think this makes them more credible than people who have not cared for her.

Except the fact that their 'testimony' is in direct opposition to documents given to the Governor from an independent investigator and court testimony that shows Schiavo did care for his wife for much longer than Hannity and the nurses would have us believe..

[trisham]

Ouch.

[rmgatto]

There is a place for confronting liberals bearing specious arguments and defeating them with superior rhetoric. This is honorable--but it doesn't get ratings or attention and hence the message stays closely held. There is also an important place for the blunt force trauma inflicted by repetition of simple talking points, aka fundamental values. Just the points, ma'm.

Hannity and some others play this game well and it gets the message out to a wide audience. One of the others who plays this game well is W, as illustrated by his simple, repetitious and devastating rhetoric post 9/11. And then he was confronting an enemy only slightly less reputable than the usual democrat suspects.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

Bias can work both ways.

That is true, in principle. But there is an important difference between listening to an avowedly conservative or avowedly "liberal" commentator, on the one hand, and listening to a putatively "objective" journalist.

It has been known since Socrates that fair debate can only occur between parties who are modest enough to claim only a desire or love of wisdom rather than arrogantly claiming wisdom itself. The Greek word for "brotherly love" is "philo" - as in "philadelphia," "the city of brotherly love." The Greek word for wisdom is "sophy" - hence, the word for an honest debater is "philosopher." And the word for a tendentious debater derives from the Greek for "wisdom" itself - "sophistry."

So the openly conservative (or "liberal") commentator is "philosophical," but people who claim to transcend the limited perspectives of mere mortals - people who claim the virtue either of "objectivity" or of "moderation" are sophists. Jounalism, therefore, is in principle a hotbed of tendentiousness. You will say that journalism is restricted to truthtelling and cannot be tendentious - but that begs the question not only as to whether some of what journalism tells us might actually be wrong, but as to whether the news is what is important or merely what is interesting because it is novel.

My critique of journalism is that it is arrogant in claiming objectivity, is superficial because of its deadlines, and is negative because cheap criticism and second-guessing makes its practitioners and its audience feel superior to people who make mistakes because they act rather than merely talking. And my critique of "liberals" is that they follow journalism rather than leading - and journalists give them credit rather than criticism for taking leadership positions and then scapegoating rather than leading.

Why Broadcast Journalism is
Unnecessary and Illegitimate

[scottywr]

I'll Say it again Sean Hannity is perfect in what he does. He may not be the heavy hitter that other conservative personalities may be, But he is able to get moderate democrats to listen to him, and he is ALWAYS pounding home the conservative message. He gets them listening and others like Rush and Walter provide the deeper commentary. Sean Hannity is responsible for converting my wife. She now HAS to listen to RUSH every day, but she still loves Hannity.

[E.G.C.]

Media bias bump.

[trisham]

I'll Say it again Sean Hannity is perfect in what he does. He may not be the heavy hitter that other conservative personalities may be, But he is able to get moderate democrats to listen to him, and he is ALWAYS pounding home the conservative message. He gets them listening and others like Rush and Walter provide the deeper commentary. Sean Hannity is responsible for converting my wife. She now HAS to listen to RUSH every day, but she still loves Hannity.

*************

I agree. There are times I like listening to Hannity, and times I'd rather listen to Ingraham, Carr, Limbaugh, Severin or O'Reilly. It's nice to have choices.

Actually, I'd have to say that I prefer listening to Ingraham. Unfortunately, she's not on the radio until 7:00 PM here.

[Paul_Denton]

You are a troll and member of the DU. Take him away!

[JoJo Gunn]

Not funny. I'm a psychiatrist. I'm offended at your remarks.

Lessee here, so you're a shrink, and you're offended by remarks about "old timers" and "white coats". I highly suggest you make an appointment with your own couch, prescribe yourself some useless medications, Ritalin perhaps, and change your affiliation to the Democrap Underground, where your gossamer thin skin will more than be welcomed. Who knows, you might get a boost in business.

[RushCrush]

I'm not offended by the old timer comments, and I'm not offended by the white coat comment either. THAT, was a joke.

Why are you wasting your time posting to a newbie?

[headsonpikes]

Here's a place to start, p79. ;^)

[nutmeg]

FoxFan ping! (Barf Alert, IMHO)

Please FReepmail me if you want on or off my FoxFan list. *Warning: This can be a high-volume ping list at times.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[barker]

investigative comedian Harry Shearer

And just what is an investigative comedian?