Fox News' Powers asserted, "I would have just immediately denounced" Farrakhan -- but Obama did
SUMMARY: While discussing Sen. Barack Obama's answers to Tim Russert's questions about Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan at the February 26 Democratic presidential debate, Fox News contributor Kirsten Powers said: "If I was him, I would have just immediately denounced him." In fact, Obama did denounce Farrakhan's comments during the debate.
During the February 27 edition of Fox News' America's Election coverage, while discussing Sen. Barack Obama's answers to co-moderator Tim Russert's questions about Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan during the February 26 Democratic presidential debate, host Bill Hemmer asked Fox News contributor Kirsten Powers, "[I]f [Obama] was doing a little dance last night, was it effective?" Powers responded, "I don't think so. I think that he ultimately did denounce him. So if you aren't going to -- weren't going to denounce him, you'd want to just -- he would have just stayed with his initial position. If I was him I would have just immediately denounced him." In fact, Obama immediately and repeatedly denounced Farrakhan's comments during the debate and said in a speech the day before the debate that he is a "consistent denunciator of Louis Farrakhan," as Media Matters for America documented.
In the debate, Russert began the discussion of Farrakhan by asking Obama, "On Sunday, the headline in your hometown paper, Chicago Tribune: 'Louis Farrakhan backs Obama for president at Nation of Islam convention in Chicago.' Do you accept the support of Louis Farrakhan?" However, during the America's Election segment, Fox News aired a truncated version of the exchange that did not include Obama's immediate response to Russert's question, in which Obama said, "You know, I have been very clear in my denunciation of Minister Farrakhan's anti-Semitic comments. I think that they are unacceptable and reprehensible. I did not solicit this support. He expressed pride in an African-American who seems to be bringing the country together. I obviously can't censor him, but it is not support that I sought. And we're not doing anything, I assure you, formally or informally with Minister Farrakhan."
During the Fox News segment, one on-screen graphic read, "New Messiah: Farrakhan Backs Obama," while a second graphic read: "Farrakhan & Obama: Obama like founder of Islam." At no point during the discussion, however, did Hemmer, Powers, or Fox News contributor Michelle Malkin make any reference to a "new messiah" or discuss how Obama was "like" the founder of Islam.
From the February 27 edition of Fox News' America's Election:
HEMMER: There was another moment last night --
POWERS: Yes.
HEMMER: -- that dealt with Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam. And there is a back-and-forth happening right now across the country. Let's play the sound bite quickly and then we'll dissect it. Watch here, from last night, Obama on Farrakhan.
OBAMA [video clip]: Tim, I have to say I don't see a difference between denouncing and rejecting. There's no formal offer of help from Minister Farrakhan that would involve me rejecting it. But if the word "reject" Senator Clinton feels is stronger than the word "denounce," then I'm happy to concede the point, and I would reject and denounce.
[...]
HEMMER: Kirsten, if he was doing a little dance last night, was it effective?
POWERS: I don't think so. I think that he ultimately did denounce him. So if you aren't going to -- weren't going to denounce him, you'd want to just -- he would have just stayed with his initial position. If I was him, I would have immediately just denounced him. But, you know --
HEMMER: Get it out of the way and just move on to the next issue.
POWERS: -- I mean, he's an anti-Semite. He's a racist. He's, you know, he's just not somebody you want to be identified with. And I think that Obama did, you know, ultimately did distance himself. I don't think he has problems with Jewish groups. He has humongous Jewish support. I mean, Jewish people tend to vote Democratic; they're supporting him in this election -- you know, a lot of them are supporting him. Certainly Hillary has a lot as well. But, you know, he's not -- he's not Louis Farrakhan. He's pro-Israel. He said that last night, that Israel is a very important ally of the United States, and he understands that.
HEMMER: We gotta go.
Why else can they so blatantly get away with making shite up with no viewer backlash?
Because their viewers are mindless sheeple who believe everything they see on Faux News.
POWERS: If I was him, I would have immediately just denounced him.
REALITY: OBAMA DID IMMEDIATELY DENOUNCE HIM.
Which part of that don't you understand? Are you saying its ok to lie or misrepresent because she's on fox news and she supports Clinton?
I should have mentioned- you talk about 'balancing out' comments about democrats. There is no 'balance' in this. you can criticise for balance in the media, but you can't criticise on a false premise.
You honestly have no clue what you are even arguing with me about, if you can't understand my point then I suggest you ignore my posts from now on - obviously they are too difficult for you to comprehend.
You are a thorough waste of my time.
"Powers is an admitted Clinton backer, so her comments should be taken in that context. "
So, that means it's 100% Clinton's agenda being forwarded and this false criticism of Obama is in no way forwarding the conservative agenda?
Therefore, it's a WITH?But the right isn't buying it, are they? Barack left out the majic words - "lynch him!"
Metaphorically speaking, of course...
These people at Fox News are dishonest (you may have already noticed that).
The second paragraph of the above item has:
"...Fox News aired a truncated version of the exchange that did not include Obama's immediate response to Russert's question"
The word "truncated" isn't exactly one that I use regularly, and I'm pretty sure it means "abbreviated" or something along those lines. But in the context of the citation above, and in the Q&A between Mr. Obama and the guy with the grotesquely formed face and head, I'd say that the word "truncated", as applied to how Fox News spun the whole thing, means:
truncated, an adjective that describes how someone's words may be repeated, but edited dishonestly, so as to remove whatever meaning was intended by the one who spoke them, and to leave behind an abbreviated and misleading version of them <Fox News aired a truncated version of Mr. Obama's denunciation of Farrakhan's anti-Semitic comments, and his rejection of Farrakhan's support>
And look what happens when FOX runs a story like this...
http://forums.hannity.com/showthread.php?t=555801
I thought it was a parody.Notice how many posters had to copy and paste the entire post they were responding to, over and over? That's the Hannitized mindset, I guess-- repeat*repeat*repeat*
Sort of expplains why the obvious Hannity followers who post here need the topics explained so many times before they finally get tired and declare make-believe victory.
Obama is between a rock and a hard place. The best thing that could happen to him is that, now after calling him a messiah, Farrakhan would 'denounce' him. He needs to distance himself from Farrakhan w/o alienating the minister's followers.
If he doesn't do it well, the Jewish vote will stay with Hillary (not that that's a big deal in Texas or Ohio, either, I suppose). But it might prove crucial in November.
As to the right wanting to lynch anyone. That is the kind of smear that so endears fascists like you to the average American voter. Keep up the good work! You should remember that it was Democrats who fought the repeal of Jim Crow in the south.
This New Messiah bull$hit is crazy. What kind of a sicko would think something like that up? I've already heard this circulating in the ignorant "Have you heard..." circles. Interesting to find out what the origin is. The sad thing is, I think it's working, at least here in the backwoods of Central Cali.