QOTD: Shep Smith
by digby
Going off the reservation again:
Smith’s moment came after a report from his colleague Doug McKelway, who concluded that Ebola has caused “widespread panic across the country.”
Smith jumped into his soliloquy.
“Oh my god. Doug, I appreciate it, but I think we both know there’s no widespread panic across the country,” Smith said before turning to face the camera. “But I think we know that. And I think we also know that if there’s widespread panic, it’s not based in fact and it’s not based in reason. And I think more than anything, those are just words that people on TV sometimes use.”
Smith said the Ebola epidemic in West Africa and the cases treated in the U.S. are “very serious” but that “the rest of this (media coverage) should stop because it’s not productive.”
The anchor continued: “And it’s not worth ratings and it’s not worth politics and we all need to stop it because some day there may be a real panic.”
I hope Smith doesn’t run into O’Reilly in the hallway. He’s likely to get an earful.
If you haven’t been watching Fox you can’t know just how outrageous this is. It’s bad enough on CNN where it’s wall to wall. And MSNBC had people like Russert doing remotes from the airport for no good reason. But it’s nothing compared to Fox which is completely over the top on this issue.
You don’t even want to know what they’re saying on hate radio. Here’s a taste from Limbaugh:
Limbaugh: Highest Levels Of Our Government And Media Think Americans Deserve To Get Ebola
Limbaugh: U.S. Will Never Take Steps To Stop Ebola “Because That Would Have Deleterious Effects On The President’s Political Agenda”
Limbaugh Suggests “Political Correctness” May Have Played A Role In Allowing Ebola To Reach The U.S.
Limbaugh: Media Will Try To Make Ebola Victim Thomas Duncan A “Martyr” In Order To Pass Amnesty