Fox News Comes Down on the Side of God

Studio Briefing ^ | June 28, 2002 | Lew Irwin

[X-USAF]

Fox News's decision to display the office telephone number of the San Francisco federal judge who struck down the use of "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance on Wednesday has raised eyebrows among some broadcast journalists. Bob Roberts, a reporter for WBBM Radio news in Chicago, commented in the industry newsletter Shop Talk: "Where I come from, that's harassment. There are plenty of ways to air the story without stooping to that level." Other news organizations focused on how the ruling by Judge Alfred Goodwin of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco had touched off outrage among the general public. Few noted that similar court decrees in the past had referred to the court's duty to protect the "establishment clause" of the Constitution from the "tyranny of the majority." (On Thursday, Judge Goodwin stayed his own order.)

[X-USAF]

Fox took a chapter out of the Free Republic's playbook. Way to go Fox!

I wonder how many actually called because of Fox's decision.

[Inspectorette]

I was thinking you were going to mention Brit Hume's closing comments the past two nights - "fair, balanced, unafraid, and under God".

Brit is awesome.

[gubamyster]

Looks like they were reporting the information & letting the viewers decide if they wanted to call.

[JustAnAmerican]

"Bob Roberts, a reporter for WBBM Radio news in Chicago, commented in the industry newsletter Shop Talk: "Where I come from, that's harassment." "

Public office holders have no rights to privacy on public ground. Don't you just love it when others use the DimWits own tactics against them :)

[Khepera]

They should also publish his home address and phone number as well.

[mv1]

A lot of posters said, round about December of last year, that Fox was moving left and wasn't to be trusted.

[RightWhale]

Judge Alfred Goodwin of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has suspended his decision pending appeal. Looks like a dead issue.

[Tired of Taxes]

"On Thursday, Judge Goodwin stayed his own order."

Must've been a reaction to all the death threats from so many "Christians".

[X-USAF]

I agree. We report, you decide. They reported the number, Americans decided to call.

[Aggie Mama]

Brit is a babe. =)

[X-USAF]

Bob Roberts would have a hard time defining harassment.

I bet he has trouble defining the word "is".

[Wm Bach]

Must've been a reaction to all the death threats from so many "Christians".

No, it's death threats from DU pukes posing as Christians.

[RoseofTexas]

I heard that too, I am EXTREMELY proud of FOX!! Brit kicks!

[Williams]

This will be an unpopular comment under the circumstances, but I have real problems with public pressure being used on federal judges. I guess you have the right to call, but the federal judge should totally ignore the calls. It is not a popularity contest, and it isn't a congressman's office where they see how the calls are running. The judiciary should be totally independent, and it frankly shouldn't care who is angered by the decisions. Picture an umpire.

I totally oppose the decision, but one of my favorite sayings is taht if you ask a judge or jury a question, you run the risk of getting an answer. I blame the people who appointed these judges,the earlier establishment clause decisions that provided cover for this one, and the judges themselves.

[mhking]

"Where I come from, that's harassment. There are plenty of ways to air the story without stooping to that level."

I don't find that stooping at all - if anything, it's having the courage of your convictions. Something that the other nets seem to be lacking in for the most part...

[X-USAF]

Brit is a babe.

Though I cannot agree with you, I can tell you that my significant other refers to Brit Hume as Basset Hound.

[MississippiMan]

Raising eyebrows of broadcast journalists. What a joke. They sure don't mind activism as long as it's aimed in the other direction.

MM

[Boatlawyer]

More likely due to Dr. Newdow's own too-clever-by-half-comments, in which he admitted that the case was basically a sham, i.e. his daughter didn't mind saying the pledge, rather it was he who had the problem.

The correct decision based on this "new evidence" would be for the court to vacate the ruling and impose Rule 11 sanctions on Dr. Newdow in the form of paying the school board's attorney fees

[The Raven]

What about his silly ruling......that's harrassing the whole damn country.

Quote of the day....

"...It has been well said that really up-to-date liberals do not care what people do, as long as it is compulsory"...George Will