Shep Smith: Our viewers’ e-mails are starting to scare me
posted at 7:27 pm on June 10, 2009 by Allahpundit
Take a group of people who are politically conscious, add Internet access and anonymity, and elect the other party’s guy president and voila: You’ve got a perfect petri dish in which to grow your very own nutroots culture. And no, before people start whining, of course I’m not saying that everyone who fits those criteria is nutroots. Just that we’re seeing a strain of paranoia in some righty blog comments since The One took office that was formerly relegated to lefty assertions about how the Bushitler would cancel the elections and declare himself king or whatever. If that were Shep’s point, it’d be fair enough; as it is, this is his hamfisted attempt to draw a straight line between dopey “Hussein” invective and the sort of decades-long dementia displayed by the Jew-loathing nut who pulled a shotgun in the Holocaust Museum today. (And who, by the way, hated neoconservatives generally and the GOP’s last two nominees for president in particular.) I don’t know how else to read this clip except as Shep warning America that his own viewership is teeming with would-be presidential assassins. If he truly believes that, why doesn’t he quit? How can his conscience stand it?
The bonus nuance here is that this vid was cut by TPM, which is suddenly shocked, shocked to find incendiary rhetoric online notwithstanding the notoriety their fellow travelers have for trafficking in it. Doubtless the point is to prove how unhinged Fox viewers are, but surf around on CNN or MSNBC or any other news website and compare the comments there. Jake Tapper’s mentioned more than once on Twitter how even his scrupulously balanced posts at ABC attract nutjobs by the dozen from both sides. Trolls are an Internet fact of life, alas. It’s time to stop being surprised.
Blowback
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Indeed. Well said, Allahpundit.
Ed Morrissey on June 10, 2009 at 7:30 PM
Take a hike, Martha.
greggriffith on June 10, 2009 at 7:30 PM
It’s Shep Smith. Who could even care what Shep thinks?
watson007 on June 10, 2009 at 7:30 PM
Well, I don’t watch Shep and I have never sent him any e-mails or even regular mail, so I am totally in the clear.
I am not a nut root nor am I an unhinged crazy kook.
myrenovations on June 10, 2009 at 7:31 PM
TPM needs to be careful. Lately, they’re more knee-jerk than Media Matters.
Slublog on June 10, 2009 at 7:32 PM
He’ll always be SHEMP 2.0 to me.
profitsbeard on June 10, 2009 at 7:32 PM
Hey Shep: your insipid, tiny, little mind scares me that you have viewers.
Shep = Twerp.
Branch Rickey on June 10, 2009 at 7:33 PM
Just make a joke about it like David Letterman.
Firebird on June 10, 2009 at 7:33 PM
“I don’t know how else to read this clip except as Shep warning America that his own viewership is teeming with would-be presidential assassins. If he truly believes that, why doesn’t he quit? How can his conscience stand it?” – Allahpundit
If he truly feels his viewership is teeming with crazed rightwing loons, wouldn’t it be his duty to stay on and try to moderate such audience from potential acts of violence. If he leaves, Fox will likely replace him (a moderate non-partisan) with a partisaned conservative who might fan the flames even more.
Whatever your view, you have to respect Shep for making a stand. It’s obvious that his sentiments goes against the Fox audience, so he’s basically risking losing ratings and perhaps his job eventually.
Palin Steele on June 10, 2009 at 7:35 PM
There are a lot of crazy people on the internet.
Why does this shock people?
therightwinger on June 10, 2009 at 7:36 PM
Because clearly no liberal has ever thought of–nor realistically could–write radical thoughts to Fox News or any news organization pretending to be a Republican.
/sarcasm
Enoxo on June 10, 2009 at 7:37 PM
Shep is starting to scare me.
Knucklehead on June 10, 2009 at 7:37 PM
Wonder if any of those e-mails are coming from the mythical Superdome cannibals.
SailorDave on June 10, 2009 at 7:38 PM
Shep also said the attack confirms the Obama “right-wing extremist” document. He implied that veterans and people who disagree with Obama are bringing about terrorism. Shep is disgusting!
davenp35 on June 10, 2009 at 7:38 PM
I thought Fox was replacing Ole Shep?
iflyfish on June 10, 2009 at 7:38 PM
I bet Shep wants to go over to CNN and is just laying the groundwork.
dpierson on June 10, 2009 at 7:38 PM
ChimpyO is a Marxist scumbag and is quickly destroying this country.
Stuff that up yer butt Sheppy.
csdeven on June 10, 2009 at 7:38 PM
Good job shep. Set the democrats up with “gotcha” clips if God forbid some crazed loon takes a shot at Obama.
I swear, Shep would have saddled Benedict Arnolds Horse for him out of honor.
portlandon on June 10, 2009 at 7:38 PM
Hey Shep,
What are your thoughts on the Daily Kos?
Some pretty anti-semitic rhetoric over there, huh?
Barrack on June 10, 2009 at 7:38 PM
A spider in the tub scares Shep.
What a panty-waist.
HornetSting on June 10, 2009 at 7:39 PM
You could see this coming. As I watched this horrific event unfold, one of my first thoughts was Shep is going to editorialize this in a very bad way.
Thanks AP. Good story!
In all seriousness, how can one take him seriously after his torture comments, and who could forget the whole New Orleans insanity?
When some of the older folks at 60 Minutes die off; I think Shep might find a new home over there.
freeus on June 10, 2009 at 7:40 PM
Well, I guess the Obama “straw men” are contacting Shep. Is Obama reading Shep’s email too?
ted c on June 10, 2009 at 7:40 PM
It’s either CNN or cabaret dinner theater. Either way he’ll still be wearing make-up.
portlandon on June 10, 2009 at 7:40 PM
Has Shep heard the hate Hannity hotline?
txag92 on June 10, 2009 at 7:41 PM
Hey Shep… I can’t believe you are from Mississippi. People down here don’t think like you do, Mr. Manhattan with your 7 million dollar salary. You are out of touch. People are pissed out here what with Obama is doing. We are peaceful and working to correct things and you make it sound like we are nuts. Shame on you. I hope Ole Miss won’t let you into any games.
suzyk on June 10, 2009 at 7:41 PM
Shep does have a flair for the melodramatic. His Katrina coverage showed that…boy has a whiff of Geraldo about him.
AUINSC on June 10, 2009 at 7:42 PM
You know what else scares Shep? Kittens.
Ricky on June 10, 2009 at 7:42 PM
whatevah!!!!
SHARPTOOTH on June 10, 2009 at 7:42 PM
What was hysterical he going on and on about the birth certificate issue and the nuts that write in about it with no proof he’s illegally president.
HHHMMM there is also, no proof it is legal. SHUT UP SHEP!
xler8bmw on June 10, 2009 at 7:43 PM
Shep has sand in his nether regions? Did Ol’ Miss lose a sporting event recently?
Yup, sure did.
trubble on June 10, 2009 at 7:43 PM
Shepie is so lefty that I’m imagining his audience is too. Sorry it’s the liberals that tend to be the crack-ups that at least threaten to shoot just about everyone with whom they disagree. No one seemed to have problems with the leftys wanting Cheney to die and showing pictures of Bush with a gun to his head.
katablog.com on June 10, 2009 at 7:43 PM
You know what else scares Shep? Kittens.
Ricky on June 10, 2009 at 7:42 PM
Sea kittens?
txag92 on June 10, 2009 at 7:43 PM
I’m not going to watch it, because I saw it live and Shep is such a POS. My main issue was how he treated today’s shooting as some sort of vindication for the DHS report warning about vets posing a danger. He couldn’t be more wrong. The stuff in the DHS report was about vets returning from Iraq and Afghanistan… Not 89 year old WWII vets who happen to be white supremacists.
Allah, what’s your deal? Sometimes I think you’re starting to wake up, and then you says stuff like this. It’s not paranoia when you see what is happening to this country. All the attacks on Bush were unjustified, political nonsense. The “paranoia” (as you call it) now, is justified. We’re watching Obama deliberately destroy this country, who’s values he has clearly never shared. You think he truly believes in Porkulus, etc.? No one is that stupid, he is purposely bankrupting the country. And increasingly we’re seeing that he is in fact a socialist dictator and a fascist. 16 unaccountable czars and counting mean anything to you?
RightWinged on June 10, 2009 at 7:44 PM
No Shep,what would be really scary is you w/out your makeup on.
ohiobabe on June 10, 2009 at 7:44 PM
He sounds paranoid and profoundly delusional to me, but then what do I know, I am only the world’s greatest psychoanalyst living or dead.
Sigmund on June 10, 2009 at 7:45 PM
sheps my kind of guy
yep yep
g0tmylifeback on June 10, 2009 at 7:46 PM
What do you expect?
This is just the beginning, the crap sandwich we are being force fed will be regurgitated and it will not be pretty.
StockOption on June 10, 2009 at 7:46 PM
You vote for a radical, you get a radical. Nothing nutty about that.
Who didn’t know Obama was a lefty radical before the election?
tarpon on June 10, 2009 at 7:46 PM
Scare Shep? I stopped watching Shep when he started acting like an hysterical loon during Katrina. Talk about nut cases.
Terrye on June 10, 2009 at 7:47 PM
To be fair, I’d wager the majority of the hate in those E-mails are directed __AT__ Shep.
I know mine were.
Khorum on June 10, 2009 at 7:47 PM
So, Fox viewers that believe that Obama is illegitimate because he hasn’t showed his birth certificate = unhinged murderers?
What about the people that are convinced that Sarah Palin is the mother of Trig (even after Bristol gives birth), or believes that Bush was behind a government run operation to bring down the World Trade Center…do they equal unhinged murderers too?
Exit question: How does the media differentiate between a “right-wing” nut job who murders someone and just a plain old deranged person that goes on a killing spree?
Abortion doctor is killed, its a right-wing nut job.
Army recruiter is killed, its “probably religious and political motives”…no mention of left-leaning.
To me, this is just like how when politicians get arrested doing something stupid, the Democrats don’t get their party affiliation pointed out (or its buried 20 paragraphs in) while its front and center when a Republican does it.
Geministorm on June 10, 2009 at 7:48 PM
Shep’s gotta go. For too long, now, he’s had that snarky, elite, “I’m better than the people I read the news to” attitude that one expects from Katie Couric or Brian Williams. This is a low thing to say, I’ll admit, but I think Shep and his particular brand of self-love is more suited to network news.
Rational Thought on June 10, 2009 at 7:48 PM
Interesting that Shep would fly past the point that viewers are angry that, among many other things, he would assert that we should all get over the fact BO isn’t an American citizen, completely discounting the constitutional requirements of a US presidential candidate. It tells me just how brain-dead he is to think that saying something like that to a right-leaning audience shouldn’t or wouldn’t incite anger.
James Moriarty on June 10, 2009 at 7:48 PM
I had hope the rumors that he was leaving when Alan Colmbs did were true, But alas….he’s still here. That’s why when he comes on I watch NCIS reruns. ;-)
Eagles Dominion on June 10, 2009 at 7:49 PM
People who get their information from the MSM. This guy has spent his entire life surrounding himself with radicals, anti-whites, anti-Semites, terrorists and terrorist supporters, but I’d be willing to bet that most people know very little about even Rev. Wright, and nothing about all of the others.
RightWinged on June 10, 2009 at 7:49 PM
Most people on the internet are certainly very strange to say the least.
Sigmund on June 10, 2009 at 7:50 PM
Any reasonable person would know the homeland security report was 100% accurate
equality on June 10, 2009 at 7:50 PM
The “nutroots” paranoia replaces the “wingbat” paranoia of W, which replaced the “nutroots” paranoia of Clinton which replaced the “wingbat” paranoia of Reagan. Before that, I was too young to notice the out of power paranoia, though there was a helluva lot of paranoia on the part of the 1960s counterculture.
rbj on June 10, 2009 at 7:51 PM
And you know something? After the crap I heard from lefties during the Bush years, nothing surprises me. They made movies about killing a president, wrote books about it, acted as if it were a bang up idea. Rampant unrestrained hatred for years.
And now they are wondering where this is coming from?
Terrye on June 10, 2009 at 7:51 PM
Heh. We know, you probably have a retraining order out against you, don’t you? Shep just can’t put your letters on the air because his lawyer and the police told him not to, to keep from ‘encouraging’ you.
Just pulling your chain getalife.
Geministorm on June 10, 2009 at 7:51 PM
Let’s see here, people’s life savings going down the tubes, the King and his Queen, tripping the light fantastic from New York to Paris and beyond on the taxpayers dime. Open season on the unborn world-wide. Destruction of the Auto Industry, Housing and Financial Markets, with sites set on Health Care, all while continuing to place Americans in thrall to Chinese debt service. Sadly, I suspect, we’ll see many more borderline personalities go off the deep end, before the Democrat machine, and their accomplices in the media, complete their dismantling of the USA.
“Let’s Roll”
On Watch on June 10, 2009 at 7:51 PM
rbj:
Oh you are right. The 60s was all about paranoia.
Terrye on June 10, 2009 at 7:52 PM
Internet vitriol isn’t reserved for politicians–many celebrities get a heavy dose and sports figures even more so. I visited many sports forums when Isiah Thomas was the Knicks’ GM and fans would regularly post the most hateful comments about him. The theme is the same–somebody is ruining something I love. Personally, I think most of it is hyperbole and exaggeration for effect. In any case, none of it should come as a surprise.
karlant on June 10, 2009 at 7:53 PM
I have wondered if the DHS memo, and the media scrutiny that accompanied it, has an “if you build it they will come” effect that lets the nut-job know they need to step up their game.
Of course, the best answer to a crazy person with a gun (or any other weapon) is the ability to defend yourself.
mad saint jack on June 10, 2009 at 7:54 PM
yeah because we know Shep isn’t talking about anyone here or at Free Republic etc.
fastestslug on June 10, 2009 at 7:54 PM
Pleeeeeaaaase go back to the Kos
dpierson on June 10, 2009 at 7:54 PM
I won’t be surprised if Shep provides copies of the offending emails to Napolitano.
miron on June 10, 2009 at 7:54 PM
Pardon me. That should read “native born American citizen”.
James Moriarty on June 10, 2009 at 7:55 PM
in the words of Jeremiah Wright -DHS report coming home to roast!!!
equality on June 10, 2009 at 7:55 PM
sheps HOT!!!
restraining order? naw
hes the only one on fox that i watch
g0tmylifeback on June 10, 2009 at 7:57 PM
I thought that was the recipe for a dry martini…….?
Seven Percent Solution on June 10, 2009 at 7:57 PM
Dangit! You stole my line! So… +1
SouthernGent on June 10, 2009 at 7:57 PM
Its just the eye liner talkin’.
Shemp is Beck in reverse. Beck didn’t fit with the pathetic pussies at cnn..and shemp doesn’t fit at Fox.
Hey…wait a minute. Didn’t Sheep claim that global warning skeptics were like holocaust deniers? Von Boom was a holocaust denier…..you put the pieces together on that one. I’m not sayin’ anything.
Itchee Dryback on June 10, 2009 at 7:58 PM
I think we found Getalife…….
HornetSting on June 10, 2009 at 7:58 PM
not up to her standards
doesnt even qualify as a “koskid”
this is the term you rethugs use right?
g0tmylifeback on June 10, 2009 at 7:59 PM
This entire thing smells like a PR stunt. “Oh, look at me, look how rational and calm I am because I in very generic and broad terms called out ‘people’ for being wackos.”
Whatever Smith. There are thousands of lunatics on the internet. Shocking. Who knew? This isn’t some new revelation – nor is it half as bad as he is making it out to be. The vast majority of such people just enjoy talking big, and with regard to the few nutty enough to actually do something – such as those in recent shootings – I doubt very much it has anything to do with posting on the internet.
Stomper on June 10, 2009 at 7:59 PM
Wow…you’re back from the dead, getalife.
AUINSC on June 10, 2009 at 7:59 PM
which one?
Itchee Dryback on June 10, 2009 at 8:00 PM
Except Obama has nationalized the banks, the audo industry and is going after healthcare next.
Chavez was “elected” too.
Yeah I was around during Clinton’s time and pooh-poohed the similar radical thoughts from the right then.
Obama… I’m not so sure about…
Skywise on June 10, 2009 at 8:00 PM
No.
You’re.
Both.
Stupid.
HornetSting on June 10, 2009 at 8:00 PM
cats have multiple lives
g0tmylifeback on June 10, 2009 at 8:01 PM
Nope, right here…good play on the original name too!
AUINSC on June 10, 2009 at 8:01 PM
Mine too. Shep has made himself a hate mail magnet by infuriating Fox News viewers with his liberal hysteria. If he doesn’t like it, he can tone it down and stop with the histrionics.
Dee2008 on June 10, 2009 at 8:01 PM
poor little girly-man has his panties in a wad. He needs to go away for a romantic weekend with his boyfriend.
bill30097 on June 10, 2009 at 8:01 PM
no need to be slamming me
you dont know my education
g0tmylifeback on June 10, 2009 at 8:02 PM
You know if the DHS report was correct, which you obviously think it was, then you should be very scared. The people who are protecting you’re a$$ right now are those in the military. If they get fed up with things and take over from the Messiah then what are you going to do about it?
Liberals seem to forget that most people who grow their food, butcher their cattle, put out their fires, arrest the criminal and protect the country oversees are more like to be conservative.
dpierson on June 10, 2009 at 8:02 PM
Classic description of this phenomenom:
http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/03/19/
(slight nsfw language)
Normal Person + Anonymity + Audience = Total F***wad
askheaves on June 10, 2009 at 8:03 PM
Actually I heard Shep’s show today on satellite radio and I thought he was pretty scary. He sounded every bit as crazy about those who demand Obama’s birth certificate as anyone else. Everyone seems to have a bone to pick with someone.
And everyone seems to think other people are too extreme.
The problem with that DHS report was it didn’t name any groups just political positions that are commonly held, such as being pro-life.
How in the world is that helpful?
And the “veterans” we were supposed to watch out for were from WWII? I mean–really! That is like reading a horoscope and finding that your day went exactly like it was predicted…then you find you read the wrong sign… stupid.
petunia on June 10, 2009 at 8:03 PM
So do trolls. Now where did we put that dang ban hammer?
Dee2008 on June 10, 2009 at 8:03 PM
It looks like getalife’s near death experience had no effect on her intellect.
Cheshire Cat on June 10, 2009 at 8:03 PM
Welcome to politics,its a blood sport!(I’m Kidding).
If you can’t argue your point,or want to go from
verbal conversation,to phyiscal harm,
you just might be a NUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
canopfor on June 10, 2009 at 8:03 PM
Shep Smith…..the daughter his mother never wanted.
Patrick S on June 10, 2009 at 8:04 PM
Take two opposite 180 degree opposite viewpoints. Do not compromise at all. In fact double down on siliencing your opposition. Laugh mock and ridicule the other guy’s belief system. Give them not one bone to chew on. Remake one’s entire life in 4 months and the only thing that I wonder is why more people have not flipped out?
unseen on June 10, 2009 at 8:04 PM
I caught that part of his show today and could not believe, how unglued, he became. Shep, honey, sweetie, this is America and we still have Freedom of Speech, you might not like what they have to say, but they have every right to say it.
Now go put on your Big Boy Panties and do, what you are paid, to do. You report and we decide.
shoregulls on June 10, 2009 at 8:05 PM
Sweet. I’ll take mine French pressed, one sugar, not-so-hot.
Siobhan on June 10, 2009 at 8:05 PM
No, but I know your reputation.
You’re an idiot.
HornetSting on June 10, 2009 at 8:05 PM
Indeed…I actually hope that nice123 came back as something like nice321…very symmetrical.
AUINSC on June 10, 2009 at 8:07 PM
Ok I’m not much on the birth certificate thing I just don’t think it will do any good. However, the emailer said he hated Obama and wanted to see the certificate. Ok so what’s wrong with seeing the certificate. As far as the hate went the lefties did it all the time with Bush so, no big deal I’m don’t really have much warmth toward the guy either. Where I take opposition with Shep is the gun comment. Where in the email did it mention the guy getting a gun out? Or in context were they talking in general about the shooting and just how did that tie in with the email?
boomer on June 10, 2009 at 8:07 PM
Obama will go down under the weight of his anti Americanism, corruption, leftism, and lies. A self serving DHS report is not going to help him hide the truth nor deflect his miserable performance so far.
Lets Roll!
elduende on June 10, 2009 at 8:07 PM
….near death experience…
Cheshire Cat on June 10,2009 at 8’03PM.
Cheshire Cat: Terrific CC,gotmylifeback is having an OBE,
and has found itself on Hot/Air! hehe:)
canopfor on June 10, 2009 at 8:08 PM
My collie says:
I’m sure he feels better already, collie. Speaking of insane…anyone here remember any of Saint Anthony’s quotes? — for some reason, this one sorta’ comes to mind:
What do you think of that little pearl, collie?
My collie says:
CyberCipher on June 10, 2009 at 8:08 PM
Your collie is right.
petunia on June 10, 2009 at 8:09 PM
I’m glad to see she made it back from the dead/banned.
Secretly, I think her rational brain is fighting her emotional brain. All of the garbage from her youth and upbringing is contrasting with her real life observances. She’s due to turn full bore conservative any week now. And, you know that once you turn a lib, you get a fervent neocon for life. It will come to her in her own time, just let it happen…
Geministorm on June 10, 2009 at 8:09 PM
For some unknown reason,when there is a sitting Liberal President,the wacko’s,crazys,nutjobs,seem to come out of
the woodwork,so to speak!!
canopfor on June 10, 2009 at 8:10 PM
Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you, Jesus Christ and the American GI. One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.
“History teaches that when you become indifferent and lose the will to fight someone who has the will to fight will take over.” COL.BULL SIMONS
Eagles Dominion on June 10, 2009 at 8:11 PM
cant help what happened in my childhood
just wish it was more like Obama’s
g0tmylifeback on June 10, 2009 at 8:11 PM
There’s just as many if not more dangerous whack jobs at the other end of the spectrum (whatever spectrum that is), there’s always a spread, zero to sixty and back again, regardless of affiliation or non affiliation, this particular whack job today is so far off main st. that his motivation is no doubt confusing to some people.
So far as Shep’s fear, don’t forget to add in some righteous reason for general anger in the populace and then think, when was JFK elected? What year is it now? How many years along the way have liberals (of both parties) had their way? How moderate are the lefties in charge now?
Now, why oh why would we suspect fringe approaching a more than normal agitated stage?
Just one more question, when does the left start feeling any reticence about confronting the right on any level or any topic and when does the media start feeling the heat and start appeasing the determined Conservatives?
Speakup on June 10, 2009 at 8:11 PM
I guess ole Shep would have been scared by the Founding Fathers, especially Thomas Paine and Samuel Adams.
atheling on June 10, 2009 at 8:11 PM
Hell, they made a movie about killing a sitting POTUS. I would think that everyone who was involved with the film or saw it should be on some watch list.
yakwill83 on June 10, 2009 at 8:12 PM
Let’s all remember Shep’s finer moments…..Look look America, Bush hates black people, thousands I tell you thousands are dying *katrina
America right wingers hate me….oh, sorry he was a virulent anti-semite, and racist…..that is a lefty…..oh well then that is o.k.
Slamming his desk, torture man, this is America…….
nondhimmie on June 10, 2009 at 8:12 PM
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