Discussing Foster, Hannity asked: "Did a close friend of Hillary Clinton commit suicide, or was it a massive coverup?"
On the July 22 edition of Fox News' Hannity's America, teasing a segment on "the mysterious death of [former deputy White House counsel] Vince Foster," host Sean Hannity asked: "Did a close friend of [Sen.] Hillary [Rodham] Clinton [D-NY] commit suicide, or was it a massive coverup?" During the segment, Hannity asserted that on July 20, 1993: "Vince Foster got in his car and drove to Fort Marcy Park in Virginia. And he supposedly walked through the woods, and depending on which version of the story you believe, he took his own life." He also claimed that "[i]n the minds of some," questions regarding the contents of Foster's files following his suicide "may have provided a motive for foul play." In fact, Foster's death has been conclusively determined by several investigations to have been a suicide. Hannity billed this segment as "one of the darkest and most mysterious" of "The Clinton Chapters," a regular series on Hannity's America whose assertions Media Matters for America has repeatedly debunked. This is the second week in a row that Hannity has baselessly asserted on Hannity's America that the circumstances of Foster's death are still a matter of debate.
The Office of the Independent Counsel -- then headed by Kenneth Starr -- completed its inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Foster's death with a report issued on October 11, 1997, which concluded that "based on investigation and analysis of the evidentiary record, that Mr. Foster committed suicide by gunshot in Fort Marcy Park." The Office of the Independent Counsel's report also excerpted the findings of several other investigations into the death of Vince Foster, all of which conclusively determined that his death was a suicide. These investigations included:
- An August 10, 1993, joint report by the Department of Justice, FBI, and Park Police, in which Robert Langston, chief of the U.S. Park Police, asserted: "The condition of the scene, the medical examiner's findings and the information gathered clearly indicate that Mr. Foster committed suicide. ... Our investigation has found no evidence of foul play."
- A June 30, 1994, report by special prosecutor Robert B. Fiske Jr., which concluded that "[t]he overwhelming weight of the evidence compels the conclusion ... that Vincent Foster committed suicide in Fort Marcy Park on July 20, 1993."
- An August 12, 1994, report by Congressman William F. Clinger Jr., then the ranking Republican on the House Committee on Government Operations, concluding that "all available facts lead to the undeniable conclusion that Vincent W. Foster, Jr. took his own life in Fort Marcy Park, Virginia on July 20, 1993."
- A January 3, 1995, report by the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs stating that "[t]he evidence overwhelmingly supports the conclusion of the Park Police that on July 20, 1993, Mr. Foster died in Fort Marcy Park from a self-inflicted gun shot wound to the upper palate of his mouth."
On January 5, 2001, independent counsel Robert Ray released his final report into the Whitewater matter, which included his conclusions regarding the discovery and removal of documents from Foster's office following his suicide. According to the report, Ray investigated "whether anyone obstructed the investigation of the U.S. Park Police and the FBI by removing or concealing relevant documents from Foster's office," and "whether, in the subsequent investigations, anyone committed perjury, made false statements, or obstructed justice." Ray determined there was "insufficient evidence to show beyond a reasonable doubt that anyone had committed a federal crime," and chose to pursue no criminal prosecutions.
This is the second "Clinton Chapters" segment in which Hannity has suggested that Foster's death was something other than a suicide. As Media Matters documented, on the July 15 edition of Hannity's America, Hannity asserted: "[T]here are still many chapters remaining open from [Clinton's] time at the Rose Law Firm. Take Whitewater and the death of Vince Foster." Hannity closed the July 22 edition of the "Clinton Chapters" by stating: "[T]he most heated debate over Foster's death wasn't political. It had to do with old-fashioned police work. And that's where we'll pick up next week when we open up another chapter in the Clintons." He will discuss "chapter nine, the mysterious death of Vince Foster, part two" during the July 29 edition of Hannity's America.
From the July 22 edition of Fox News' Hannity's America:
HANNITY: And coming up: Did a close friend of Hillary Clinton commit suicide, or was it a massive cover-up? It's the mysterious death of Vince Foster in this week's "Clinton Chapter."
[...]
HANNITY: Welcome back to Hannity's America. Of all of the "Clinton Chapters" we've covered so far, well, this week, we delve into one of the darkest and most mysterious.
HANNITY: Chapter eight, the mysterious death of Vince Foster, part 1. Foster served as deputy White House counsel during the first Clinton administration for six months before his death. But before heading to the nation's capital, he spent most of his life in Hope, Arkansas, where he and childhood friend and future president Bill Clinton were neighbors.
Now, he worked at the Rose Law Firm in Little Rock and became close to Hillary Clinton, who called him Vincenzo, and when the Clintons went to Washington after the 1992 election, Foster went with them.
But Foster's term in the White House was an introduction to hard-knock Beltway politics. He was largely responsible for handling the Travelgate scandal and was responsible for dealing with all the first family's paperwork related to Whitewater.
Those first months of 1993 were tough on Foster. He was targeted by a series of Wall Street Journal editorials and battled with clinical depression. All of that changed on July 20, 1993. That was the day that Vince Foster got in his car and drove to Fort Marcy Park in Virginia. And he supposedly walked through the woods, and depending on which version of the story you believe, he took his own life.
[...]
HANNITY: Now, these are some of the mysteries surrounding the death of Vince Foster. Did he have in his possession papers that could have impacted the Whitewater investigation? How was the suicide note missed?
In the minds of some, these questions may have provided a motive for foul play. But the most heated debate over Foster's death wasn't political. It had to do with old-fashioned police work. And that's where we'll pick up next week when we open up another chapter in the Clintons.
Keep in mind, it's supposedly the RIGHTWING who equate "conspiracy theories" with tin-foil hats, black helicopters, and people who have completely lost touch with reality.
In this instance, there were over SIX COMPLETE OFFICIAL investigations into Foster's death, and all came to the same conclusion: Suicide, aggravated by clinincal depression and stress from the Rightwing Media Smear Machine, operating at full blast trying to "get" the Clintons.
In a very real way, it was rightwing smear politics (Hannity charitably refers to it as "hard-knock" politics), which killed Vince Foster. The culprit has been identified, but it may be time to readjust the tin-foil on your hats, you rightwing conspiracy theory buffs. Is that the thump-thump of a black helicopter Hannity hears in the distance? Nutjob alert.
wish someone would cover up hantywaste when he takes a dirtnap. what a cretin, low rent lowlife. hantywaste is scank bait which is why coulter likes him. anybody that takes hantywaste seriously is brain dead. I am trying to be subtle, can't you tell?
HANNITY: Now, these are some of the mysteries surrounding the death of Vince Foster. Did he have in his possession papers that could have impacted the Whitewater investigation? How was the suicide note missed?
In the minds of some, these questions may have provided a motive for foul play. But the most heated debate over Foster's death wasn't political. It had to do with old-fashioned police work. And that's where we'll pick up next week when we open up another chapter in the Clintons.
Fox news. We speculate, you follow the line, Bi@TCH!
Hannity is really sickening here. "In the minds of some..." Who? Noone with any semblence of integrity would actually suggest that there is any evidence to warrant a conclusion of foul play. That is why Hannity cannot point to one real person that will stand up and say "I think it was murder." But Hannity peddles this dirty rumor on the public airwaves behind a statement like "in the minds of some..." Anyone who believes in any ethical standards for broadcasters should condemn this kind of tactic. And please spare me the comments like "he is not a journalist, he is an opining pundit." He can have any opinion he wants, as long as he does not peddle garbage and innuendo as debatable facts. This man is a disgrace.
You know, they've been draggin this line on and off since it happened, but this week is the first I've heard Hannity talk about it on TV. Must be they are getting REAL desperate!
It also just occured to me, none (and I mean NONE) of my Republican friends watch FOX "News" anymore. Although I realize that this is anecdotal, it makes me wonder. FOX is so dishonest, have they found a way to pad the ratings. Maybe Jeb Bush and Katherine Harris showed them how.
Therick: I wonder about the accuracy of ratings. Who actually monitors the reports for accuracy? And can the numbers be manipulated? I defintely believe that book sales are manipulated. It does not take many sales to be a best-seller in non-fiction. I have often thought that some large companies make sure to "buy" Coulter's crap so she can then be trotted out as a "best-selling author" to peddle her nonsense. The fact is, I have never talked to anyone who has ever admitted reading one of her scholarly tomes, which makes me wonder if the "sales' are all smoke and mirrors.
I've heard on Sam Seder, and a few other Left shows that they sell (practically give away) boxes of Coulter, O'Reilly, and Hannity's books that are then given away at right wing fundraisers, church functions and such. I have never looked up the validity of this, but it wouldn't surprise me. My Parents recieved a couple of Rush's books at a church function a few years back. Needless to say, I was disgusted.
Manipulation of the ratings? Idon't know, but maybe there is a way. I believe they would stop at nothing.
Therick, they're giving them away like bamboo steamers with a set of Ginsu knives.
If you read down a few lines, Coulter refers to her book as sure to be a best-seller.I guess there's one way to be sure, and that's to have your friends buy them all.
How many billions are unaccounted for, and how many copies of Godless would that buy?
HBL regarding massive book buys. If you look at the NYT Best Seller's list there are little icons at the bottom to denote how a book is sold. There is a certain icon for a mass buy of a book and most times I have looked at the Times Best Seller list and Coulter is at the top it always has the little icon for a mass book buy, then it seems the reich wing website turn around and sell them to their "readers" for something like 5 bucks to push the numbers up for her. I'm sure the same thing happens for other reich wing "authors".
MoDem, it seems to be standard practice to pump up the "sales", especially with a sheep-like base that considers popularity directly connected to superiority and validity.
Notice the several conservative posters here who counter every criticism of the right wing media by pointing to the high ratings of their favorite propaganda show.
And if you didn't go to the link I posted above, it's to Human Events, a wacko right newsletter that gives away conservative books with subscriptions.
Rick,
I don't watch FOX much anymore, with the exception of News Watch--an excellent panel program [Saturdays 6:30pm] & Chris Wallace [Sundays 6:00pm]
I can't take more than 5 mins of O'Reilly, and I used to watch him faithfully every night...
I don't bother with CNN either.
I'm more apt to put on MSNBC, which has gotten better over time.
I love the way Hannity doesn't actually say that the Clinton's had Vince Foster killed. He instead asks "...was it a massive cover up?" He says just enough to make idiots believe that there was a murder without saying so.
This is a favorite trick of Rush (the liar) Limbaugh. ie "Could it be another left wing conspiracy? Did the Clinton machine do yadayada?" And hard core far righters believe the implications because they want to. They don't want to research the facts because it could prove their opinions wrong.
A Republican was selected to conduct an investigation about Vince Foster's death. His name was Robert Fiske. He found it was a suicide. Republicans tried to smear him and whined and demanded that Republican Kenneth Starr conduct another investigation. Kenneth Star concluded it was a suicide.
Case closed.
Funnier than Hannity are the idiots here who said we needed to wait and see what he says before deciding he's a lying kook.
Like with the war, they'll figure it out but be years behind.
Okay, we've seen it, and I can now conclude: HE'S A LYING KOOK !!!
Is Vince Foster dead? Maybe he's been hiding in Hillary's closet. Maybe he's under the bed along with the college Republicans.
Independent Counsel states quote, "the overwhelming evidence compels the conclusion that Vincent Foster committed suicide. There is no evidence that issues related to Whitewater played any part in his suicide."
The physical evidence is so much that it would be to long to type here. Just read the psychological wreck that was Vince Foster before he died, according to Clinton-hater Kenneth Starr in the conclusion of his investigation:
"The evidence with respect to state of mind points as well to suicide. Mr. Foster told his sister four days before his death that he was depressed; he cried at dinner with his wife four days before his death; he told his mother a day or two before his death that he was unhappy because work was "a grind"; he was consulting attorneys for legal advice the week before his death; he told several people he was considering resignation; he wrote a note that he "was not meant for the job or the spotlight of public life in Washington. Here ruining people is considered sport." The day before his death, he contacted a physician and indicated that he was under stress. He was prescribed antidepressant medication and took one tablet that evening.
<!--I>351</I--><!--I>352</I-->Dr. Berman concluded that Mr. Foster's "last 96 hours show clear signs of crisis and uncharacteristic vulnerability." Dr. Berman stated, furthermore, that "[t]here is little doubt that Foster was clinically depressed . . . in early 1993, and, perhaps, sub-clinically even before this." Dr. Berman concluded that "[i]n my opinion and to a 100% degree of medical certainty, the death of Vincent Foster was a suicide. No plausible evidence has been presented to support any other conclusion.""
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Sean doesn't want Hillary Clinton in the White House, and he would do everything in his power to stop her.
This media maniac hack has a sick obsession with Hillary. He is crazy! If I was the Secret Service, I would investigate nutwing Sean.
Isn't he the one who strongly suggested that keeping Nancy Pelosi from becoming Speaker was a cause worth dying for?
Hannity could make a hard core troglodyte wince in shame.
One thing that this piece demonstrates is that Sean Hannity... besides being a cheap hack of a wingnut propagandist... is also quite stupid. He seeks to resurrect a paranoid & thoroughly debunked right wing delusion, only because he lacks the basic wit & the imagination required to unleash any new & more vigorous lies. He is the Pick-&-Save of propaganda... the place you go to when K Mart is a little too rich for your blood.
When I see that smug, squinty-eyed smirk that flows over his face when he thinks that he has made salient, cutting point... well, I can only wonder at the desperation & voluntarily embraced idiocy of those who take this sorry-assed excuse of a troglodyte seriously.
Hannity is the epitome of "talking head". There is no thinking going on in there, every synapse at full throttle to make it possible for him to read and repeat the words written on his notes and the teleprompter. That pen he likes to hold has the sole purpose of keeping his fingers apart and out of his mouth. expecting that some kind of coherent, creative notion may at any time flow from his mind and require preservation on paper is optimism worthy of ridicule.
When artificial intelligence reaches a state just below "fully human", it will mimic hannity with eerie similarity. His is an existence which is the result of divine intervention. He is where he is now because God couldn't find any other place for him where he would be less of a hazard to society. It is now legend that Vishnu learned from this mistake, and Hannity will be reincarnated as a mynah bird in his next life and in all subsequent incarnations, assuming there are already enough plants.
That was brilliant, Neon!
My ribs are hurting from laughing. You really nailed that sleazy, dimwitted, frontal-lobe depleted douchebag.
My compliments.
"He is the Pick-&-Save of propaganda" (Mescal)
Har! Wish I'd said that. Among the things I do for love is getting dragged to Pic n Save (now Big Lots) every few weeks, to rummage around in the stuff that the first string stores couldn't sell.
OK, I'm a cheapskate, and I like the concept for some merchandise, just not for information.
Is it possible that Hannity had a hand in Foster's death?
There are photos of Dealy Plaza motorcade 1963 where it appears George Bush is in the crowd -- is it possible that Bush I had a hand in killing JFK?
Rush Limbaugh has never accounted for his exact whereabouts on ...
this is fun and easy
Not only that, but several reliable sources can place Hannity in New York City on 9/11/01. Coincidence, or evidence that Sean Hannity is working with al Qaeda?
Well, don't forget, Sean Hannity blames Jews in the media for 9/11.
(That's a joke, from Al Franken's The Truth: With Jokes. I wish it were real, though.)
Sean, maybe this will help...
Did a close friend of the Clintons' commit suicide? YES..remember, it was a close frined so they were saddened by it. Or was it a massive coverup? NO..
Now how hard is that to understand. My question to you..Is the name of the man on your birth certificate your real father or did your mom coverup and lie to this man? Just the same type of question you just asked. I answered you, how about one of your apprentices answering these questions? Maybe you can bring your mom on TV to prove this negative question..Quit being a jerk and act like a man....
Hey, what more do you guys want? After all, he was working for the Clintons, and he died. Ergo, they killed him. That's all the proof I need.
It's a shame that the number one "news" channel in America can accuse a presidential candidate of murder with no more evidence than a UFO theorist. And what's with all this "some people believe" BS? I know, it's to avoid being held accountable, because he's a damn coward. Either show some facts, name someone who believes this theory, say "this is my opinion," or shut the hell up.