Shepard Smith Says His Email Is Becoming "More And More Frightening" (VIDEO)

UPDATE 6/11: Rush Limbaugh responded to Fox News' Shepard Smith's expression of concern over increasing anger from viewers since the election of President Barack Obama.

Limbaugh played the clip, referenced liberal anger at President George W. Bush and said, "For liberals to claim that the atmosphere is somehow more violently anti-Obama is simply preposterous." He mocked Shep Smith for "whining and moaning and complaining about emails" and said he got plenty of angry emails himself, including some calling him a "Jew-lover." "Shep," he said, "you got nothing on anybody out there."

Listen:

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Fox News' Shepard Smith's pretty well known -- and oft praised -- for the way he can size up a news event and expose his own authentic concern without seeming mawkish or phony. And in the wake of today's shooting at the Holocaust Museum, Smith went on the air today to talk about the emails he's been receiving for "the past few months," and how they've been getting "more and more frightening."

SMITH: There are people now, who are way out there on a limb. And I think they're just out there on a limb with the email they send us. Because I read it, and they are out there. I mean, out there in a scary place...I could read a hundred of them like this...I mean from today. People who are so amped up and so angry for reasons that are absolutely wrong, ridiculous, preposterous."

He went on to read an email, filled with the usual paranoid "birther" nonsense, which included an admonishment to Smith. "This is, I promise, a representative sample of the kind of things that we get here," Smith said.

Time will tell if Smith's colleagues at Fox stop taking these sorts of emails casually. Smith clearly could do that no longer. I think that's appropriate!

WATCH:

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Comments

[jmanders2009]

I suspect that Shepherd has been getting this kind of email lately because, when arguing some of his points on controversial issues, his passion has caused him to translate his personal views into dogmatic statements which seem to leave little room for debate. The most prominent example are the reports he's done on "enhanced interrogation techniques." He has a right to believe what he wants on the issue, and he has a right to be passionate about it. What I disagree with are the assumptions and underlying judgment statements he makes about those of us who see it a different way. For starters, I and a whole lot of other Americans don't classify waterboarding as torture. Surprise!! And one thing a lot of us resent is people imposing their own personal conception or definition of what torture is on us. You do not have that permission! For all that's been said about it, waterboarding is still only simulated drowning and there are no long-term physical effects suffered by the individual. Those are the facts!
I think guys like Shep and even Sean have to be careful about coming across as if their personal opinion on some of these issues, no matter how strongly held, is the only one there is. There are matters, whether we want to accept it or not, in which we have to leave room for disagreement and debate.

[rich misty]

No matter what you call it, it's still a crime. Your beliefs are criminal.

http://www.truthout.org/042709J -Reagan prosecuted waterboarding

This activity has always been prosecuted in the US, and what actually occurred included the torture rapes of children.

Of course your kind think it's all okay.

[riff4u]

I can't believe that Faux News hasn't found an excuse to fire Shep. He gets overly passionate sometimes and the fact that he's gay as a picnic basket makes it even harder to understand why they keep him.

[KriTiKiT]

finally someone said it... and it was the normal guy on fox that did it.

[metaphysicist]

i have traveled America for over THREE years as a part of my job!

i do NOT go to extravagant, sexy, cosmopolitan places..

i go to almost every podunk town across America...between the Pacific and the Mississippi

it is a FRIGHTENING experience to listen to the CRAP people spew, believe, and propagate

most of you people are in the bubble...ever comforted by your familiar...

the right is surrounded by like minds and so is the left

but outside your comfort zones is a SCARY place

go to the buffalo wings restaurant in Odessa Texas, the outback steak house in Corvallis Oregon

i have a list LONGER than my arm!!! of cities i have visited

go listen to the people...don't talk JUST listen!!!

i guarantee fear and loathing is NOT just in VEGAS!!!

stupid humans we get what we deserve!!!

[allafatjoke]

This would be an excellent time to tell the sheeple to ki.ll their tv's.

[Obamanaut]

I'd like to know whether the report by Shepard Smith on Fox, or Scarborough on MSNBC came first. It seems that one is an intentional copy of the other. They're exactly the same witht the exception of Scarborough referencing hate emails citing Paul Krugman (which isn't true, I'm sure) and that Krugman is inciting these hateful messages. The weird thing is, Fox is more in line with with the truth on this one. That's weird.

[shoabear]

No, they are completely different. Shep is simply reporting an alarming increase in crazy emails.
Shep, regardless of the fact that he is a Fox New Correspondent, shows that he can be honest about his feelings and what is happening which can be a slap in the face to Fox rhetoric. Everyone knows that Shep is capable of this. He also went talked about having zero tolerance for torture when everyone else around him was saying "enhanced interrogation techniques." Shep, despite being on Fox, maintain some integrity. I like him for that.

Scarborough on the other hand was trying to spin this idea that the left is using Krugman cites to fuel an anti-right hate.

Shep was merely citing the increase of hate mail from right wing nutjobs and expressing concern.

Scarborough was REACTING to Krugman's criticism of the right wing rhetoric that fuels extremists ideology and behavior. Scarborough was spinning to cover his ass.

Very different intentions, very different indeed. Just b/c Shep is at Fox and Scarborough is at MSNBC doesn't mean they are both in alignment with their network's predominant bias. On some level, these two men act as free agents.

[elizlucinda]

I believe Shepard Smith is calling on everyone to "cool down some of the hate filled rhetoric that is filling up the Internet these days. At least he is acknowledging the obvious. hopefully, he will leave that station of misfits and join a network deserving of his thoughtfulness.

[thetruthmustbetold]

where was Mr. Smith for the past 7 years?

[bobh]

The liberal blogosphere was rabidly anti-Bush, but there was this key difference: there was no call for violence, no incitement to it.

If Smith is so appalled at the rising tide of hate engendered by his network, why doesn't he quit?

[shoabear]

why quit? He is the only voice of sanity on that network.

[obamaluv]

I hate that Fox news. We all hate it, right or am I missing something.

[LeaderofMen]

Rush knows his listeners don't listen to anything else except him and Fox News. No one ever called for the death of Bush - EVER. Not once. No one ever openly discussed it. Rush is just talking out his ass, as he usually does.

Already, the right wing terrorists in this country have provided ample evidence that they are on the march and are ready to take out the president. Everyone except for Shep at Fox is ready to allow that to happen. Rush will never denounce it. When shots are fired, Rush knows that nothing he says can be used against him or his listeners. He already knows that, so he has no incentive whatsoever to defend our gov't.

[TrojanHorseObama]

Shepard Smith- such a hottie !

[DonJM]

I wish Shepard Smith would join a real news network--maybe CNN. His talents are so wasted at Fox.

[october2009]

Am I the only one that remembers when people used to be angry towards George Bush? Don't get me wrong, I dislike GW, however I don't see the difference between now and then.

This is just that silly Republican vs. Democrat garbage. It's called divide and conquer.

[coffeebaby]

people were angry at george bush for starting a war and ruining the economy. the people referenced in the article are angry because a black man was elected president.

[ZachWayne]

When Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity called Obama "socialist," "fascist," "tyrannical" and "dangerous" after just a few short days as president, even Bill O'Reilly identified the comments as undeserving hate speech. That said, the right-wing end of the blogosphere has put Shepard Smith on the chopping block, saying that he should be fired for the dismay and concern he expressed about the upsurge in hate and hyperbole.

Instead, Smith should be commended for exercising journalistic principles of ethics and responsibility, calling out hate speech. In doing so, he raises the level of discussion about the consequences that can arise when news coverage is not kept comprehensive and proportional. The arrogance and scare-mongering, the spread of disinformation, the exploitation of an audience, in the place of comprehensive analysis and debate; it all fans the flames of hatred and needless violence.

With this segment, Smith seems to acknowledge that we must examine hateful emails and paranoid rants with greater caution, do better to promote truth and tolerance, and facilitate a civil and sensible tone in our political discourse. Even Limbaugh, who claims that he gets his share of wacky letters from anti-Semitic listeners, has a role to play in denouncing this kind of talk, not just simply dismissing it.

[ZachWayne]

Of course, as I write this, I turn on Fox News to see the FoxNation.com promo on, "The Fox Nation is for those committed to the core principles of tolerance, open debate, civil discourse — and fair and balanced coverage of the news.” As one writer said, "Putting aside the prominent display given Fox commentators Bill O’Reilly, Sean Hannity and Glenn Beck, and putting aside Rush Limbaugh’s ubiquitous presence on the site, it takes only a few seconds to find glorious examples of how fair and balanced Fox Nation’s coverage is."

[Source:] http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/grapeshot/entries/2009/04/03/fox_nation.html

What I also should have mentioned above, Limbaugh, like O'Reilly, Hannity, Beck, and the rest, should live up to this promo's commitment to civil discourse and stop disseminating their own hateful fear-mongering remarks.

[Greg285]

These pathetic Republicans and their supporters are a JOKE! You lost, so get over it!! The GOP is cannibalizing themselves from within and as an Independent, I’m loving the view of these clowns devouring each other from the sideline.. The GOP, not President Obama destroyed the USA and it began with your beloved Ronald Reagan. Stop placing blame on others and step up and accept your failures….