Shepard Smith Goes Nuclear Over Viewer's Email

Fox News' Shepard Smith was very upset over an email he received regarding his discussion of the potential bailout of the auto industry, and he was not afraid to show it. Smith read the whole email on the air, and then repeatedly insulted the man, starting off by acknowledging he mispronounced the emailer's name, but flatly declaring he "didn't care." Watch it.

Comments

[POTUS2008]

the republicans are a failed ideology anti-union anti-human and the public tossed them on the trash heap, the good government is moving in, and the haters and destroyers will soon be out of office!

[peggyleg]

Unions are yesterday way of thinking...I thought we were moving on...

[GKHaley]

Reagan wasn't quite able to kill the unions and neither was "W". We are moving on and UNIONS are very much a part of it.

[elcojonu]

If AIG , Goldman Sachs, et al were ' too big to fail ' couldn't we say the same thing about GM and Ford ?
Is the U.S. to be left without an Auto Industry ?
That's what's at stake here.
3 to 5 million jobs could disappear; the way I see it, we have no choice.
Stop the BS and let's get it done.

[youmustbejoking]

The big ? -- which I admit I don't know -- is did he speak out against the bank bail out. None of them should have been saved. That's what failing businesses do -- fail!! My credit card companies have raised my rates - though I have not missed any payments and indeed overpay a few by several hundred $$$s. I don't C anyone coming to my defense or trying to save me from going under!!! or making 'predatory lenders' back off!

[Xysea]

Time to re-read 'Disaster Capitalism' by Naomi Klein. :(

Also, 'too big to fail' was something these companies, their lobbies and the government decided. Not us. There is no such creature as a corporation 'too big to fail.'

[peggyleg]

I don't believe this for a second....someone will come in and "build a better mousetrap" behind these big 3 companies....and all the people who really produce at them now will be hired on....

[whatt]

what are you smoking?

[BlackTom]

HAHA
All the people who( really) work for the big three will be employed by some other company that will come along?
Some company that doesn't currently exist and has no infrastructure is going to employ all those people ?
Surely that sounds ridiculous even to you.

[jenny42]

Is Shep gay?

[Pancy]

Hmm...Hispanic email writer gets lawn care analogy from Shep. Anyone else find that more than a little condesending?

[elcojonu]

In the old days( 60's and 70's ), he would have been met outside the studio with a request by a macho del barrio to repeat his comment face-to-face.
Love how these milk toast, barely male commentators on Radio and TV go around mouthing off thinking that they will never be challenged man-to-man.
None of these guys look like they've ever been in a fight with another male at least since Elementary School. Soft to the Core.
They're good with the mouth, but that's all.

[peggyleg]

So, another example of "going backwards" instead of "going forward" and "change" from the BO kool-aid drinkers....amazing..my g u n is bigger than your g u n ? Shesh...get a grip...

[peggyleg]

What? Why does there always seem to be a LIBERAL pointing out something to do with "race"....wow, how do you know what color his lawn care person is? Mine is white.

[CR46]

To boycott Campbells soup products that advertize on Fox News and tell them how you feel about their advertizing on fox/tox call 1-800-257-8443

[Nan2008]

OL'SHEP decides to name HIS own worst person in the WORLD.

[keepemhonest]

Actually, most rightwingers WANT to bail out the auto industry. I don't EVER agree with Fox News but Shep is right on this one, why should the American taxpayers bailout the auto industry who REFUSED to manufacturer economy cars 10 years ago when Congress asked them to?

I am totally pro-union and pro-labor and pro-American, but the only way the US should bail the auto industry CEO's out is if 1) they all give back the million dollar bonus, 2) they all QUIT or are fired, 3) Congress DEMAND they build 'green' cars.

Otherwise, screw those stupid greedy CEO's.

[dtrain51]

Why bail out any one and that in clude Wall Street, that money 700 billion dollars so go to the state to start to rebuild our roads and bridges and pull people back to work.

[transe]

I totally agree with you. The american economy can't stand the collapse of the auto industries. We have ended up as a country who doesn't manufacture anything. The CEO's who created this mess have to go. And I am totally pro-union, but UAW, is going to have to make some concessions also. But, I am not optimistic, I think greed is going to win out.

[BuckeyeGal]

The problem is that there are not enough union members in other industries. People are envious of the wages and benefits UAW members get. And it's understandable, with right to work states, at will states and the economy in the crapper. But giving up more is not the solution. Everyone else will be lowered, too.

[peggyleg]

Just likeAmerica "couldn't survive" without the bailout to the banks...what t r i p e, that money is still sitting there, 2 months later....

[BonnieJW]

The auto industry built what the customers wanted to buy 10 years ago: SUV's. Hd the customers wanted high economy vehicles, the auto industry would have built those. It will cost the federal government $200 billion if the auto industry goes under; is that better than the $25 billion bridge loan they are asking for?

[faustbos]

Some of us wanted fuel efficient cars 10 years ago, and thats why we bought foreign. Some us don't want to reward a broken industry that stifed innovation.

I would rather see a company like Telsa, move to detroit, get part of that $25 billion, and replace one of the big 3. I'd also require results for that loan.

How about the big 3 get replaced, and all the workers get to work at the new big 3.

[BlackTom]

Bingo. We wanted big trucks and SUV's and that is what we got. THe price of gas doubled, then tripled at a rate which was too fast for Detroit to keep up with.
THe GOV will pay, one way or another, as you say. However, the cheaper way preserves the inductry, infrastructure, and jobs. Then we have a much shorter route to recovery.

[PogMoHoin]

YTD sales
"Big Three" USA
GM - 2,562,048
Ford - 1,656,173
Chrysler - 1,278,049
Total - 5,496,270

"Big Three" Overseas
Toyota - 1,945,404
Honda - 1,266,447
Nissan - 842,643
Total - 4,054,494

GM is seling about 600,000 more vehicles, but Toyota still make more money. US car makers stll outsell their foreign competition by nearly a million and a half. It's simply because their costs are lower, they don't have to pay people who are no longer working there. Basically, they haven't the UAW trying to screw them at evert point. When will the UAW figure out that they are hurting themselves in the long run. The auto bailing out the car makers, it's bailing out the union.

BTW... I am a union member (CWA).

[bygollymissmolly]

The problem with the auto industry is not the unions. The problem is the enormous price they have to pay for health care for their workers.

Toyota makes more profit off the sale of their cars because they are cheaper to make. Toyota does not make cars in the USA because of the enormous cost they would have to pay for health insurance for their workers. So, they make their cars in Canada where they don't have this added expense, and can thereby make a car cheaper.

The auto industry has been asking for universal health care for quite some time now.

Also, it sickens me to hear you blame the auto industry because they are "paying for people who are no longer working". These would be retirees. These people worked for their pensions. Would you have them cut off?

I find it very hard to believe that you are a volunteer union worker.

[BlackTom]

The big 3 contracted with their workers to provide health insurance during retirement.. That was and is the deal. What did health insurance cost, twenty, thirty, forthy years ago? A fraction of current costs. THIS is why GM is in such deep trouble. Health care costs, over which they have no control, have increased by 1000%, since they made the agreement with their workers. If we had a national health care system, LIKE EVERY SINGLE MODERN/DEVELOPED NATION ON EARTH, then GM would be golden.
That's it.

[PKSSK]

The American auto industry sacraficed quality for profit and that's the sole reason they are in this predicament. Think about it, the foreign car industry, Toyota/Honda, has continually grown their market share by building a better quality auto that cost a little more and people were willing to pay for an auto that required less maintenance and gas costs. Not rocket science to build autos that benefit the consumers pocket, which ultimately benefits the foreign auto industry by increasing their market share and bottom line over the long run. The shortsightedness and greed of the American auto industry, and corp mentality in general, which is to sacrafice quality to make greater profits for the top guns, board members and in the case of the auto industry, their fellow oil and gas industry buddies, has cost them dearly in the long run, as we see today. Karma is nice, but it's sad that the negative effects trickle down and impact all of us. Bankruptcy is the only alternative. Need to clean house and start over.

[proudem]

The rest of my comment

So Shep, it is not just one union man thinking only of himself. If the auto industry fails, there will be 3 million jobs lost. Again, not all of these jobs are union. This will impose an even greater burden on states in the form of social services, it will decrease state and federal revenues and will add to the already overburdened housing foreclosures. Your complete lace of understanding is astounding

[Abby1]

I understand your perspective and I believe that you are right. However, I think that the unions have played a bigger role in the American auto industry demise. The labor cost is staggering. The unions have demanded high pay and a wealth of benefits for the union workers. If the American auto industry did not have such high labor cost, perhaps it could have shifted funds towards innovation and fuel efficiency technology to compete against the Japanese car makers. I have relatives that live in and around the Detroit area. They say that a lot of these auto workers make or made a lot of money. They have no sympathy for them because of their high wages. They believe these auto workers should have huge savings accounts to survive.

[proudem]

How much do you think that Union workers make? There is a misconception that they make 100K a year. The average salary is 56k a year with health benefits. Part of their salary is invested (another benefit) in retirement accounts. They get no more than anyone in an average paying job. I will tell you the CEO (a slash and burn guy) of Ford who cut 51,000 (that's fifty one thousand) jobs and closed 17 plants in the last 2 years made 28 million in salary last year and another 60 million (thats MILLION) in bonuses. Please stop blaming workers. They just build cars. They don't get to decide which cars or how many...that is management.

The bottom line (and what repugs don't like) is that workers have employment contracts. Executives also have employment contracts that provide for salary, benefits and retirement. Why is it OK for Executives to have contracts but not for workers?

One other point that few people know...Ford makes the Fusion in Mexico and they pay their workers about $12 US dollars an hour with no benefits. Have you seen the price of a Fusion drop since they moved the operation to Mexico? Not one penny. And disemboweling the Union will not make cars cheaper nor will it save the company. What will save the Automakers is restructuring, starting from the top. Let's take the CEO's bonus and put it into research and development, for instance.

[Abby1]

I forgot to mention that large executive pay has also contributed towards the large labor cost.

[leftcoastindy]

Is there any verification on this 3 million jobs number? I seem to here it only from the industry people.

[proudem]

There are some actual sound numbers that reach very close to 3 million. Please keep in mind that that includes auto industry employees, suppliers, transportation and dealerships. It also includes the businesses that are directly effected by the industry. I have read a number of articles on this but I can't actually give you the URL at the moment. Google it. and Check the business section of huffpo, WSJ, NYT.

[proudem]

I hate to state the obvious but their are so many differences between bailing out the auto industry and say the airline industry or Shep's lawn care guy. First of all, it is ALL of the auto makers that are in trouble. Granted it is due to a number of issues, i.e. lack of foresight, lack of innovation and greed, but it is not due to worker employment contracts. If the auto industry could pay minimum wage and no benefits...it would. As a matter of fact the auto industry is no longer paying their supervisors (who have no employment contract) overtime (which is not time and a half but straight time for hours worked). They are instead giving them "comp" days off. Banks and grocery stores do not take comp hours for payment.

When the airline industry went into financial difficulties, it was not the entire American industry.They provide a service. They do not manufacture goods. They continued to operate with little or no interruption. And while they are a much needed service in our nation, the entire industry was not doomed to fail.

The same argument can be applied to Shep's lawn care guy...if he fails, there are others to take his place. In other words, it is not the entire lawn care market that will go under. Again, lawn car people provide a service, they do not manufacture goods.

[GKHaley]

Wow. A intelligent argument. Bravo. Excellent post.

[BlackTom]

Sales are down 30-40%. Name an industry or business that can survive that.

Why are sales down? One- credit has become extraordinarily tight. Two- people are scared and not buying much of anything. Three- the stock market collapse has wiped out peoples savings, so they are not in a hurry to go spend. Four - Gas prices spiked at $4=/gallon, making everyone wish for fuel efficient cars that don't really exist. This is like a perfect storm impacting sales, which is the source of revenues. With the fixed outflow of cash, and a massively restricted inflow of cash, these guys are TEMPORARILY in big trouble. They need temprary help, because there are huge consquences to both Chapter 11 and Chapter 7.

[proudem]

absolutely right

[SanityNow]

Is Shepard Smith any relation to Carrot Top?
http://www.warrenandderrick.com/2008/01/is-it-just-me.html

[vazzy13]

I want a bailout on my student loans, can I get a piece?

[klinzboy]

We'll know we're in trouble when Shep has to mow his own lawn! Fox News - the new Comedy Channel!

[Unshriven]

That email took the words right out of my mouth.

[love5pets]

LOL LOL...what a laugh. Fixed News, the Bush Administration's media enabler for 8 long years, has become fiscally responsible...all of a sudden.

Whaaa, whaaa, poor Shepard, didn't get any last night?

[bail me out]

we re gonna have 4 years of TOX channel weaning.