Note to Bill Shine, Fox News' executive vice president for programming, stop digging.

Responding to New York magazine's Roger Ailes profile this week about how the Fox News CEO has become a central player in Republican presidential politics, as well as the fact Ailes reportedly thinks Fox contributor Sarah Palin is an “idiot,” Shine lashed out out with a statement [emphasis added]:

I know for a fact that Roger Ailes admires and respects Sarah Palin and thinks she is smart. He also believes many members of the left-wing media are extremely terrified and threatened by her. Despite a massive effort to destroy Sarah Palin, she is still on her feet and making a difference in the political world. As for the 'Republican close to Ailes' for which the incorrect Palin quote is attributed, when Roger figures out who that is, I guarantee you he or she will no longer be 'close to Ailes.' "

Read that highlighted part again and try to figure out one word that Palin's publicist would have changed. The point being, legitimate and independent news executives don't talk like this. They don't speak in hyper-partisan language about the evil “left-wing” media being out to destroy helpless Republicans.

But people with the title of “executive vice president for programming” at Fox News certainly do.