Fox apologizes again for Jefferson/Conyers error.
Fox apologizes again for Jefferson/Conyers error.
Fox News “apologized” yesterday after airing images of Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) during a discussion of indicted Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA) (both happen to be African-American). But the apology “made no reference to Mr. Conyers and did not explain why or how the erroneous video made it to air.” After Conyers called the apology “lackluster,” Fox News tried again today:
We in no way meant to suggest there was any connection between the Jefferson indictment and Congressman Conyers. We have extended our apology privately to the congressman, and we do so here as well.
Watch it:
UPDATE: Black web activists at ColorOfChange.org praise Conyers for fighting back.
UPDATE II: “Fox News’ African-American elected official mix-up not its first.”
UPDATE III: Jack and Jill Politics has more.
Transcript:
On Monday, in our report on the indictment of William Jefferson, in error we aired some video of Congressman John Conyers of Michigan. That tape was labeled “a meeting about William Jefferson” and it was mistaken as video portraying Mr. Jefferson. We regret this mistake. We in no way meant to suggest there was any connection between the Jefferson indictment and Congressman Conyers. We have extended our apology privately to the congressman, and we do so here as well.
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Was that so hard?
June 6th, 2007 at 3:14 pm“We also IN NO WAY meant to imply that Congressman Mark Foley was a Democrat when we put a “D” next to his name after he resigned in disgrace. This was the fault of a dyslexic intern who has since been drawn and quartered. We regret the errors.”
June 6th, 2007 at 3:16 pmWhy try it, Fox? The more you apologize, the more they complain.
June 6th, 2007 at 3:19 pmWink, wink.
June 6th, 2007 at 3:19 pmBet they had their fingers crossed behind their back.
June 6th, 2007 at 3:19 pmWait, should TP apologize for running a picture of Rush Limbaugh for an article about Roger Ailes? I’m mean after all they both happen to be conservatives……
June 6th, 2007 at 3:20 pmWhat I find is amazing is that they really want us to believe it was a mistake. They show a clip of Senator Conyers at the Senate hearing on Gonzales rather than a clip of Congressman Jefferson, and that was simply “a mistake”. Yeah, right. I wonder how they index their video clips. I would index that one under “Senate hearing, Gonzales” which would make it impossible for them to choose that clip and think it was Congressman Jefferson. I suspect they index them by “Black guys”.
Even if they can’t tell one black guy from another, I think that the setting of that video clip should have been a tip-off that it wasn’t Jefferson.
This was not a mistake, it was intentional. It is no coincidence that the clip showed someone holding up a sign saying “resign”. That was meant for Gonzales, but they wanted people to think that someone was holding that sign up in response to Jefferson.
Faux Noise, the unfair and unbalanced station.
June 6th, 2007 at 3:20 pmFaux News : the standard bearer for all media to ASSpire to !
June 6th, 2007 at 3:21 pmHow come thay always make these mistakes when it comes to black people? Coinkydink? I think not.
June 6th, 2007 at 3:26 pmAgain, there’s no way this could possibly have been an honest error.
If you’re so incompetent you can’t match up the right tape to the right story, you have no business broadcasting “news” to begin with.
FOX obviously did this on purpose. They have a long and distinguished history of such “unfortunate errors”.
An apology is not enough.
Two apologies are not enough.
Ten thousand apologies are NOT ENOUGH.
This is evidence of an allegedly “fair and balanced” news network blatantly abusing their power and influence to unduly sway public opinion. FOX “news” is a Typhoid Mary, and the disease has spread to the other news agencies as well (one need only consider the unlikely employment of Glenn Beck to confirm this).
A democracy depends upon a free and unbiased press to keep the populace properly apprised of the events of the day. By betraying that trust, FOX news is the single greatest accomplice in the death of the Republic.
June 6th, 2007 at 3:26 pmThey are just afraid now of getting sued and this being all over the airwaves, and the general public seeing what rupukian aholes they really are.
Faux has ZERO credibility.
National Ignore The Trolls Day
Why are our trolls so freaking stupid? Is it all the inbreeding? Lead in the water? Reverse Evolution?
June 6th, 2007 at 3:29 pmre #6
If they did that they could apologize, but given that TP is not a major media org that claims to be fair and balanced and both rush and ailes rightwing propagandists I’m not sure about the comparison, flyman.
given your screen name it’s no wonder you’re attracted to sh!t like your post…
June 6th, 2007 at 3:30 pmConyers would be wise to not accept the FOX apology, because the damage has already been done and those who watch FOX news think Conyers is the guy who hid $90,000 in cash in his freezer.
June 6th, 2007 at 3:30 pmCompTROLLER V-1 sez:
If FOX apologized for deliberately misinforming their viewers, instead of apologizing for an “accident”, as they persist on doing, I’d wager there would be fewer people complaining here, Compy.
This is like a mugger braining me with a tire iron, taking my wallet, and then apologizing for “accidentally” striking me. It’s bullsh!t.
June 6th, 2007 at 3:35 pmActually I am surprised that FOX network did not show some naked African guy with a spear and claimed him to be Jefferson, or showed some black guy eating a watermelon while talking about Jefferson. Far-right FOX executives probably wear white sheets & burn crosses.
June 6th, 2007 at 3:39 pmOh, Bob not the hacker, I’m sorry I forgot to put the sarcasm disclaimer along with my post. You see I was trying a bit of parody. Rush despises more than anything, well other than being told he’s entertaining, that he’s fat. also the part in the TP thread above about they happen to be african americans was a great in for my comment about they just happen to be conservatives. sorry if it upset you, trust me, I’m welcome here. I’ll warn you next time so you don’t have to elevate your blood pressure to a retaliatory level unnecessarily.
June 6th, 2007 at 3:40 pmNow if Conyers could get the Black Congressional Congress to:
dump FOX News from their debate, and
tell Jefferson to leave Congress.
That Jefferson is a real scumbag. He used vital emergency resources during Katrina to get stuff out of his house. People probably DIED because of that asshole. He should be kicked out of the Democratic party.
June 6th, 2007 at 3:45 pm3503
June 6th, 2007 at 3:51 pmActually, I think this could well have been an accident.
Picture this – the right-wing producer tells his right-wing video tech to cue up some tape of Jefferson. The tech gets video of Conyers, and doesn’t know the difference. And the producer doesn’t know the difference.
I find it entirely plausible that, in a newsroom as open Republican and lily-white as Fox, there wasn’t a single person who was able to catch this mistake.
You often see news reporters misidentify military ranks, or weapons, or aircraft. You know why? Because they don’t have any experience with firearms or the military, and nobody involved in getting the segment on the air has any, either. This just demonstrates how isolated the Fox News crew actually is.
June 6th, 2007 at 3:51 pm#7 Katie
“What I find is amazing is that they really want us to believe it was a mistake. They show a clip of Senator Conyers at the Senate hearing…”
Conyers is not a senator. He is a representative.
Guess you made a “mistake.” It happens.
June 6th, 2007 at 3:52 pmFOX News has no business running any Democratic debates after this screwup.
I have no doubt it was intentional. Like putting a (D) after Foley’s name. They did that three times, even after people told them to stop.
June 6th, 2007 at 3:53 pmComment by TripMaster Monkey
You haven’t proved it to be deliberate. Please provide substantial technical evidence to show that to be true. Nobody can just take your word for it, Trippy.
I need to see links, documents and other apolitical evidence, STAT.
June 6th, 2007 at 3:53 pmObviously, Fox News thinks all black people look alike.
And Fox News thinks all brown people look like terrorists.
They are not a legitimate news network.
June 6th, 2007 at 3:55 pmI see the trolls are in here again, stinking up the place.
Please Don’t Feed The Trolls.
June 6th, 2007 at 3:56 pmI mean, what did Fox have to lose if they didn’t apologize? A few bucks to hire extra security to manage protestors?
Mr. Conyers is calling the apology “lackluster.” Since FOX has claimed to have apologized to him personally, I don’t see how that could be the case. An apology with luster…how do you define that, Mr. Conyers?
June 6th, 2007 at 4:00 pmIf FOX news had shown some fairly unknown black Representative, instead of Jefferson, then the network could claim they made an error, but they showed Conyers a Congressman that FOX attacks all the time.
June 6th, 2007 at 4:00 pmLet’s Put Blame Where Blame Is Due!
After Representative John Murtha (D-PA) decided to blame the United States for the terror plot to level JFK Airport (because 0f our troops in Iraq) I realized it’s high time we place blame where blame is due in other areas of interest.
Let’s face it: fighting terrorism only causes more terrorism, so we’ve got to stop fighting it & it’ll just go away. You know, just like every other problem in the world. Here are some other examples of where good people are to blame for bad things…
1) U.S. Taxpayers – That’s right, ya jerks! Paying your taxes only causes taxes to go higher. Sure, you thought, like I once did, that it’s because you elected Democrats. But no, it’s paying them that causes it!
2) Doctors – Here’s another example of wrongdoing. By fighting disease, these oppressive opportunists are simply paving the way for more airborne attacks at the microscopic level.
3) Construction Workers – You knew this one had to be on the list. Every time you see those guys & gals slaving under a hot sun for 12+ hours a day, you think they’re helping you drive on safer roads? HA! They’re really causing more potholes.
4) Justice System – Locking up criminals prevents them from committing crimes, right? WRONG!!! Locking up criminals causes perfectly innocent people to become deranged, sociopathic warmongers who go on crime sprees just to keep the percentages of murder, armed robbery, etc. at their “normal levels”. C’mon! Quit wasting our tax dollars on fighting something that’s going to be a problem anyway.
4a) I’ll bet Representative Murtha fully supports #4. Especially if we’re talking about bribery charges!
5) Teachers – You think working tons of overtime, with low pay, being unappreciated & dealing with recalcitrant miscreants in the name of fighting illiteracy is noble? Nah. You need to wake up & smell what’s being shoveled. Teachers cause illiteracy by fighting it!
I think Representative Murtha has hit the nail on the head when it comes to placing blame. Heck, anyone who tries to do good in the world is subject, no, DESERVES to be impugned in this matter. As a former Marine, you’d think he’d have a clue of right from wrong. Marines – in my experience as a subordinate to one in my Navy days – tend to have very clear moral clarity. I’ve never met one I wouldn’t be proud to count as a friend (or have on my side in a fight). Somewhere, that Marine lost his way.
June 6th, 2007 at 4:01 pmCongresswoman Yvette Clark (D., NY) has joined Congress Members Jan Schakowsky, William Lacy Clay, Albert Wynn, and Dennis Kucinich in cosponsoring Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Dick Cheney (H. Res. 333). For details, see: http://impeachcheney.org
The list of state Democratic Parties that have passed resolutions urging impeachment of Bush and Cheney has just grown to 15. Meanwhile, 11 state legislatures have introduced such resolutions, which have now been passed by at least 74 cities and towns and a growing list of labor unions and other organizations. These resolutions are all listed at http://impeachpac.org/resolutions-list
June 6th, 2007 at 4:02 pmThe key to an apology is to stop doing what you are apologizing for. Until Fox goes off the air, it’s still going to do crap like this, so they might as well not apologize because it simply rings hollow.
June 6th, 2007 at 4:03 pmWhen is Conyers going to apologize for his Congressional career?
June 6th, 2007 at 4:03 pmGood point, Jay.
There’s no way FOX should have confused the two.
Especially since they’re attacking Conyers all the time.
Lame attacks, like the trolls in here.
June 6th, 2007 at 4:04 pmI see one of the trolls is smoking crack again.
Typical Repuke. They’re all drug addicts.
June 6th, 2007 at 4:05 pmIt was filed under “Negroes in Congress”.
At least he didn’t claim they all look the same to him.
Sheesh.
June 6th, 2007 at 4:05 pm“An apology is not enough.
Two apologies are not enough.
Ten Thousand apologies are not enough.”
Whoa, now. Fox isn’t trying to spare themselves the death penalty for hiring a hitman, for one. Unless it can be proven they deliberately did this, this is fully worth an apology. Technical errors do occur on other stations in any number of ways.
June 6th, 2007 at 4:08 pmThat’s still a pretty lame apology, in my opinion.
June 6th, 2007 at 4:09 pmWhen are the trolls going to apologize for stinking up the place.
Dumbasses.
June 6th, 2007 at 4:10 pmLet’s not forget folks that John Conyers is the man who before the last election said that he believed that there were possibly 23-24 reasons the President could be impeached. Well what do you know, John Conyers just happens to be the Chairman of the House Judiciary committee. Here is a great article by Byron York explaining this issue. Enjoy.
June 6th, 2007 at 4:11 pmhttp://article.nationalreview.com/?q=YjVjM2M2N2U3ZjJlNTRiZmYzZjJkYzJiN2RlZGQyYjY=
It is fairly obvious FOX deliberately did this.
Their track record is way too long for it to be just another accident.
Either that, or they are all smoking crack and are so wasted all the time that they are completely incompetent.
June 6th, 2007 at 4:12 pmit wasn’t whether there was a “connection” between Conyers and Jefferson, it’s that they substituted one for the other… why don’t they just come out and say that??? Jesus…
June 6th, 2007 at 4:13 pm#35 Zooey,
How could it have been improved? What more should they have said? Did you watch the clip for the full quote?
I agreed with you yesterday that the first apology was weak. But, here, I think they have done all they can. They actually went beyond most traditional journalistic corrections.
June 6th, 2007 at 4:18 pmOff to go eat > take care all, and the trolls must stock food around their PCs so they never have to leave. They just cut a hole in their chair and put a bucket under it for a toilet > lol.
June 6th, 2007 at 4:20 pmWhy try it, Fox? The more you apologize, the more they complain.
Comment by CompTROLLER V-1 — June 6, 2007 @ 3:19 pm
I’m sure that’s how Bill Clinton felt. You wingnuts never accept an apology, so you never give a *real* one. As usual your post is pure projection – dum bass.
June 6th, 2007 at 4:21 pmI agreed with you yesterday that the first apology was weak. But, here, I think they have done all they can. They actually went beyond most traditional journalistic corrections. Comment by Exley — June 6, 2007 @ 4:18 pm
That’s b*llsh*t. That’s a weak apology, compared to the whole Dan Rather event – and you wingnuts called for his head. Hypocrite.
June 6th, 2007 at 4:22 pmI still have not heard MSNBC or Olbermann apologize???
Olbermann
Where’s the outrage?
June 6th, 2007 at 4:28 pmComment by ValiantVenusGrewFromUranus
Fox has issued two public apologies, at least one personally, and he’s still complaining. Go define a “real” apology for me. They weren’t required to issue one to remain on the air, for starters.
To quote ‘Mr. President,’ Project much? Project much? Project much? Project much? Project much?
June 6th, 2007 at 4:29 pmi kind of enjoy the trolls here.
i like Patrick1 because he lets us watch a republican reacting to the implosion team bush is going through. he and all his nepotic cronies and are being eaten alive by the press, the newly rejuvenated democratic party, and at this point, even the Angry White Guys of the republican party.
i enjoy seeing someone who probably didnt believe in global warming watching his party coming around and admitting it exists. i enjoy seeing someone who probably said the surge would work watching it do the opposite. i enjoy watching someone who ‘carried water’ for the repubs strain under the weight of those water pails. its fun to watch these guys go from being bullies to pussies.
in a way, im glad bush was president because he is managing to single-handedly usher in a generation of progressive liberal rule. Patrick1 asked for bush and what hes getting has been a goldmine for us liberals. if i were Patrick, id put my head under a rock or wander off somewhere and talk about the good old days when his team was ahead.
thank you Patrick1, team bush, and all the saints of the neocon revolution. i am enjoying your demise and embarrassment immensely. its because of you guys we will probably be democrat and liberal for a long time.
keep posting, trolls–you have no idea how much we love seeing you with soiled pants!
June 6th, 2007 at 4:31 pmI agreed with you yesterday that the first apology was weak. But, here, I think they have done all they can. They actually went beyond most traditional journalistic corrections.
Comment by Exley
In an apology, it’s usually best to have something in there about doing everything they can to make sure the same thing never happens again — especially since Fox is supposed to be a professional news service (we know they’re not, but they pretend, so the same standard applies).
Maybe that’s just me, but I think a promise of future behavior is valuable in an apology.
June 6th, 2007 at 4:33 pmFox needs a ‘generic black’ they can show during these reports.
June 6th, 2007 at 4:37 pm#47
Okay, Zooey. I think this apology was pretty thorough and complete. But I understand what you’re saying.
June 6th, 2007 at 4:40 pmI’m a bit curious about this “mislabelled tape” defense. I believe Fox, like most news organizations nowadays, has a digital morgue. Tapes are for archived footage that’s over two weeks old. If their “intern” had time to put together the Cunningham graphic in Avid, how did they not have time to check the tape to see if it had the same face in it?
June 6th, 2007 at 4:42 pmNot only is the False News Channel practice poor journalism, they are a set of racists too. Unreal.
June 6th, 2007 at 4:44 pmEasy mistake. “They all look alike” right, Brit?
June 6th, 2007 at 4:45 pmWas that footage actually a meeting about Jefferson?
Would be interesting to see if those proceedings that had Conyer’s in the video (no audio) was actually what it was clammed it was labeled as. Anyone in Conyers office know if that was the actual topic of the meeting that video was taped at was on Jefferson?
June 6th, 2007 at 5:11 pmYeah, here we go again. They apologize lamely, then they apologize again with a tad more explanation, but once something is “out there” it’s like trying to put toothpaste back in the tube.
June 6th, 2007 at 5:22 pmTypically, the bigwigs at Fox are blaming a 22-y-o assistant for the error — how convenient. If Fox hadn’t done this many times in the past; if Fox didn’t employ racists and bigots as news anchors; if Fox didn’t send out “talking points” for their anchors to read on the air; if Fox wasn’t a propagandist arm of Bush&Co, their apology might be accepted, but this is just a regular m.o. for them. They have don’t it too often to be anything other than what it was: a slam against the Democrat, Conyers. They play dirty and then they say “oops.”
You haven’t proved it to be deliberate. Please provide substantial technical evidence to show that to be true. Nobody can just take your word for it, Trippy.
I need to see links, documents and other apolitical evidence, STAT.
Comment by CompTROLLER V-1 — June 6, 2007 @ 3:53 pm
Geez, how many black congressmen are there that it would be that much work to positively identify one. Gimme a break.
June 6th, 2007 at 5:24 pmThe footage shown of Conyers was from one of the House of Representatives’ hearings with Alberto Gonzales. The woman in pink, holding up the RESIGN sign, meant it for Gonzales.
The footage had nothing to do with Jefferson. He was not in the footage at all. For that matter, I wonder if he was in the footage of the Jesse Jackson march that was shown along with this story?
Faux “News” would receive failing grades from any reputable broadcast journalism school.
June 6th, 2007 at 5:26 pmThat must be the REAL reason FOX News ran that footage.
It had someone holding up a “RESIGN” sign.
Obviously, FOX News wanted to push that opinion.
They are not a legitimate news organization.
June 6th, 2007 at 5:34 pm“Watch that Fox News or CNN newcaster, besides dressing and putting on make-up like a prostitute,(which in a way, she is) She just reeks of insincerity. She doesn’t care if she tells the truth or not. All she cares about is her career and how she looks on TV. She and thousands like contaminate the airways on your TV nightly. They don’t care about the truth. They only care about their JOB and carrying on the facade that they are important. They are the lowest of the low! These are fake plastic people living in a make-believe world. To except them to tell the truth, is like expecting men to bear children, it’s not going to happen!”
June 6th, 2007 at 5:34 pmFound on the net last year, don’t know who to attribute it too,wasn’t me! Martha Mc Collum would fit right in with the description,I believe!
Fox is on the defensive. Time to move in for the kill.
June 6th, 2007 at 5:35 pm“Fox needs a ‘generic black’ they can show during these reports.”
Comment by Marge N. Overa
I can’t remember the name of the particular Frank Zappa album, but it has just the picture Fux needs………….
June 6th, 2007 at 5:42 pmStop acting like bitches FOX, you don’t need to apologize for shit.
June 6th, 2007 at 5:58 pmDoes anyone really believe this was a mistake?
No way this was an accident. You choose the pic by name not physically by appearance.
This corporate owned right wing fascist media has hit an all time low is showing all how desperate they are.
June 6th, 2007 at 6:01 pmThis is just one more reason why Fox “News” viewers are the most misinformed segment of the American population. It’s hard to tell where the channel’s journalistic incompetence ends and the propaganda begins.
Study Finds Fox News Viewers Most Likely To Have Misperceptions About Iraq Invasion
June 6th, 2007 at 6:08 pmMr. Incident, sir?
June 6th, 2007 at 6:09 pmThe obedience trainer is here for Barney’s session sir.
I know sir, I know Barney’s not a bitch, sir, it’s just a figure of speech among the housekeeping staff, sir.
We just need to deal with her… excuse me, his, leavings sir.
No need to apologize, sir.
It’s said that pets sometime take on aspects of their masters personalities, sir, perhaps you might wish to participate in Barney’s therapy session?
Oh, pardon me, no offense was intended sir, you know how the foxy little bitches like to undermine you behind your back, sir.
I beg your pardon sir?
Your daughters, sir, I meant your daughters.
Sir.
Sir?
This is not the first time cable news has screwed up in favor of the republicans. We have watched them label a republican “D” in stead of “R” when a scandal on a certain republican was talked about.
June 6th, 2007 at 6:23 pmThe racists from Fox that pulled this, replacing Jefferson with Conyers, probably had a great laugh.
Shine a light and the cockroaches scurry.
June 6th, 2007 at 7:31 pma liberal never misses a chance to play the race card
June 6th, 2007 at 8:50 pmHA! Reality is that Faux “News” engaged (again) in dishonest, unprofessional (and likely intentional) race-baiting, by using a clip of a respected black Congressman when they were discussing an entirely different, indicted black Congressman.
Race card played by liberals? No, the neocon Faux “News” hacks play the entire deck, and it is stacked.
June 6th, 2007 at 9:06 pm“We in no way meant to suggest there was any connection between the Jefferson indictment and Congressman Conyers.”
Of course not. Because, silly us, we thought Mr. Conyer was Mr. Jefferson.
June 6th, 2007 at 10:43 pm“Honestly, we don’t think all black people look the same.”
June 6th, 2007 at 11:40 pmi sugest conyers should take a harder line with fox noise like snoop dogg did at one time – when billo verbally attacked mr doggy dogg (who was absent at the time),mr snoop later rebuked mr o’reilly by telling him to,quote – “….suck my muthaf**kin’ dick!!”……mr o’reilly had no comment concerning accomodating mr sddogg’s request
June 6th, 2007 at 11:48 pma liberal never misses a chance to play the race card
Comment by Chris
Since you basically made the same comment already on the first Conyers/Faux News thread, I will repeat my retort to you, Piss-head.
June 7th, 2007 at 1:12 amIs Ann-thrax Coulter liberal? I seldom read her screeds, but I’ve seen a few where she blames liberal opposition to Bush appointments of very conservative blacks and even the unfavorable press about shoplifting WH aide Claude Allen as “racism.â€
But i bet you would have!!
mr snoop later rebuked mr o’reilly by telling him to,quote – “….suck my muthaf**kin’ dick!!â€â€¦â€¦mr o’reilly had no comment concerning accomodating mr sddogg’s request
Comment by darth vader
June 7th, 2007 at 7:45 am