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Despite finding the time to discuss "bow-gate," Fox News Sunday ignored reports of alleged Blackwater bribes

November 15, 2009 3:27 pm ET — 11 Comments

Despite finding the time to discuss the manner in which President Obama greeted the emperor of Japan on the November 15 broadcast of Fox News Sunday, there was no time during the program devoted to recent reports that officials at Xe Services -- formerly Blackwater Worldwide -- had allegedly authorized about $1 million in bribery payments to Iraqi officials in the aftermath of a fatal shooting involving Blackwater security guards. By contrast, Fox News Sunday has previously devoted 18 minutes of broadcast time to discussing videos of conservative activists James O'Keefe and Hannah Giles posing as a pimp and a prostitute while asking for assistance from employees at an ACORN office, which followed Fox News' aggressive promotion and coverage of the undercover videos.

Fox News Sunday ignores alleged Blackwater bribe scandal

NY Times: Blackwater executives "authorized secret payments of about $1 million to Iraqi officials" to"silence their criticism and buy their support." From a November 10 New York Times article:

Top executives at Blackwater Worldwide authorized secret payments of about $1 million to Iraqi officials that were intended to silence their criticism and buy their support after a September 2007 episode in which Blackwater security guards fatally shot 17 Iraqi civilians in Baghdad, according to former company officials.

Blackwater approved the cash payments in December 2007, the officials said, as protests over the deadly shootings in Nisour Square stoked long-simmering anger inside Iraq about reckless practices by the security company's employees. American and Iraqi investigators had already concluded that the shootings were unjustified, top Iraqi officials were calling for Blackwater's ouster from the country, and company officials feared that Blackwater might be refused an operating license it would need to retain its contracts with the State Department and private clients, worth hundreds of millions of dollars annually.

Four former executives said in interviews that Gary Jackson, who was then Blackwater's president, had approved the bribes and that the money was sent from Amman, Jordan, where the company maintains an operations hub, to a top manager in Iraq. The executives, though, said they did not know whether the cash was delivered to Iraqi officials or the identities of the potential recipients.

Blackwater's strategy of buying off the government officials, which would have been illegal under American law, created a deep rift inside the company, according to the former executives. [The New York Times, 11/10/09]

On Fox News Sunday, there was no coverage or discussion of the Blackwater story. A Media Matters for America review of the November 15 broadcast of Fox News Sunday indicates that neither host Chris Wallace nor any of his guests discussed Blackwater or Xe Services.

Fox News Sunday panel discussed "bow-gate." However, despite not reporting on or discussing the Blackwater story, the Fox News Sunday panel discussed the manner in which Obama greeted Japanese Emperor Akihito, which Wallace referred to as "bow-gate." Wallace introduced the discussion by noting that "the Internet is abuzz" with a photograph of Obama appearing to bow while meeting Akihito, which Wallace then compared to a photograph of then-Vice President Dick Cheney standing upright while shaking Akihito's hand. Panelist Liz Cheney said in reply, "You could also look at the comparison and think, 'Cheney 2012.' " Panelist Bill Kristol later added, "It's not appropriate for an American president to bow to a foreign monarch."

Following Fox News' lead, Fox News Sunday promoted, amplified Breitbart's ACORN videographers

Fox News Sunday devoted a total of 18 minutes, on two separate broadcasts, to the ACORN controversy. Previously, Fox News Sunday had devoted a total of 18 minutes of programming time on two consecutive broadcasts to covering videos of conservative activists James O'Keefe and Hannah Giles posing as a pimp and a prostitute while asking for assistance from employees at an ACORN office. During the September 20 broadcast of Fox News Sunday, Wallace conducted an interview with ACORN CEO Bertha Lewis and Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) to discuss the controversy. During the September 27 broadcast of the program, Wallace aired a segment on O'Keefe, in which he advanced several of O'Keefe's claims without noting that they are contradicted by readily available evidence and labeled O'Keefe the "Power Player of the Week."

Fox News, led by Glenn Beck, facilitated Breitbart's release of the videos. During the September 9 edition of his Fox News program, Beck previewed an "exclusive" that would air on his program the next day, which he claimed would make "things change a lot for those in power," and aired snippets of the first video released of O'Keefe and Giles. At 6:10 a.m. ET September 10, O'Keefe posted the video on Andrew Breitbart's BigGovernment.com website.

Fox News devoted more than one hour of evening broadcast to discussing ACORN tapes. In stark contrast to Fox News' evening shows' blackout of the Blackwater story, the day after Beck helped Breitbart publicize the ACORN videos, Fox News dedicated 1 hour, 1 minute, and 51 seconds to discussing the story, according to a Media Matters review of Fox News' programming between 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. ET on September 10. Beck himself spent 38 minutes and 11 seconds discussing the tapes that night.

— G.L.
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    • Author by eb (November 15, 2009 4:23 pm ET)
      2  
      Gee and you wonder why so many of us seem so lost these days. Of course, Acorn is a nice easy to digest good guys, white hat, bad guys black hat kind of story. The blackwater bribe story is a big mess, especially for conservatives who want to believe that the private sector is the savior of the world and our intervention in Iraq should, by default, always have the benefit of the doubt.

      Fox seems to have its safe little niche: give that 25 percent of America that supported W. till the end what they want to hear and don't confuse them too much with messy facts and stories. Stick to that narrative and hope you pull in the independents who get tired of having to think for themselves by offering their rightous indignation a confusion free sanctuary.
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      • Author by Bad News (November 16, 2009 9:24 am ET)
           
        Chris Wallace should write a book "The Art of the Disgrace"
        His Father must be about to have a Stroke thinking how he can save Face.
        Chris Wallace will forever be known as "The Death Book Boy"
        I wonder will Chris ever apologize for attempting to Destroy his Father's Joy?

        Speak truth to power.


        Mr. News
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      • Author by tuersm3856 (November 16, 2009 10:57 am ET)
           
        I think instead of "conservative" you meant to say "neocon." Any true conservative can tell you how dangerous it is for a republic to have private armies. The very existence of Blackwater/Xe troubles me greatly.
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    • Author by magnolialover (November 15, 2009 9:48 pm ET)
         
      I'm pretty sure, having worked for a Japanese company in my recent past, that standard Japanese greeting is bowing to one another, and then shaking hands, sometimes. They don't shake hands all of the time, bowing is preferred and the accepted norm. There is nothing wrong with bowing, because undoubtedly, the Emperor probably bowed back.

      What is it with these guys and their obsession with how our President greets foreign dignitaries, by, following their customs! OH THE SHOCK!!!
      Report Abuse
    • Author by Unreality (November 16, 2009 1:22 am ET)
         
      Bottom line: Bombing foreigners is never a problem for FauxNoise. Talking to foreigners is suspect. Greeting a foreigner is dangerous.

      I don't recall the FauxNoise special panel devoting a show when Bush held hands with Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by MaineiacMan (November 16, 2009 9:35 am ET)
          1
        Ever heard of Pearl Harbor?

        The A-bomb put an abrupt end to WWII.
        Report Abuse
        • Author by Squevis McGillicutty (November 16, 2009 9:49 am ET)
             
          Umm...use your words. What are you trying to say MaineiacMan? Formulate a thought, allow it to crystallize, and then type it.
          Report Abuse
    • Author by easygoer002209 (November 16, 2009 9:51 am ET)
         
      And you cant find a single solitary media report about Bush kissing that damned Saudi prince. THAT WAS IN TEXAS.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by Samurai Cowboy (November 16, 2009 9:56 am ET)
      1  
      Bowing is Asia is the highes form of a compliment and the usual greeting. It also proves the President Obama has manners. Something no RepublicaNazi has.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by MaineiacMan (November 16, 2009 10:32 am ET)
          1
        It is not protocol to bow to emperors and kings.

        By the way, culturally speaking, the deeper the bow the more apollogetic and/or beneath the person that you are bowing to.

        See this is how it is done.
        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5U6fL7Y4BZA

        Report Abuse
    • Author by Lizinbklyn (November 16, 2009 11:10 am ET)
         
      Anyone remember President Eisenhower?? Enjoy . .


      http://lefarkins.blogspot.com/2009/11/dwight-d-eisenhower-bowing-hour.html
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