“Where's the tape that proves it?” What Chris Wallace didn't ask Sarah Palin

This morning, Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace failed in his hosting duties by not challenging Fox News contributor Sarah Palin's claim that she had video proving that local reporters in Alaska were conspiring to fabricate smears against Joe Miller, the Palin-endorsed candidate for Senate.

Palin told Wallace, “Just last night it was revealed that the rally that I had for Joe Miller on Thursday, it was revealed and we have the tape that proves it, that the CBS reporters, the affiliate in Alaska conspired to make up stories about Joe Miller. We have the tape, Chris, and I can't wait until it busts out all over the nation.”

Palin not only leveled serious charges against these journalists, she claimed she had -- in her possession -- tape to support her claims. Wallace, however, did not ask Palin to produce the “tape that proves it.” He simply asked her to repeat her allegations for the Fox News Sunday audience. Palin took the opportunity to again claim that “we have it on tape” and to call the local reporters in question “corrupt bastards.”

Wallace had an obligation to demand that Palin produce this evidence.

Overnight, Andrew Breitbart's websites posted audio and transcript, claiming that it showed reporters at Alaska's KTVA conspiring at “creating, if not fabricating” stories about Miller. Today, KTVA officials denied that these allegations are true, calling them “absurd.” General Manager Jerry Bever said, “The complete conversation was about what others might be able to do to cause disruption within the Miller campaign, not what KTVA could do.”

Breitbart, of course, has a history of promoting selectively edited videos and false claims in pursuit of a right-wing agenda.

Hours after Palin leveled her charges on Fox News Sunday, Fox News correspondent Carl Cameron acknowledged that Fox News could not verify Palin's claims and that Fox News had not “been able to listen to the entirety of the message.”

It's just too bad Wallace's viewers weren't given the full story on this Fox News Sunday.