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

[preemptivelove]

this was a burning cross on obama's lawn. this was a noose hanging from a tree in his yard.

this is EXACTLY why comments like clinton's are so shameful--this commentator thinks her comment "colorful" and in line with what everyone else is saying.

attempt at "humor"???????? this woman is a stupid racist, that's about it.

[RobertNaiman]

There is actually federal law on this. I believe that It is illegal to physically threaten or to call for the assassination of a public official. In one of Michael Moore's books he recounts the story of how then-Senator Jesse Helms said something to the effect of Bill Clinton better be careful if he comes to North Carolina and Michael Moore contacted the FBI and said, are you aware of this? and the FBI said, we certainly are, we take this stuff very seriously, we have opened a file and we are investigating.

I suspect that is the reason for the half-apology.

[veteran1964]

The United States Code,Title 18, Part I, Chapter XIV, Section 879(a) Whoever knowingly and willfully threatens to kill, kidnap, or inflict bodily harm upon?(1) a former President or a member of the immediate family of a former President; (2)a member of the immediate family of the President, the President-elect, the Vice President, or the Vice President-­elect;(3)a major candidate for the office of President or Vice President, or a member of the immediate family of such candidate; or (4) a person protected by the Secret Service under section 3056 (a)(6); shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.(b) As used in this section?(1) the term ?immediate family? means? (A) with respect to subsection (a)(1)of this section, the wife of a former President during his lifetime, the widow of a former President until her death or remarriage, and minor children of aformerPresident until they reach sixteen years of age; and(B) with respect to subsection (a)(2) and (a)(3) ofhis section, a person to whom the President, President-elect, Vice President, Vice President-elect, or major candidate for the office of President or Vice President? (i) is related by blood, marriage, or adoption; or (ii)stands in loco parentis; (2) the term ?major candidate for the office of President or Vice President? means a candidate referred to in subsection (a)(7) of section 3056 of this title; and (3) the termsPresi­dent-elect­?and?ViceP­resident-e­lect?have the meaningsgiventhose termsinsection 871 (b) of this title.

[okayigive]

I have sent a nessage to DOJ, FBI, and Secret Service pointing out United States Code,Title 18, Part I, Chapter XIV, Section 879. If we as citizen refuse to voice our opinions of what we feel as unacceptable language and an infraction of the law, it will become commonplace to speak in that manner and continue to break the law. It's fine and dandy to express your feelings on sites like this, or chatrooms, or among family, friends, or neighbors, but it brings not action. One point I feel many are overlooking is that if you or I had made same comment our lives would of been turned upside down with interrogation after interrogation to explain what we meant. For far too long the rules of our justice system allow some to pass while others are treated as criminals for the same. This is America-equal rights and justice for all-not a skewed sense of justice that favors a chosen few. Wake up America, not only do our Constitution states "We the people" but also every state constitution states "We the people" , when will We the people stand up and let our voices be heard so we can move towards a better America for all.

[VOTER]

So why hasn't anything been done to this woman and/or Huckabee after their public

statements?

Who is supposed to enforce the code listed above?

FBI?

Local Authorities?

[gadfly55]

very interesting, now who will line up to prosecute this case, but oh the prosecutors are too busy otherwise engaged in pursuing Democrat politicians such as Spitzer, etc.

[Majus]

I detect a level of insincerity in her "apology".

For the record, I don't think she is a FOX employee so can't be fired. I believe at this point in time she is a freelance commentator so any punishment meted out to her will come from either the Secret Service or delivered in the form of no one being willing to use her services. Either way she should be ignored by all.

What goes around comes around.

Also, please do NOT contact the FCC. Newscorp is responsible for their content so that is the proper place to complain.

[PFHarlock]

Debating whether she's an employee or not is splitting hairs, but she's a very regular contributer to Fox News and has her own bio page at their website. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,34775,00.html

[MsLiz]

In the midst of explaining how offensive it was to mention the subject of assassination in the context of a Democratic primary, Trotta joked about assassinating Obama. How stupid.

[Sardonica]

When Bill Hemmer said "Clarification noted.", I thought that was really weird. Are Bill Hemmer and Liz Trotta under the impression that we somehow didn't understand that she was joking? And that telling us she was only joshing will calm down the anger?

Frankly, it doesn't matter what she says in her defense. There is no defense for what she said.

Fox needs to be completely ignored. Democratic pundits, bloggers, columnists, and presidential candidates should not ever appear on a Fox show again.

[Mike O.]

"There is no defense for what she said."

That is the standard Obama kiddie response to anything that is said about your "fearless" (brainless) leader. I can't wait till Obama gets crushed by McCain in November so that we'll never have to hear about him or Clinton again.

[hartkid]

haahahaha. Poor Mike O. You're goign to have to wait along time, my son. John McCain couldn't crush up his own fiber pills, much less Obama in a national campaign. McCain's dottage will drag him down in the stretch.

[2cntswrth]

It wasn't a lame attempt at humor, it was just plain lame...just as her scripted faux apology was. She needs to not be on TV anymore where she can do this again.

[DamnedAngryDem]

Funny how her "apology" sounds sincere when it's just words on a screen... Once you actually see the video and listen to her dripping sarcasm, hoooo boy. Republican women must have the maternal instincts of scorpions.

[HepsibahStarbuck]

That's actually funny in a sad but true sort of way.
:-(

[GoCards1978]

Considering scorpions are acting on instinct, I wouldn't give Trotter that much credit.

[fulloflife]

If the same thing was said about her, would she find that funny? Probably Not

[strifeknot]

A Clintonian non-apology.

[mebble]

Death threats should be taken seriously. Liz Trotta not only needs to be sanctioned by Fox if not fired, she needs to be arrested. She has broken the law. Mike Huckabee and Hillary Clinton also need a good slap. At the airport you get arrested for saying words like "bomb". You get arrested for shouting "Fire" in a theatre. Suggesting political assassination is literally a call to arms to psychos. The US Secret Service needs to act on this, and they should also arrest and detain those responsible at Fox, beginning with Rupert Murdoch. An example needs to be set: there will be consequences for breaking the law.

[MsLiz]

This should not be done unless there is a likelihood that these acts actually broke the law. Arresting people willy nilly is unAmerican.

[HadEnoughCrap]

"Arresting people willy nilly is unAmerican"

Or Bush-like!

[doneflyin]

Ms Trotta, is that you??

[preemptivelove]

i think making this sort of remark on a tv news show, thereby desensitizing the public to its chilling and hateful malignancy is unamerican.

[CitizenInformed]

Scary that that type of remark could be made on a major network news station. And her obviously insincere apology just makes it worse.

[Betsy]

Does anyone recall the public outrage when part of Janet Jackson's nipple was exposed on national television? Now I ask.......How many children were seated in front of the television or in the same room when Dizzy Lizzy pondered bumping off a US Senator?

When is the FCC is going to get off their duffs and do their job, and what happened to those FBI agents who rounded Monica Lewinsky up and questioned her for hours about her relationship with Bill Clinton?

[LeonBNJ]

I almost never watch Fox News as I feel that they are so against my beliefs and since I don't want to throw someting at my TV and break it. I doubt that going after advertisers or using the FCC will work. I think we must find some way to make their rating go to levels like their Fox Financial channel (which is bombing very badly). Ms. Trotta has now joined the wingnut commentators like Ann Coulter - and all of them should be ignored and kept off the air forever.

[Mike O.]

"I feel that they are so against my beliefs..."

Just because the FACTS are against your beliefs doesn't make them untrue. I feel very sorry for you having to live in a reality that constantly conflicts with how you FEEL things SHOULD be.

[indypete]

Fox news started using facts? When did that happen?

[stoneworks]

All these thinly disguised suggestions of violence on Barack's life are making me sick to my stomach. That is absolutely unacceptable! Sure, it's a free country - say what you'd like I guess. But it makes me think of how helpless the American people must have felt in '68 when some lunatic can get brainwashed and sent in to destroy the handful of people who were making real and positive changes in politics and society. I feel like I need to personally follow Obama around and help form a wall of self-appointed bodyguards around him.
Really though, people. This is fckd up!

[Mike O.]

"I feel like I need to personally follow Obama around and help form a wall of self-appointed bodyguards around him."

Repeat the following every time you begin to feel like that:
Obama is not the messiah.

Please seek help immediately.

[indypete]

"... Obama is not the messiah...."

Neither is Hannity.

Matter of interest, I can see who you're against... who are you for?

[OverCoffee]

If they make jokes like this on tv, I shudder to think how they talk off camera.