Drip, Drip…
Looks like someone associated with Cavuto’s show leaked an email thread to Gawker…
Update: Likely not leaked. Came from Smerconish’s book probably…
But Fox, from the sound of things, is by far the most blunt and ham-handed in dealing with pundits. Here’s an email exchange between Smerconish and a producer for Neil Cavuto:
Cavuto producer: “Wanted to see if you’re available today at 4:05 for Neil’s show today. The topic is on Obama and his cockiness. We’re looking for someone who will say, yes, he’s cocky and his cockiness will hurt him.”
Smerconish: “Thanks for the clarity. I am not your man.”
Cavuto producer: “What about a debate off the top on the show on whether or not Hillary is trustworthy? We have someone who says she is and we’re looking for someone who says she isn’t.”
Clearly television news networks need to spend more time deeply examining the facts around important political questions and less time presenting staged debates on manufactured Beltway non-issues. Kind of obvious at this point.
April 19, 2009 at 11:04 pm
And Cavuto is a Fox News Executive….LOL
April 20, 2009 at 1:27 am
Aren’t all debates “staged”? I agree that some debates are “manufactured”, but all the airtime on the cable channels has to be filled with something. As long as a viewpoint contrary to the stated premise of “Obama and his cockiness” is provided, I do not see a problem.
April 20, 2009 at 2:48 am
Huh? How is a debate “staged” if it’s a matter of producers trying to find people on different sides of an issue? If a producer were to book a couple of guests to appear in the same segment, but who shared the same views, what would be the point?
April 20, 2009 at 4:39 am
SHAME!
April 20, 2009 at 6:25 am
How is a debate “staged” if it’s a matter of producers trying to find people on different sides of an issue?
It’s staged if producers invent the issues, as they do here.
April 20, 2009 at 8:41 am
Is there no line Fox News won’t cross?
Using the weasel standard of Fox News apologists, debating whether Obama is a dickhead and traitor would be a “fair and balanced” debate as long as there is somebody arguing both sides.
April 20, 2009 at 9:28 am
“Next, some worry that Obama is a Communist terrorist-fist-jabbing jihadist. Two opinions after the break.” Idiots.
April 20, 2009 at 1:22 pm
Smerconish puts the CON in his last name.
He’s one of the fake conservatives. Don’t know why Cavuto would want his lame and disengenuious arse on his show anyway.
Go back to obscurity SmearJobConish! Loofa boy lost his radio show!