Fox Anchor Calls Obama Fist Pound A "Terrorist Fist Jab"

Update: MediaMatters has issued a call to action around this incident.

ACTION: The Obamas' affectionate "fist bump" is no "terrorist fist jab"

On the June 6 edition of Fox News' America's Pulse, host E.D. Hill teased an upcoming discussion on a gesture Sen. Barack Obama shared with his wife, Michelle, saying, "A fist bump? A pound? A terrorist fist jab? The gesture everyone seems to interpret differently."

A "terrorist fist jab"? Seriously?

Tell Fox News this is appalling and unacceptable, and demand an apology from E.D. Hill.

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Original Post: MediaMatters reports that Fox News' E.D. Hill referred to the Barack-Michelle Obama fist pound as a "terrorist fist jab" during Friday's edition of "America's Pulse."

During the June 6 edition of Fox News' America's Pulse, host E.D. Hill teased an upcoming discussion by saying, "A fist bump? A pound? A terrorist fist jab? The gesture everyone seems to interpret differently." In the ensuing discussion with Janine Driver -- whom Hill introduced as "a body language expert" -- Hill referred to the "Michelle and Barack Obama fist bump or fist pound," adding that "people call it all sorts of things." Hill went on to ask Driver: "Let's start with the Barack and Michelle Obama, because that's what most people are writing about -- the fist thump. Is that sort of a signal that young people get?" At no point during the discussion did Hill explain her earlier reference to "a terrorist fist jab."

From the June 6 edition of Fox News' America's Pulse:

HILL: A fist bump? A pound? A terrorist fist jab? The gesture everyone seems to interpret differently. We'll show you some interesting body communication and find out what it really says.

CNN notes that the fist-pound is catching on. Witness Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Kay Bailey Hutchison share a fist-pound here during CNN's Late Edition.

Related: Obama Fist-Bump Rocks The Nation! [ETP]

Comments

[ObamaCanada]

Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco were doing fist bumps in 1988 for the Oakland A's and now all of a sudden the media just discovers this and loses thier heads. Is everyone in the MSM a square like that Flinstones episode.

[thylacine550]

did you see that white little girl doing the "terrorist fist jab" with her (I presume) dad in the pic that links to this story?

oh my god. this is it. now the terrorists have our children. they have taken control of their little minds and sending them out to begin signalling for jihad.

(crying, *sniff*) won't someone PLEASE think of the children!?

PS- Fox News is, collectively, a dumbass.

[brandill]

A good representation that black america does not have to -die to themselves­-(i.e. give up their culture) to be accepted. Our way is quite alright as well. Great black family moment. It was almost like a inside thing that only we understood. I think it is a cultural thing even more so than generational. Because you can approach an African American of any age and they would know exactly what you mean by it. Take my two year old; who on every visit to his 85 year great grandad's house great him with some "dap". I don't know if you could read her lips, but she said "give me some". Now what black person can't relate to that. Mainstream media was like huh what, what did it mean? Black families all of the country where like we know exactly what it meant and they commenced to dap each other in celebration. Beautiful!

[theistus]

Oh please, anyone 40 or under, and probably quite few older, has seen and done this or something very similar to it one point. It's been around since the 80's.

[collima]

Obama supporters need to explain how the republicans are blocking progress in solving many of the financial challenges we face day to day in America. Our taxes is not the problem... The cost of virtually everything else is... Don't be fooled by the same old tricks "He wants to raise your taxes"... That's bullshit. The cost of living has gone through the roof thanks to republican policies that cater to the special coporate interests.­... End the game... Vote for Obama.

[Jess27]

Since reading this story, I have integrated the "terrorist fist jab" into my daily life. I make sure to let everyone know that faux news called it a "terrorist fist jab" and they are all confused. I tried to google it to see if there has been a reference to "terrorist fist jab" before faux news, and I found nothing other than responses to the idiot on faux.

[ConcernedAmerican]

What's funny is that my white, somewhat racist neighbor was unaware this whole time that him and I are terrorists since that is how we always greet each other. My 3 year old son as well, and the entire nfl, nba, mlb, nhl, pga, lpga, wwe, etc. etc. etc....

[rahmanya]

I like your comment "Concerned American" even my 6 years old daughter understands that gesture! every time she sees me and her mum does that she will ask me "Daddy did your football team win again?" of course that's a gesture of Victory, support passion and pure bond and solidarity ! it represent the new age! the way we now communicate and express our feelings to each other! this FOX news people!!! I can not believe that you have this bunch of DUMMMYS representing America!!! it's a shame!!!!!!

[Wanjiru]

I have had about ENOUGH of Fox News, but this is really it for me!
E.D. Hill SHOULD BE FIRED, PERIOD.
We can no longer stomach the NONSENSE and GARBAGE that continues to be spewed out by this network.
The time has come to begin cleaning house over at FOX News, either that or the network needs to be pulled from the air COMPLETELY.
Enough insults, garbage and nonsense already.

...I have signed the MediaMatters petition, sent an email to E.D. Hill, called Fox News and forwared this to dozens of people...

...let me know what else I can do...


*Pissed off and had enough*

.

[Spazzers]

What you're asking for could be called censorship, something the liberals are staunchly against, or so I thought. It's funny how many liberals want to censor FOX. My recommendation is, if you don't enjoy the content of the program then don't watch it. You won't be pissed off any longer.

[whiskeytangofoxtrot451]

I stopped watching Fox "News" a long time ago and I'm much happier for it. I think I even regained about 20 IQ points since then.

I agree they shouldn't be censored. Just mocked and ridiculed.

Another thing that shouldn't be done to them is to label them as any of the following: legitimate, accurate, a news organization, objective, fair, balanced, intelligent, or serious.

They are the official propaganda wing of the GOP and that is what everyone should call them.

[sustainable]

you got that right

[TrevorAlan]

Isn't that fist pound at least 20 years old, if not more? Aren't there scores of movies and TV shows where the heroes do that to each other.

Is the right wing so desperate that they have to try to rebrand the high five as an Al Queda signal? And will this finally show the nation they are insane?

[aflurry]

I absolutely LOVE the Manchurian Candidate paranoia this election is bringing up. It is so hilarious.­.."Obama the secret Muslim." "The terrorist fist jab." My god its funny.

I wonder what is really the source of it all. Is it really just calculated insinuation and suggestion? Or is there some sublimated fears that are being mashed up in their brains to make them believe the psychotic delusions?

[pdxjcc]

I sent a complaint to Fox News over this issue this morning and got back an immediate reply:

"Hill, E.D."
to me
More options 9:48 am (47 minutes ago)
I will be addressing it today at 2 pm eastern on Fox News.

[Star2000dancer]

Strange, of all the body language & expressions I've watched so closely, this fist jab did not bother me.

[ibsteve2u]

Think I'll wait for the HuffPo condensed version...­for the same reason you're supposed to wave your hand over a beaker of unknown chemicals to bring just a whiff to your nose, rather than stuff your face in it and take a big snort.

[mesmerize]

This is the reason some people need to come out and mingle more with people of different back grounds so they can be more aware of such things as the fist pound. That anchor woman should not comment on things she knows nothing about. Some people are such troublemakers. They make me sick.

[omaro]

Well said. I'm a 62-year-old white grandma, and I got the "way to go, we did it, good luck on your speech" message from Michelle to Barack, as well as the affectionate pat he gave her. I think this commentator was just adding to the stream of "they're somehow different from us" messages reverberating around right-wing talk radio, TV, and blogosphere. Followed, of course, when confronted, by feigned innocence.

[NotMcCain]

If a fist bump is code for terrorism, then a chest bump must be code for a nuclear attack.

Whatever happened to the Fairness Doctrine? Why are there so many genuinely stupid people pontificating on "news" shows everywhere you look now? It's really strange.

[pdxjcc]

"If a fist bump is code for terrorism, then a chest bump must be code for a nuclear attack."
Love that. :DDDDD (huge laugh out load). Good one.

[kinnycut]

Don't over analyze this she is just another stupid b---h allowed to run amok on the Republican News Network

[bos123]

LOL, LOL, LOL

[pdxjcc]

All too often someone says or does something in the media that completely slays me. And here is a host on a major cable station, wondering what the fist-touch means, completely clueless as to how stupid they sound, and all for the purpose of hateful spin.

It's a promise, it's a handshake with real meaning, it's an agreement, it's saying that they are so on-board with one another that words are completely unnecessary at that moment in time. The people that don't understand this probably haven't experienced things like grocery stores, that's my guess.

Come on, who are these people who don't "get" what fist-touching means? If someone were to offer it to them, would they just sit there, dumbfounded, and not know what to do? The beauty of this is--we can enter their world, but they sure don't know their way around our ours. It is actually pretty funny. Yes, I wrote the letters to Fox demanding an apology.
.

[Spazzers]

Could it be that Hill asked the question, yes it was a question, about the terrorist fist jab as a means of shocking the audience not unlike shock radio jocks do? Look at all the free publicity the question made for her program. Even bad publicity is better than no publicity. Free publicity is the best.

[nonofyabusiness]

this Hill is as Dumb as a Post!!!

Will do anything (ANYTHING) to keep her job

Wonder what she did to get that job?

[dejayel]

And why are insulting posts everywhere?

[indypete]

She signed on the dotted couch!