Fox News Exec Bill Sammon Linked Obama To Socialism On Air, But Thought It Wasn't True (AUDIO)

A Fox News executive was caught on tape saying he pushed the notion that Barack Obama was a socialist on air--even though he thought the "premise" was "far-fetched."

Media Matters obtained audio of Bill Sammon, Fox News' Washington managing editor, speaking on a Mediterranean cruise in 2009. On the tape, Sammon begins by talking about "mischief," before segueing into what he identifies as some mischief-making of his own:

"Last year, candidate Barack Obama stood on a sidewalk in Toledo, Ohio, and first let it slip to Joe the Plumber that he wanted to 'spread the wealth around.' At that time, I have to admit that I went on TV on Fox News and publicly engaged in what I guess was some rather mischievous speculation about whether Barack Obama really advocated socialism, a premise that privately I found rather far-fetched."

Sammon goes on to say that he stopped thinking the idea was far-fetched when he saw Obama taking action to prop up the ailing American car industry.

"The debate over whether America is headed for socialism seems all too real, especially to those who still believe in capitalism," he said.

LISTEN:

Sammon did indeed go on air and talk about socialism, multiple times. On one occasion in October 2008, he told Greta Van Susteren, ""I have read Barack Obama's books pretty carefully, and he in his own words talks about being drawn to Marxists. ... Now all this stuff's coming out about whether he's a socialist. I don't know why anyone is surprised by it, because if you read his own words...it's not a huge shock."

This is not the first time that Media Matters has targeted Sammon. The site also obtained leaked emails showing him asking staffers to echo GOP talking points on health care reform and to cast doubt on climate change.

In an interview with The Daily Beast's Howard Kurtz on Tuesday, Sammon said that his use of "mischievous speculation" in the speech was "my probably inartful way of saying, 'can you believe how far this thing has come?'" He admitted that, in 2008, he "considered it kind of a remarkable notion that we would even be having the conversation" about socialism, but that he raised it on air because "it was a main point of discussion on all the channels, in all the media."

Comments

[AlienC]

03:14 AM on 04/02/2011

Equal justice for all is a socialist concept.

[GlennBeckReview]

03:58 PM on 04/01/2011

He admitted that, in 2008, he "considered it kind of a remarkable notion that we would even be having the conversation" about socialism, but that he raised it on air because "it was a main point of discussion on all the channels, in all the media."

No, it wasn't. It was on Fox and discussed because Fox was lying about it!

[journeyman steve]

05:32 PM on 03/31/2011

Sad that we the people cannot get laws passed that mitigate the influence of cold-hard-cash on the democratic processes. If you're a news organization, then you can re-use and distribute using public assets (i.e airwaves, right of way, etc.) If you're a political organization, you need to be banned from spending money on your agenda. How simple would that be? it'd be great! And then we could penalize offenses that have money crossing a boundary into influencing the outcomes of elections. Our founding fathers never intended money to equal speach, much less influence votes. One man, one voice, one vote. Money has no place in the process. It's a monstrosity and abhoration, not fair at all.

[imreal]

03:29 PM on 03/31/2011

The truth will out and this does not surprise me. The important key to journalism is being objective and supplying a balance of information from all perspectives, however, Fox is shifted to one side of the political spectrum.

This is dangerous and believe me it will eventually bite Fox in the butt. I don’t believe, all of the journalists agree with the way Fox is shifted, but I do believe they are encouraged to report the information in favor of the right wing.

I had a gentleman that is a ,Southern Baptist ,Republican confide in me that he learns more by watching CNN and other news outlets over Fox. He has since stop watching Fox, because of some information, reported by Fox that he personally researched and found it to be false. These are his words, “it was an outright lie.”
This reminded him of German propaganda during early 20th century. He was young boy during WWII, but he remembers the false information spewed out by the German propagandist.

[GJCO-JMH]

03:06 AM on 04/01/2011

How original. But, of course, you probably don't have a clue what it was that this anonymous "gentleman" found that was supposed to be "an outright lie"..... that caused him.... er... you... to start parroting the same content-free fridge-magnet taking point found on any liberal blog. LOL

[imreal]

01:00 PM on 04/01/2011

Why of course, and I would be glad to share it with you, because it was about the new healthcare law. It was reported that seniors would be losing a portion of their benefits and premiums was going up.

He was upset about what he heard; therefore, he contacted the appropriate agency to discuss this benefit change. He was told that there would be no change. However, he discovered that seniors were going to benefit from the new healthcare law.

The representative, at the government office, asked him the reason for his motivation and he said Fox news! He felt as though the information that he received, from Fox, was only to incite the senior citizens and rally them against the law.

He recruited the help of his grandson to research some of the information being reported by Fox and I quote he said, “95 % of the information they researched was not fully reported… there was a lot of information left out.” That is why he called Fox a propaganda machine.

Personally, I wish that more Americans would take the time to find out the truth, before they react to something they hear or read.
I have a question why is the term liberal being demonized and the term conservative is being glorified?

[Michael Stover]

11:15 AM on 03/31/2011

A news exec admits lying but has no problem admitting it and doesn't fear retribution. Telling.

[arizonabay]

04:58 AM on 03/31/2011

Dave Chappelle said it best http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9e9T3DNAdaI

[TruthHurtsHuh]

01:49 AM on 03/31/2011

Phony editing.

[Steve Rockett]

12:45 AM on 03/31/2011

Fair and Balanced.....hahahahahaha

[SX]

08:58 PM on 03/30/2011

Fox execs KNOW they have their finger on the pulse of their avid listeners. They know how reality challenged and willfully self deluding they are. These people will staunchly believe on Wednesday what they believed on Monday regardless of what happened on Tuesday, and the suits at Fox KNOWS this.

The execs at Fox have seen Jon Stewart replay and dissect the "News" clips they drag from the barn, and prove them to be either blatantly hypocritical, outstandingly ignorant, or downright lies time and time again. Now at last, there is someone out there willing to stand up and bring back common sense in a land where it's no longer common.

Guess what? They've noticed that their viewership hasn't declined...in fact, it has gone up. So much so that they don't even try to hide the fact that they are anything but their slogan of "fair and balanced" anymore. So much so that Sammon can do exactly this and feel confident that come tomorrow they will still be raking it in AND still influencing their audience to politically see things their way. Nothing will come of this because at this point the half of this country that still listens to fox are not going to change their views for anything short of an (outer space) alien invasion.

[SkeeBee]

09:18 PM on 03/30/2011

As if to prove your very point, read the post from Die Hard Faux Kool aid drinker, Nantuck Laelstom below......

[scottymac11]

09:18 PM on 03/30/2011

F/effing/F #106

[mattamorr]

08:09 PM on 03/30/2011

I wish Obama was a socialist.

[yill danniel]

08:03 PM on 03/30/2011

Maybe Fox should hire better liars, one who won't admit to it in public.

[Justdontgetit]

09:04 PM on 03/30/2011

What they lack in quality, they make up in quantity.

[Pat Padrnos]

11:35 PM on 03/30/2011

What difference would that make? They are all liars - should not say that - some like Shep are very "fair" in their reporting and opinions. All you have to do is look at the recent comments by Laura Ingraham concerning - of all things - the Easter Egg Hunt at the White House to see the incredible, horrible daily attacks on the Pres and First Lady.
The thing FOX does is keep repeating something until it becomes a catch-phrase or an unfounded truth that people start believing because "someone" keeps saying it is so. Is that a sign or how ignorant the people in our country are - or do they want to believe things because they hate Obama so much because he is black?

[Carpetbagger 68]

07:13 PM on 03/30/2011

It's not a matter of whether or not it is the truth. We know Fox is full of lies. However, when they conspire to furnish free broadcasting of their lies to attempt to change the outcome of elections, then it is a violation of election law.

[Nantuck Laelstom]

07:00 PM on 03/30/2011

I think Fox News should give him a raise.

[SkeeBee]

08:33 PM on 03/30/2011

Proof.
Like crack: addiction to Faux Poos does cause dementia and loss of grasp on reality.

Nantuckered Maelstrom:

He's the head of company, (Can't say News Organization because Faux Fails on 98% of any metrics used), and admits to lying to con sheeple/you!
And you want to give him a raise?!
Take a deep breath, close your eyes and imagine this:
A senior MSNBC exec admits to lying to con is viewers. The response from the right and the 'personalities' at Faux is?
From sheeple like yourself is?


kaaaaAAAAAAAA BOOOOOOOM!!!!!
Heads exploding all over.

Truth.
Right?
See: That's called hypocrisy.
It's not cool.
It's more often the not, part of the CV of any professional right winger.
And in the real world: it's not to be admired.
Proceed with shrill indignation.......right.......now:

[T4]

06:15 PM on 03/30/2011

i wonder if these turkeys know the socialism actually is as a philosophy and government program. Obama is at best a willing dupe of the megabanks and the creator of the Great Recession- at worst he is the spearhead of corporate fascism where the government doesn;t control industrial direction but the megabanks control governemtn direction. THis is the mistake of those menatlly living in the 20 th century. Socialism requires that government have control and establish industrial direction by conscious design. Nothing could be further from the truth with Obama - truehehas continued the strength of anuncontrolled executive branch withno checks and balances but he has foreclosed your future by giving an elite group of banks all withthe the same culturally linked leaders control of the country.

[O Dannyboy]

11:28 PM on 03/30/2011

"Creator of the Great Recession" Fricking hilarious.

I also loved that speech you wrote for Gadaffi. You know, the one about:"There is no uprising. My country is at peace. All my countrymen love me."

[choco1996]

06:02 PM on 03/30/2011

typical fox and typical of the sheep that watches..when the dogs round the sheep, they all go together...a few stray but sooner or latter they join the pack...