Liz Trotta 'Apologizes' on Fox for 'Joke' About Killing Obama

A day after she had referred to Barack Obama as "Osama' and quipped that both of them should get bumped off, Fox News contributor Liz Trotta was given an opportunity today to offer a "clarification," as host Bill Hemmer put it.

After talking for a couple of minutes about Hillary Clinton's own "backtracking" on her comment about the Robert F. Kennedy assassination on Friday, Hemmer noted that "some people" were "criticizing you" for her Osama/Obama remark on Sunday.

Trotta said she was sorry, while also suggesting her remark was nothing particularly unusual or awful in this campaign year.

She said, " Oh yes, I am so sorry about what happened yesterday and the lame attempt at humor. I fell all over myself, making it appear that I wished Barack Obama harm or any other candidate, for that matter, and I sincerely regret it and apologize to anybody I have offended. It is a very colorful political season"-- she chuckled at this point--"and many of us are making mistakes and saying things we wish we had not said."

Hemmer replied: "Clarification noted."

Appearing on Fox News on Sunday, Trotta, a former editor with the Washington Times and broadcast TV journalist, was asked by the host, Eric Shawn, about the Clinton controversy and the 2008 race. This led Trotta to refer to the Clinton misstep.

Trotta, according to the now widely-circulated video, replied, "And now we have what some are reading as a suggestion that somebody knock off Osama, uh Obama. Well, both, if we could." She laughed.

The host, Shawn, clearly understanding how far she had gone, quickly commented: "Talk about how you really feel."
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Greg Mitchell's new book is So Wrong for So Long: How the Press, the Pundits -- and the President -- Failed on Iraq (Union Square Press, $11). He is editor of Editor & Publisher.

Comments

[themist]

THIS IS F*CKING RIDICULOUS - SHE HAS GOT TO BE BANNED / FIRED / FOX SHOULD BE ISSUING A STATEMENT AND WHYYYYYY DID ONLY "HAPPEN" UPON THIS ON YOUTUBE??? AND DIDN'T SEE IT SPREAD ALLLL OVER THE MEDIA WHERE IT SHOULD'VE BEEN??? HER COMMENT IS CLEARLY IN-EXCUSABLE / NO EXCUSES NO EXPLANATION - THAT APOLOGY IS A PIECE OF CRAP - AND HER CLEAR STATEMENT IS FAR WORSE THAN CLINTON'S MY MY HOW THE TRUTH JUST COMES OUT - AND YOU CAN ONLY HIDE IT FOR SO LONG WITH SOME PEOPLE, DAMNSHAME

[swift goat pet for truth]

She apologized for maybe offending some people.

She did not apologize for suggesting assassination.

There is a difference.

[ShawnMichel]

The longer we, the sheeple, continue to accept evil automatons like Liz Trotta, the worse it's going to be for us. And deservedly so.

The woman should be fired; Faux News should be stripped by the FCC; both should face heavy fines and all involved potential jail time for hate speech. Period. Anything less is capitulation.

[RockRepublican]

Why wasn't this woman fired?

[swift goat pet for truth]

Get serious.

She works for Fox.

Only libs get fired.
Neocons get bonuses.

[aquarius2001]

This is BS!!!! How many people (Huckabeee included) are going to be able to get away with crap like this then claim it was a "poor attempt at humor"??!!!

This is an outrage and the feds AND the FEC need to step in!!! Janet Jackson's boob slips out and the FEC jumped all over that!! Some idiot on Fox says Obama should be assassinated and they say nothing! BS!!!

[unscum]

Welcome to the US of A. If this comment were said by someone on the left or someone not affiliated with FOX or it's GOP backers, that person would be charged and prosecuted by now. But since a republican said this, well just give them a slap on the wrist and ask them to apologize so the network is not held liable..

[CoulterIsASuccubus]

She's funny. Liz should change her name to "Chuckles."

[AuntSally]

Ironically, she made the comment immediately after sharply criticizing Clinton for not realizing how stupid it is to joke about assassination.

A modest proposal: just stop watching the talking heads. All of them. I ditched my television eight years ago and have never looked back.

[timeforachangenow]

so you mean you don't even tune in to Internet TV now and again???

stuck in computer keyboard hell...wow...must be the 70's again...8)

The Quick Brown Fox Jumped Over The Lazy Dogs Back.......8)

[AnnieinOR]

I believe it's what you hold in your heart that slips out, and if that's what she really feels, then all the apologizing in the world is not going to save her. It amazes me that people who "cling" to their religion and wear it like a suit of armor, are so quick to sin against their fellowman. SHAMEFUL!

[aquarius2001]

Ann, I know you normally support Hillary and we normally disagree. But you are spot on right here! I guess she felt at home on Fox news and felt it was ok for her to speak what was truly in her heart. That is scary and sad. Politics- it is what it is, but, this woman should not be allowed to elevate to the point of saying one of the candidates should be murdered. That is just plain sick. What a cold heart.

[whsmith]

she still needs to be fired. everyone needs to continuously email, call and generally harass Fox News and it's sponsors until she is off the air.

[BeyondTheBull]

Right! I don't watch FOX news, but I'll find out its sponsors and inform them that I'm initiating a personal i-net vendetta against their products. If I-man can be fired (and I like Don Imus), I know this woman can go.

[adavis08]

When are the networks going to take action against these perpetrators of "racisim" ? These phoney apologies don't wash. If you really hadn't felt a certain way you wouldn't have made the statement in the first place. It's a common trick among whites, to pretend they were "only kidding" when saying something racist. They think it excuses the remarks.....well in the minds of black people it doesn't. To joke about lynching or a black person being assassinated is in the worst taste possible.

[knowhelpnow]

I regret if I have offended anyone. Wow that seems to cover it in OK sort of stupid. Offended anyone she said if they would get rid of Obama. Isn't that like crying fire in a movie theater? Who is responsible for investigating using the media to ask people to kill people?

[springsm]

Yup..blame it on the campaign. She made an insane insulting hatemongering comment and she knew what she was doing. Liz Trotter needs to have her license to report as a journalist rescinded. I don't expect Faux News to do the right thing, so why doesn't she become accountable and responsible and resign.

[indypete]

She'll probably get promoted!

[eladora]

If anyone says this about Bush they are in jail before their next breathe. I am sure she gets the executive privilege line if she needs it.

[eurydice]

Apology not accepted.

Resignation accepted.