Clinton’s Hospitalization: Your reactions…
I was outside pruning a maple tree and came back in to find Bill Clinton had been hospitalized so I missed most of the cable TV action. So post your reactions to the coverage thereof here…
I was outside pruning a maple tree and came back in to find Bill Clinton had been hospitalized so I missed most of the cable TV action. So post your reactions to the coverage thereof here…
February 11, 2010 at 3:07 pm
We join all Americans in wishing a speedy and complete recovery for President Clinton.
That said, we were mildly amused at news reports that Mrs. Clinton didn’t seem to be upset or in any great hurry to get to him.
February 11, 2010 at 3:13 pm
I think the worst part of this has been the usual suspects try and use this as another case to “try” and bash FNC. Oh my they aired Beck instead of non-stop Billy coverage.
Funny that Banderas had already pointed out before Beck began:
JulieBanderas
I received word from Clinton’s office. He underwent a procedure to place two stents in one of his coronary arteries and is in good spirits
Clinton was already through with the procedure and in good spirits but FNC should have pre-empted Beck for non-stop Clinton coverage when he was already out and doing well.
February 11, 2010 at 3:42 pm
FNC could have at least been live for the 5pm hour then done regular programming which at least is live starting at 6pm.
February 11, 2010 at 3:42 pm
Yes Star, they should have done what the other cable news networks did: report the news. A former President in the hospital for heart disease is the kind of thing any organization with the word “News” in the title should be running with; not tape of some idiot accusing the current Prez of turning this country into China.
February 11, 2010 at 3:44 pm
Ice, that is what they did. They had Shep at the top of the hour (assuming; I came in at :10), then cut to the Beck tape for the next 45 min. Stupid.
February 11, 2010 at 4:04 pm
By the time they went back to Beck, there was absolutely nothing new to report.
What the hell did you want them to do? Rhapsodize over his awesomeness? Run one of those hagiographic bios? What did you want?
February 11, 2010 at 4:09 pm
BW, my last response in FFA answers your question: the former President, health issues in general, other current news events. Those are respectable topics for a news organization right now. A glorified radio talker railing about “the China-ization of America” is not.
February 11, 2010 at 4:11 pm
I think the China-ization of America is far more important of a story than someone already out in recovery in good spirits (because of years of too much BBQ pork, bacon and sausage).
Heck, he was probably just taking too many Viagra pills.
February 11, 2010 at 4:18 pm
We disagree, Joe. All the relevant facts were presented and when there was nothing new to report, they went back to regularly scheduled programming.
While he is a former President, the FNC audience doesn’t revere him the way the audience (such as it may be) at CNN & MSNBC do, so doing protracted filler would have antagonized them.
Starbroker, we could have done without that last sentence.
February 11, 2010 at 4:18 pm
Starbroker, LOL!!!!
February 11, 2010 at 4:21 pm
I think the China-ization of America is far more important of a story…
Fortunately you’re not in a position to foist your decidedly narrow concept of what constitutes legitimate news on the rest of us.
February 11, 2010 at 4:24 pm
…so doing protracted filler would have antagonized them.
Of course I know that, hence my statement that FNC knows their audience. But they pretend to be a legitimate news organization. This decision to pander to the Right undermines that.
February 11, 2010 at 4:28 pm
“I think the China-ization of America is far more important of a story than someone already out in recovery in good spirits (because of years of too much BBQ pork, bacon and sausage).
Heck, he was probably just taking too many Viagra pills.”
That’s one classy comment SB. I’ll have to remember that line the next time Dick Cheney heads to hospital with heart problems.
I wonder if you and FNC would be so dismissive if it were JWB or Sarah Palin getting a stint.
February 11, 2010 at 4:32 pm
Shep reported a couple times during the Beck hour, they cut at least one commercial break and then had the 5:30 news update with Baier and Shep both. I watched some MSNBC coverage and really there were only a few facts to report, and the rest of the airtime was mostly filled with medical experts speculating on the general situation.
Whatever Beck was talking about, it wasn’t breaking news and wasn’t even live. It helps Fox in ratings, obviously, to put on a program that’s not-infrequently pretaped in the middle of the news day. The downside is days like today – they’ve got to figure out how to update breaking news, but they can’t have Beck cut any of his segments short a few minutes to accommodate a little more reporting from the news division, since his program wasn’t live.
February 11, 2010 at 4:38 pm
I wish Bubba a long,long life….because the lovefest that would pour out From the MSM if he passed away would be stomach turning.
February 11, 2010 at 4:51 pm
Seems to me FN covered it very well. Updates “of the same info” about every 5 or 10 min. They did not have a person on scene and said they were sending one to the hospital. The doctor speculation on FN was a little over the top. (Agree with BW) I wish him well, and I knew that if I wanted more info I could of gone to MSNBC to hear tributes.
Yes Joe, Obama policies are socialistic and moving toward Red China’s type of control over business. Even most progressives admit that they are socialists. What’s to be embarrassed or upset about?
February 11, 2010 at 5:39 pm
You guys really don’t listen to what I say, do you? “The current President is destroying our country” is not appropriate content for a news channel while a former President with a prevous bypass operation has just been hospitalised for heart disease.
Turn the tables. You’ve got a Republican President, a former Republican Prez has just had a medical emergency, and KO is babbling about the current one revoking habeas corpus or engaging in illegal wars or something. Would that strike you as MSNBC doing a good job of news coverage?
February 11, 2010 at 5:47 pm
FNC spent the first eight minutes of the Fox Report on it. Dr. Marc Siegel, Eric Shawn (from the hospital), and Lanny David (Clinton friend) were on.
February 11, 2010 at 5:52 pm
I don’t understand the uproar all b/c Fox kept its audience informed of what was minimal info and, today, is a very common and safe procedure.
I won’t be surprised if he is released tonight. The days of a minimum of 24 hours on your back with a weight is long since gone.
I thought Fox handled it just right and I am certain if anything untoward had happened I would have learned it from Fox just as quickly and accurately as from any other station.
BTW, how would MSNBC handle the situation if it had happened on the weekend when their repetitive Doc Blocs were in sway?
February 11, 2010 at 5:59 pm
Doctor’s press conference on MSNBC and CNN. O’Reilly reading e-mails..
February 11, 2010 at 6:00 pm
What uproar, Dolly? I’m the only one who even noticed. Breath, wasting.
February 11, 2010 at 6:04 pm
Well, Joe, I’m sure those at CNN and MSNBC sleep better at night knowing you’re out there for them.
February 11, 2010 at 6:32 pm
FNC went live with Shep Smith and a report by Eric Shawn for new updates on President Clinton during O’Reilly, instead of running a commercial. “We’ll be streaming that news conference live on Fox News dot com. If in fact there’s news there we’ll break right in.”
I don’t understand why anyone would want wall-to-wall (tangential) coverage on a story like this. It’s a network of news, not drama.
February 11, 2010 at 6:45 pm
The good news is the former president is doing well and walking around. Obama called and urged him to get back to work on the Haiti relief effort ASAP. I hear he’s doing so well that he chasing nurses around the hospital
We listen to you Joe! Don’t give up.
February 11, 2010 at 6:50 pm
Fortunately you’re not in a position to foist your decidedly narrow concept of what constitutes legitimate news on the rest of us.
Nor are you. FNC has been dealing with this in an appropriate, non-hysterical manner. They broke in to cover the initial news and spent a good chunk of the 4-5:00 hour on the story, broke in throughout the evening as necessary and reported (repeatedly) when they had word that he had a couple of stents and is expected to be fine.
This is NOT a story of a former President who is seriously ill, or worse. Stop being so hysterical and keep it in perspective.
February 11, 2010 at 7:01 pm
FNC needs to stop running tape of “Obama is a Commie” during Breaking News events. It’s unseemly.
February 11, 2010 at 7:12 pm
What is “Obama is a Commie”?
February 11, 2010 at 7:13 pm
And what breaking news event, for that matter?
February 11, 2010 at 7:17 pm
What is “Obama is a Commie”?
Beck’s show
And what breaking news event, for that matter?
Clinton’s chest pains and subsequent stents. Not really breaking news after the initial reports.
February 11, 2010 at 7:23 pm
Well that’s just dumb. He had a blocked artery. The story was covered at about the same volume as when Dick Cheney had heart problems while in office.
February 11, 2010 at 7:24 pm
^Thank you, BW. Somebody’s reading the words..
February 12, 2010 at 12:50 am
Running tape of Beck at any hour is unseemly, you ask me.
/rimshot
February 12, 2010 at 7:02 am
Wait a minute! No one commented on Spud planting a maple tree? It sounds almost like a George Washington moment!
That, plus the fact that most of the country, instead of planting, is contending with snow at this time.
February 12, 2010 at 11:54 am
Running tape of Beck at any hour is unseemly, you ask me.
/rimshot
Waiter, I’ll have the veal.
February 12, 2010 at 2:55 pm
I think the worst part of this has been the usual suspects try and use this as another case to “try” and bash FNC. Oh my they aired Beck instead of non-stop Billy coverage.
You won’t count me in that group. I have no problem with FNC deciding to air Beck rather than talk about Clinton’s surgery which already happened. If FNC had dumped Beck, I’ll lay odds they’d get lower numbers than if they’d stayed with him.
February 12, 2010 at 2:56 pm
Wait a minute! No one commented on Spud planting a maple tree? It sounds almost like a George Washington moment!
1. I was pruning a Maple tree not planting one.
2. George Washington had nothing to do with Maple trees, unless he had syrup on his pancakes. He dealt with Cherry trees…