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. 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.
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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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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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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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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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
10:33PM Jan 8th 2008
And Clinton is not a liar?
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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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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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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
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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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Ezra
12:20AM Jan 9th 2008
I think it was great that they let sean know without any doulbt that we mean buisness. Pass it on to your bed buddies at the bilderburg group, sean, We are taking back our country the easy way or the hard way it is all up to you. Freedom from the tyranical neo-con nazi is not optional. We will take back our country no option removed.
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Lloyd
12:21AM Jan 9th 2008
Ron Paul is the only man for the job, the media is blind to that as they only see the dollars not the movement!
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Mike Wasdin
12:21AM Jan 9th 2008
Screw Hannity and Faux News! He was not attacked, I never saw one punch...although I would have loved to see him and the rest of those Nazi pricks get their ass kicked. Ron Paul is the only true Conservative, true Republican and true American. All the others are Nazi's plain and simple and the people that support them are morons.
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notblind
12:21AM Jan 9th 2008
How do we know this isn't just another set-up stunt by "The news made famous by a cartoon set in Springfield" to once again, use deception to affect world politics? Wake up people, these "spinners" are causing people to DIE!! I say make them put a disclaimer before every broadcast and after every break that this is just entertainment.
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greg
12:22AM Jan 9th 2008
What a shame. This is the one honest candidate this country needs. The only one, Democrat or Republican, who is not a member of the CFR. If you do not know what this is, look it up on the computer. Educate yourself. You will thank me. lou dobbs mentions the real news when he gets a chance. I lost all respect for Fox. Typical puppets. Let's face it, this is the most corrupt country in the world. We may cover certain areas up better than other countries. It is big business. They want their puppet in charge. I pray that Ron Paul somehow gets in !!! Or this country is on the current path, to 3rd world status. The N.American Union which Bush signed in,without approval,the devaluation of this currency,..... Let someone else besides Ron Paul get in, and say goodbye to borders, hello Amero, the new currency to take place in 2010, police state continues,......