Hell must be officially freezing over, as fast as the snow in New Hampshire this primary day.
You see, Dear Readers, tonight I'm going to actually stand up for a Fox News personality.
Sunday night in New Hampshire, Fox Noise's Sean Hannity was chased down by an angry, rabid mob of Ron Paul supporters until he surrendered into the safety of his hotel.
Here's the incriminating clip. My thoughts after the jump.
Get the new PD toolbar!For starters, let me make it perfectly clear that I, too, think it was lousy that Faux News didn't invite Ron Paul to the New Hampshire debate. Considering Paul's been working and polling in these early states, instead of taking a vacation to Florida like Rudy has.
Secondly, let me make it perfectly clear that I think Fox News is an absolute joke of an excuse for journalism. Fair and Balanced, my ass. A family member confided to me at dinner a few months ago that the only reason he watches Fox News is for the good looking women. (See an earlier blog post by fellow Political Machiner, Tommy Christopher.) Enough said.
Regardless, those Ron Paul supporters chasing down Hannity like they're witch hunting in Salem is just plain ridiculous.
As if Sean Hannity had absolutely anything to do with keeping Ron Paul from the Fox debate. He's not Rupert Murdoch. He doesn't make decisions from the top.
What the hell is wrong with you people? Or should I say, those people. It's like you've been trapped a broken down Ford Pinto for seven years with no food and water, and escaped only to start foaming at the mouth, thanks to a bite from Cujo.
My favorite idiot from the clip is the dude who voices his worry that they might get arrested, but continues to run along side the angry mob. Typical herd mentality. Sheep.
Look. I don't care who you are and how much you loathe Fake News and its personalities, that doesn't give anybody the right to chase someone down the street. Threatening, intimidating speech that has the ability to incite a riot, cause physical harm, and disrupt the peace is not speech that is protected by the First Amendment.
To the rabid Ron Paul supporters who showed their true stripes by chasing Hannity down the street: You've officially sunk to Bill O'Reilly's level. Way to reflect poorly on the man you support for president by your actions.
You guys could have been way more positive and productive if you had, say, started a grassroots effort to have millions of viewers turn off Fox News for a day. Kinda like how you guys organized to raise millions of dollars in a day.
Hell, organize a mass protest in front of Fox News headquarters, for all I care. Take your anger to the top, where the real decisions trickle down.
With your epic fundraising efforts, you guys have shown how positive, passionate, and creative you can be.
This Sean Hannity incident simply overshadows that previous positive and creative work. What a shame.
Abby Tonsing received her Bachelor of Arts degree in 2002 from DePauw University in Greencastle, Ind. She majored in creative writing and minored in philosophy and classical studies. Prior to graduating, she won the Chad Kostel Memorial Writing Award, an honor given to one senior each year. The award is presented to the student most likely to pursue a career in writing and journalism. Abby is now on a fellowship and working on a master’s degree in journalism at Indiana University in Bloomington.
Her first job out of college was at Greencastle’s newspaper Banner-Graphic, where she was a reporter and photographer. In 2004, her news team at the Banner took home two honors at the Hoosier State Press Association Better Newspaper Contest. Abby recently worked as the class notes editor at the Indiana Alumni Magazine in Bloomington.
A freelance music journalist, Abby has interviewed and photographed Greg Dulli of The Afghan Whigs and The Twilight Singers; Zach Rogue of Rogue Wave; Louise Post of Veruca Salt; Dr. Dog; Silversun Pickups; VietNam; The Lemonheads; Hot IQs; The Twilight Sad; and Imperial Teen.
Abby loves all things indie rock. Her favorite radio station is KEXP in Seattle (www.kexp.org). A DJ since college, Abby now has a radio show at Bloomington’s community radio station WFHB (www.wfhb.org). Check her out every other Thursday from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m.
When she’s not rocking out, she listens to The Young Turks on Air America Radio (www.theyoungturks.com). On Sundays, she spends all day watching football and roots for the Indianapolis Colts.
She is married and lives in Bloomington, Ind. She can be reached at absinthemachine@gmail.com.
Agreed, I support Ron Paul 100 percent. Unlike most candidates who run for office, the good doctor is an individual of integrity AND substance- a rare commodity in these troubling times. His past speaks for itself and his actions in the senate shows that he is indeed a champion of our individual civil rights as well a true patriot. His campaign is not just about words, race, or gender, its about action and results, thats why I believe in what he stands for and will support him to the best of my abilities and urge others to do some homework, look into his campaign and background, you might find and understand why theres alot to like about Ron Paul too.
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KG
4:36PM Mar 25th 2008
I dont think they did enough...Sean Hannity is a no talent racist scumbag, who dropped out of college and has never done a thing but run his mouth. He has no background in anything that qualifies him to judge anyones politics, patriotism, or otherwise. He hates America! He and Oreilly, and Limbaugh...the "Great American" cirkle jerk. Foxnews and their sponsors need to be boycotted.....forever!
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annak407@aol.com
9:43PM Jan 8th 2008
fox "news" does suck
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Confused
9:50PM Jan 8th 2008
If you don't like Fox news, what news would you suggest? ABC, NBC, CBS? CNN, MSNBC ? Who out there is NOT biased in their reporting, I'd like to know.
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textbooker
10:29PM Jan 8th 2008
This has the smell of St Petersburg Russia in the spring of 1913........
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Christian
10:29PM Jan 8th 2008
Smartest voters educate themselves on the canidates, then vote RON PAUL.
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Marie
10:30PM Jan 8th 2008
Fox News are the least biased and most willing to give the REAL Story! Love FOX NEWS!!!!
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johnhope241
10:30PM Jan 8th 2008
Fanatics...Rabid...Incite a riot... Now that is what is called fair reporting by the liberal media..
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Jay Diggins
10:31PM Jan 8th 2008
pAUL tells the truth. The gop loves liars like Bush, Cheney, Rove.G"BYE RON
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Jay Diggins
10:13PM Jan 8th 2008
pAUL tells the truth. The gop loves liars like Bush, Cheney, Rove.G"BYE RON
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crs8
10:42PM Jan 8th 2008
so NBC saying they cant help being subjective when reporting obama is unbiased? fair and balanced is a marketing ploy, and a good one. they walk ALL over the news channels with pride. plus hannity is just better to listen to than olberman, what a dork. he is like the bizzaro colmes.
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Jay Diggins
12:32AM Jan 9th 2008
MC CAIN IS A BUSH APOLOGIST AND FULLY SUPPORTS BUSHES WAR IN IRAQ, THAT PUTS HIM OUT OF STEP WITH ABOUT 67% OF AMERICANS. SHAME ON NEW HAMPSHIRE
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JCM
10:32PM Jan 8th 2008
When you've got people like Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity and that super smart-ass Brit Hume openly debunking Democratic Candidates while tauting Republicans, how can the Fox News organization be taken seriously? Rupert Murdoch's motely crew brew their own brand of news to fit their ideology; accuracy, crediblity, critical documentation, and truthful sources are of no concern to these people. Join me in simply refusing to watch their fictitious accounts of anything newsworthy.
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tortugatommy
10:34PM Jan 8th 2008
fox, nbc, abc, cnn, cbs they are all part of the matrix of propaganda. wake up america. take the red pill. we have been had. TRUTH? try the internet. WWW.RADIOLIBERTY.COM
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Marie
10:33PM Jan 8th 2008
And Clinton is not a liar?
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Robert
10:33PM Jan 8th 2008
I cannot condone the actions of who ever those people were carring signs. As an active Ron Paul supporter I can say NO ONE I have met at numerous support groups would chase after anybody like that. Just because someone is carring a sign does not make them Ron Paul supporters. If I carried around a M Romney or J Mccain sign and vidoetaped it would that make me one of their supporters?
On another note. I don't feel one bit sorry for the Fox biased blog caster. Fox news chases many unsuspecting poeple to report their unfair and biased opinions.
In response to this statement. "You guys could have been way more positive and productive if you had, say, started a grassroots effort to have millions of viewers turn off Fox News for a day."
I can say it has alrady been done. Many Paul supporters have not tuned into fox for a long time.
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Marie
12:31AM Jan 9th 2008
The dems love phonies who want to make every decision for us and want to get all our money
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tortugatommy
12:32AM Jan 9th 2008
LEAVE THE MATRIX. TAKE THE RED PILL. WE HAVE BEEN HAD. WE DO NOT HAVE A GOVERNMENT. THEY HAVE US. WE ARE SLAVES. EVERY APRIL 15TH WE RENEW OUR WORK RELEASE PROGRAM. GOOGLE VIDEO: AMERICA FREEDOM TO FASCISM. TRUTH? WWW.RADIOLIBERTY.COM
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Marie
10:46PM Jan 8th 2008
Is everyone writing liberal? Get a clue - ever since the dems took over Congress and Senate - the economy sucks!! Gas is up, we are still at war, and the housing market is falling apart!! Republicans have more business sense and don't make empty promises. Please vote Republican!! Get the dems out!
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kathy
10:45PM Jan 8th 2008
Definition of a LIBERAL:
Someone who lets his IDEOLOGY trump his INTELLECT. That's why FOX NEWS is so popular. Finally, the American people are getting the truth. I will agree with the author on one point...straight up-Conservative Women are SO much better looking than liberals