Wallace says mouse falsehood "supposedly ... debunked" -- so where are the Fox News corrections?
During the February 22 edition of Fox News' America's News HQ, after former President Bush aide Kevin Sullivan claimed that the economic recovery bill contained a pet project for "the salt marsh harvest mouse," host Chris Wallace replied: "Well, supposedly that's been debunked." Indeed, as Media Matters for America has noted, the bill does not contain any language directing funds to the salt marsh harvest mouse, or its San Francisco wetlands habitat, a fact that the House Republican leadership aide who reportedly originated the claim has reportedly acknowledged. Media Matters has documented that numerous Fox News shows, including Glenn Beck, Hannity, and Special Report have spread the falsehood. Moreover, Fox News Washington deputy managing editor Bill Sammon also advanced the falsehood on Fox Broadcasting Co.'s Fox News Sunday, which is hosted by Wallace. Despite Fox News' prevalence in spreading the falsehood, and Wallace's recent statement that the story has been "supposedly debunked," a Media Matters for America search* indicates that Fox News has yet to issue a correction on Fox News Sunday, Special Report, Hannity, or Glenn Beck.
After writing that "there isn't any such money in the bill" for the mouse, The Plum Line blogger Greg Sargent wrote on February 12 that the claim originated in an email from a "House Republican leadership staffer" who, when contacted by Sargent, "conceded that the claim by conservative media that the mouse money is currently in the bill is a misstatement." San Jose Mercury News staff writer Paul Rogers subsequently reported on February 13 that Michael Steel, a spokesman for House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH), originated the claim and said that "[t]here is no language in the bill that says this money will go to this project."
Fox News programs have repeatedly promoted the false claim without subsequent correction. For instance:
- During the February 12 edition of his show, Glenn Beck asserted: "Nancy Pelosi put $20 million into the stimulus package to preserve the salt marsh mouse. Now me, as the governor of California, I'd say to hell with the salt marsh mouse. Twenty million dollars. But maybe that's just me."
- During the February 12 edition of Hannity, while host Sean Hannity spoke with Fox News contributor Karl Rove about the economic recovery plan, Fox News aired text that claimed "$30 mil of stimulus bill [is] allocated for Pelosi backed mouse project." On the February 13 edition (retrieved from Nexis) of his show, Hannity claimed: "Nancy Pelosi gets $30 million for her district, the Wetlands Conservation in San Francisco -- for the salt marsh harvest mouse. What is a salt marsh harvest mouse?" On the February 16 edition (retrieved from Nexis) of his show, Hannity again claimed: "Thirty million dollars for wetlands restoration to help the endangered salt marsh harvest mouse. Help America out there. That salt marsh harvest mouse, does he need $30 million of our tax dollars?"
On the February 17 edition of Hannity, Fox News contributor Newt Gingrich claimed that the recovery bill directs "$30 million to save a mouse in San Francisco."
- During the February 15 edition of Fox Broadcasting Co.'s Fox News Sunday, Sammon said of the recovery bill: "People look at this thing and see, you know, some mouse is being protected in Pelosi's district."
- During the February 11 edition of Special Report, host Bret Baier reported:
BAIER: Another item tucked into the rescue plan is drawing howls from Republicans. The Washington Times reports the stimulus contains $30 million for wetlands conservation in Speaker Nancy Pelosi's home district. Some of that money goes for a past Pelosi project, protecting the salt marsh harvest mouse. Pelosi and President Obama have both said the stimulus contains no earmarks. Her office says the speaker had no involvement in the initiative.
In a subsequent report on the February 13 edition of Special Report, correspondent William La Jeunesse presented the Republicans' mouse claim as disputed by Republican and Democratic lawmakers without himself noting that the Republicans' claim is false. From the February 13 report (retrieved from Nexis):
BAIER: Recapping our top story, the House has passed the president's $787- billion stimulus package and the Senate is voting on it tonight. House Democrats hailed the bill as a huge victory. Republicans say it is full of waste that won't create jobs. We told you about some of the grumbling earlier. Now, Correspondent William la Jeunesse looks at other parts of the stimulus plan that critics say aren't very stimulating.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LA JEUNESSE: Monday, President Obama promised there would be no pork in the stimulus.
PRES. BARACK OBAMA: Not a single earmark.
LA JEUNESSE: But Friday before the House vote, Republican Congressman Jack Kingston claimed to find at least one phantom earmark.
REP. JACK KINGSTON (R-GA): $30 billion for a rat in San Francisco. Mickey Mouse is gonna be envious, he's no longer the mouse with the greatest net worth in California. Now there is a San Francisco rat that has edged him out.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LA JEUNESSE: He's referring to the salt marsh mouse, an endangered resident of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's Northern California District. While the Bay Area Habitat it calls home is getting millions, Democrat David Obey hotly disputed the mouse is getting anything directly.
REP. DAVID OBEY, (D) WISCONSIN: I wish they would make up their mind whether it is mice or rats, neither of which is in this bill if they will read it.
I got it right here. Find it and show it to me, show it to me!
LA JEUNESSE: Earmark or not, critics say much of the bill is more spending than stimulus. $50 million for shrimp and fish farming and $50 million for high school dropouts, another $50 million to fund art projects for non-profits, $93 million to improve infant and toddler care; $650 million for more digital TV discount coupons, including $90 million in outreach and education.
From the February 22 edition of Fox News' America's News HQ:
SULLIVAN: Then he [Obama] talked about no pet projects, and we end up with the -- what was it, the salt marsh harvest mouse.
WALLACE: Well, supposedly that's been debunked. But yes, there were certainly some pet projects.
SULLIVAN: There were some pet projects.
*SEARCH TERMS: Media Matters searched "publication(Fox News) AND mouse OR mice OR wetland!" since February 11 in the Nexis database. Media Matters also searched transcripts in TVEyes.com using the terms mouse OR mice OR wetland for Fox News and the February 22 edition of Fox News Sunday.
Faux News went a courtin' and they did lie, uh-huh
Sean Hannity went a courtin' and he did lie, uh-huh
Glen Beck, he went a courtin' and he did ride
With the GOP and a whopper on his side, uh-huh uh-huh uh-huh
They rode right up to Marsh Mousie's door, uh-huh
They fibbed about the dough for the wetland to restore, uh-huh
They rode right up to Miss Mousie's door
Gave three loud raps, and a very big roar, uh-huh uh-huh uh-huh
Uncle Newtie laughed, and he shook his fat sides uh-huh
Uncle Rat laughed, and he shook his fat sides, uh-huh
Uncle Rat laughed, and he shook his fat sides
To think his lies would turn the tide, uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh
Chris Wallace won't repent, uh-huh
Without his Uncle Rat's consent, uh-huh
Without his Uncle Rat's consent,
he wouldn't favor the President, uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh
It never ceases to amaze me how Republicans will do or say anything to try to prove that Democrats are bad. Ratings are all that Hannity, Limbaugh, O'Reilly, Beck, etc., give darn about. Get good ratings--to hell with the country.
BRING BACK THE FAIRNESS DOCTRINE ! ! !
TheRick
Ratings=Money.......Why can't their sheep see this? I guess that the sheep just feel good about themselves when they think there are people "below" them in life. And that is what the Sideshow Radio Hucksters promote.
I think the sheep feel good about themselves because right-wing professional liars are good at making the sheep feel alone. They make the sheep feel like everyone who doesn't look like sheep, talk like sheep, think like sheep, and worship the same as sheep are out to get them and take away everthing they hold dear.
It never ceases to amaze me how Democrats will do or say anything to try to prove that Republicans are bad. Ratings are all that Olbermann, Maddow, and Air America give darn about. Get good ratings--to hell with the country.
BRING BACK THE FAIRNESS DOCTRINE ! ! !
You don't need the Fairness Doctrine to realize Republicans are bad. All you need are functional eyes and ears (as well as a non-moribund brain).
Must... rejoin... must... sing! <aargh!>
I need a liar that knows how to tease me
I need a liar that wont make me sad
I need a liar that knows how to tease me
I need a liar that knows how to tease me
Someone to thrill me, and say it my way
I need a liar that knows how t tease me
Someone that knows the meaning of ah - all Democrats are bad!
Well Ive been flipping my channels in the evening
Racing through this media circus at night
Im so confused, my mindset is ignorant
Hey - Im so weak, wont someone shut out that light
Electricity runs thru fox video
And I watch cause I'm a couch potato
And all the stonies that are dancin to the radio
I got fox news pleasing me tonight on the cable
I need a liar that knows how to tease me
I need a liar that wont make me sad
I need a liar that knows how to tease me
Someone that knows the meaning of ah - all Democrats are bad!
Well Im not interested in truth with the life Im livin
But Im a low income slob, with little schooling, and my head in the sand
Now Im not asking to be loved or be forgiven
Hey - I just cant face facts thanks to republicans who want me to be left alone
I need a liar that knows how to tease me
I need a liar that wont make me sad
I need a liar that knows how to tease me
Someone that knows the meaning of ah - all Democrats are bad!
Now if we could just get the audio of you singing that!
Maybe we could get some of that stimulus money for that...you know, a pet project.
Talk to ACORN, I hear they're due for a huge balloon payment soon.
I know Snoopy is my favorite "pet" project. :-)
Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada who was instrumental in killing a permanent E-Verify system in the stimulus bill, that was to stop illegal hiring in the workplace, should be thrown out of Democratic office. Even when unemployment is paramount, he compulsively used his power to remove Americans and legal residents from getting work, so that corrupt big business could use cheap labor. He is obviously owes favors to , Casino's, the corporate world and special interest lobby, usually for campaign contributions. Even Nevada n's should recognize his traitorous move, although the national media have said little of nothing?
Follow this politicians trail, along with Janet Napolitano of homeland Security, Senator Gutierrez, Senator Edward Kennedy, Rep.Flake and many other Democrats who are pushing hard for immigration reform that will effect all working Americans. In states like California the ultimate recession has had a seering financial impact, because the overruling Democratic politicians have ignored the voice of the people. Now crippled by unemployment and an estimated 3.7 illegal aliens squatting the state, they are now forced to cut programs for the disabled, mentally handicapped and education, to name a few.
Laws to halt the influx of illegal immigrants have been manipulated, so they never reached the courts. Pro-illegal alien mayors like Antonio Villaraigosa in Los Angeles, Galvin Newsom of San Francisco have brought upon this state a 47 billion dollar budget crash, which now they expect the taxpayers to bail them out. Today no state Politician, Governor or elected official has any excuse for the billions of dollars of taxpayers money to support illegal immigrants pouring across our distressed border.
E-Verify comes up for a vote in March and should be made permanent, to halt illegal hiring. All perpetrators who do not use this cost effective, 99.6 percent success rate of the system, should go to prison. Immigration reform must start in the workplace, so illegal aliens are pinpointed and deported.
Deluge the Washington Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 In addition you can call President Obama at 202-456-1111. Switchboard: 202-456-1414
Sitting back and doing nothing is what corrupt politicians expect of US?
Infinity, I am responding to your post about immigration because I do not want you to feel left out. But after reading the topic of this thread, I can only conclude that wealthy Americans need a tax cut so they will reinvest in America and people will get jobs.
Prince, you still dwelling in Con purgatory? I'd offer you a tax rebate, but all I have is this "real estate". ;-)
Why hello Lou Dobbs! Good to see you on the site. Perhaps you could stick your anti-immigrant rants into a thread more in line with that topic?
If Fox had to always issue corrections, there would be no time left for all their lies.
Just like all the liberal pols and talking heads that MMfA loves to defend so much...
I thought Charles Schulz died? Who's re-animating that teacher? "wha wha whaaa, wha wha wha wa wa..."
I'm sorry, I don't speak Wingnut .. anyone care to translate MissDee's post?
All I got was MMFA...blahblahblah..Liberals...blahblahblah ...
But, Snoopy and Dave, how can you argue with all of those examples MissDee provided?
Oh, right, she just spouted off an "I know you are, but what am I?" wingnut BS bomb.
And it's a stinky one as usual.
Well, I guess MissDeeMeaner told us!
What she told us, I haven't a clue, because there was a dearth of "there" there.
Steeve, I love your big picture way of looking at things. I feel more informed not digesting most of the so called mainstream "news" sources. Instead I gather information from macro global sources and aggregated new sources such as truthout.org that concentrate on the stories found on pages 16, 17 and so on, since there are still reporters actually doing their jobs.
Forget watching almost all network and cable news sources. You just end up having to unlearn misinformation, disinformation and just plain lies and distortions. And as you mentioned irrevelancies. I say bugger the lot of them.
Oh, you and your fancy knowledge and all...;-)
Ha!
Shhhh, don't tell anybody, but I also pal around with terrorists, am a socialist, an elitist and can't bowl worth a damn. And I may have eaten arugula once. But keep it all on the down low, hear?
Mum's the word, that's just between you and me....& I confess, I am also bad at bowling. Remember Bush senior bowling? that video is a hoot.
how about W turkey bowling
When listening to the Republicans on FoxNews, MSNBC, CNN, ABC, NBC CBS, or any of the Republican Talk Radio Stations I've noticed these constant three words of "might, possible, could" as talking point arguments against "ANY" process in fixing issues from President Obama and the Democrats. I really was having a hard time in understanding how the Republicans could be against "EVERY" issue relating to our government so quickly, until I noticed that these guys are "NOT" against real processes in fixing the problems, but arguing the what-ifs of possibilities that can't fix the problems. Wink, wink.
What a great way for the Republicans to explain out the answer of "NO" to every problem while standing strong on the possibilities of non-sense and confusing the hell out of everything as a way of distracting from the Republicans really "NOT" having a solid idea that would fix today's problems of economic chaos in real time solution resolveds. Not bad, indeed... Wink, wink.
Expecting a correction from Beck or any other wingnut at Fauxupthenews is analogous to believing in the proverbial pigs that fly.
I agree - Chris Wallace is highly paid, and no doubt has a large staff. "Supposedly?" How hard could it be to actually check?