FOX Pundit Wishes for Obama Assassination, Laughs

During a live interview, FOX Contributor Liz Trotta jokingly wished for the assassination of Sen. Barack Obama.

This latest incident from FOX News continues the trend in violent rhetoric about Sen. Obama from pundits, politicians, and entertainers.

Grinning While Joking About Killing A Candidate
The incident happen in an exchange with the FOX News anchor. When asked her opinion of the recent scandal surrounding some comments made by Sen. Hillary Clinton, which Trotta described by saying that, "some are reading [it] as a suggestion that somebody knock off Osama." Hemmer quickly corrected Trotta, having noticed that she had said "Osama" when she meant "Obama." At this point, Trotta said, "Obama. Well...both if we could!" Trotta then laughed gleefully.

(The full interview can be viewed here)

What prompted Trotta to joke about the assassination of Sen. Obama was her apparent inability to differentiate between Sen. Obama and the terrorist leader responsible for the terrorist attacks on the United States of September 11, 2001.

Since Sen. Obama first declared his intention to seek the Democratic nomination for president, right-wing pundits on FOX News and a variety of other broadcast outlets have regularly called the Sen. Obama by the name "Osama" in a systematic propaganda campaign to convince the American public that a sitting member of their government has secret ties to terrorists.

As if she were providing a punchline to that long-running propaganda campaign, Trotta made known that the conclusions the public should draw were (1) that Sen. Obama and Osama bin Laden are equivalent, and (2) they both deserve to be assassinated.

Americans Everywhere Are Tired Of This!
There is no question that broadcast pundits "can" make jokes about assassinating a Senator and a Presidential candidate. The United States Constitution protects freedom of expression to the extreme. But that is the wrong question to ask in this situation. The issue is not "can" pundits make jokes about assassinating Sen. Obama, but "should" they?

It is astounding that Americans should even be forced to have such a conversation, let alone on Memorial Day Weekend when we remember with respect the sacrifices of fallen soldiers. But here we are.

I have to wonder how many people there actually are in the U.S. who think it is funny to make jokes about the assassination of Sen. Obama? What percentage of the American population consists of people who think that the assassination of Sen. Obama--or anyone for that matter--makes for a good punchline? Is it 50 people? 75, maybe?

Perhaps I am overly optimistic, but I do not believe there are very many people in our country--or anywhere else for that matter--who laugh or find it remotely funny when broadcast pundits stoop to the level of making jokes about killing an elected leader. It does not feel funny. It feels like someone spitting in our faces.

I believe that the vast majority of Americans--people in every corner of the country and of all political stripes--all react with an equal level of disgust when we hear remarks of the sort that Liz Trotta made on FOX News.

When we hear such "jokes" about assassinating a member of the Senate--a member of our government--we do not laugh, but instead wonder. We wonder what has happened to broadcast media in our country. We wonder to ourselves, to our families, and to our friends: How have we arrived at this point? How has our broadcast media so utterly lost its moral compass?

That same optimism leads me to conclude that the vast, vast majority of Americans do not want this kind of vile, utterly disgusting, "assassination" humor to become a recurrent part of our national debate between now and the general election, nor at any other time.

We do not want it.

That's it.

Enough.

It ends right now.

What Americans want is a guarantee from the whole of the broadcast media industry that whenever we turn on our televisions and our radios we will never again be affronted with this brand of total, unadulterated disrespect in the form of a joke about assassinating our leaders.

And why do we demand this guarantee? It is not because we are sensitive. It is because the free press belongs to us--to the American people. It belongs to us and nobody has a right to debase it.

We do not care how many stations a single corporation owns, how many billions of dollars in revenue a media outlet produces--no corporation has the right to debase the free press in this country.

The reason for a free press--for our free press--is not to degrade our political institutions, undermine our elections, and threaten our politicians, but to strengthen and sustain our deliberative democracy.

If FOX News or any other broadcast media outlet cannot live up to that standard, then they should shut off their lights, sell their equipment, and choose another line of work.

Follow Jeffrey Feldman on Twitter: www.twitter.com/JeffreyFeldman

Comments

[ecksman]

"both if we could" ..... r u f'ing kidding me???? these people are allowed on TV? seriously. where is the petition. this is the worst yet. "both if we could" ... i just can't believe this came out of that insane woman's mouth.

[findingthetruth]

Trotta has ALWAYS been just as you see her ----- deplorable ---- nothing less. The so-called apology came after a long talk with Chris Wallace. Again ----- she needed to save the station.

[despike]

Mike Huckabee, Hillary, and now Trotta.......... ummm. These are smart people, very smart people. They know what they are doing and what they want out of it. Which is use their access to mass media to incite some derange people out there to do what is their mind that they cannot do themselve.
When Huckabee made it remark or "joke", whatever, i thought it was stupid, but right know, after Trotta's, I am now convinced that it was calculated. There is a pattern to this. Drop the idea to these crazy people out there and then apologize. But their apologies does not stop those nuts they sent their messages to from thinking about it, does it?
Politic is a noble thing, but these are the kind of people that makes it a dirty game. God forbid, if anything should happen to Obama, these people sure have a lot of explaining to do.
PS
The sound that preceed Huckabee's comment. That i now believe might have being stage so that he drop his "joke". That should be investigated.

[UrbanInterloper]

Fire Liz Trotta now!

Where's the petition? Her behavior is deplorable, and her profession must make clear that there is no room for anything like this.

[draftgore23]

I completely agree. Fox News, as a nationally televised news station, should not be condoning this type of behavior. Not to say that anyone should condone a comment such as that, but Fox has not only a professional duty, but a moral duty, to fire her for even insinuating something as horrible as that.

[TERRYKEITH4]

We little black people suffer these kinds of comments everyday. At work. At play. At everywhere. We are not shocked. We hear this stuff everyday. That's why we are who we are. James Byrd was offered a ride (with a chuckle) by his brutal murderers. I wasn't born and loved by my mother to allow an idle threat which is real coming from a hater like Liz Trotter to be taken lightly. If you threaten me with a chuckle and a joke when you come for me late in the night I will practice and rehearse my full civil rights up under the law. I will not go kicking and screaming in the haters delight. I will take everything I have and set the haters a*s on fire. You will charge me with murder. You will give me the death penalty, but you will never take me kicking and screaming, begging for your mercy where there is none.

See. You people don't realise that this is the stuff that spawned a Black Panther movement, A Rev. Wright; YES! A Malcolm X via Louis Farrakhan, Romona Africa, Angela Davis, Noam Chomsky, Gangsta' Rap! Yes! You didn't want MLK, you murdered him. Now, look what you've spawned. Al Sharpton, Louis Farrakhan who is not afraid of you. The FOI; brilliant Black warriors whom you can not kill. They "did us" now they're "doing you". They came for me yesterday now they've come for you today; sacrificing your children in Iraq!

[TKDMike]

Typical FAUX guest. These are horrible human beings.

[SILVANUS]

They ARE the AntiChrist.

[jeplanet]

This whole story still just blows my mind.
A pundit on a (sigh) major cable news network wishes for the assasination of an american citizen who is running for the highest office in the land and even chucles about it; and not much happens.
Natalie Maines says she is ashamed GWB comes from Texas, and the whole country loses control.
Something is really wrong here.

[Pyrrhus]

Jeplanet-

Agreed. I just wonder why nobody has mentioned all the right wing nuts screaming to stay out of other countries in the 90s, and now they scream to bomb, nuke, and generally harass any country that doesn't share our love of all things American.

Hey, didn't someone decry nation building in 2000 at a debate? Now, who was that masked man...

[TERRYKEITH4]

It needs to do something more than blow your mind. You need to wake up from your slumber.

[itsafreakingame]

This isn't an issue the real issue is we need to protect this nut and let her say what she wants. If we census the right then soon we will have censured ourselves.

[gregjones]

Black Americans, and many of all races are EXTREMELY disturbed by Hillary's insinuation of a possible assassination of Barack Obama. To imply that her reason for staying in the race is because anything can happen, then nonchalantly say that even Robert Kennedy was assassinated in June, meaning therefore she should stay in, is not only pitifully diobolical but incredibly dangerous.

As I read some of the comments, I sense that some do not understand the true impact of her deadly insinuation. Keep in mind, when it was first announced that Obama was running for President, the initial concern in Black America was his safety. "Would some nut sniper him"? Obama had to hire secret service security right out of the gate.....why? Because of the true possibilty of some nut doing harm to him or his family.

Also, during the last 50 years, the people who have been assassinated have ALL been leaders who were working toward equality for ALL. John F., Robert and of course Dr. King. So just the WORD assassination brings to us not only an extreme fear but is a reminder of the incredibly sad loss to America, particularly Blacks, at the hands of the sick and wicked. For Hillary Clinton, a so-called leader, to insinuate, for WHATEVER reason assassination....is beyond disgusting. It subliminally sparks the hatred, bigotry and destruction that most Americans have worked so hard to overcome.

Greg Jones
www.Blacks4Barack.org

[disgusted48]

People of all races should be concerned with this type of talk. In this violent country of ours, presidents and other icons have been assassinated or attempts have been made since Lincoln was assassinated. JFK, RFK. King, Malcom X, Wallace, Reagan. It's a national disgrace.

[EllaMae]

I completely agree. I was an Obama supporter from the beginning, being from IL and having heard him speak as a state senator. I so wanted him to run for president, but a part of me didn't, and had that sinking feeling when he announced - because of fear. (I thought maybe in 4 years it'll be better). Barack considered the possibility of assassination and that's one of the reasons he almost didn't get in the campaign. The generosity and courage of this man have me in awe.

As for Hillary, as a white woman I am so ashamed of her. It appears she wants this nomination at ANY price. And she had the marjority of the Black votes in the beginning of this campaign; it's not Obama's fault she didn't hold onto that support. And now her campaign is saying essentially that Obama is making too big a deal out of what she said.

As for this Trotta woman, I never heard of her and don't watch Fox. However this is about a lot more than words, more than freedom of speech (think Don Imus). If SHE can say whatever she wants then WE have a right to respond and to challenge her, and everyone else who is "misspeaking". So maybe it's time for the subliminal crap to be over with and bring this out in the open. Hold a mirror up and maybe they will see themselves as they truely are.

[lew]

The most obvious thing I have noticed about the on-air Fox personalities is that if it wasn't for being on Fox, they couldn't even get a job in television except maybe on some low wattage small market station out in the sticks. But they are full of themselves when they get on the air, so proud of their ignorance. Ms. Trotta is just proving that in spades. But then they have Bill O'Reilly as their moral compass and Roger Ailes as their fearless leader. And their viewers eat it up like pigs at the trough. They deserve each other.

[TERRYKEITH4]

Lol! That's funny, but you're right.

[silvertongue]

Trotta should trot back under that snake's belly from which she emerged.

[chin075]

If Obama becomes elected, it will be amazing considering how he is helping to bring out the worst in some people simply by being who he is...

[LawSource]

THE Spin-off Effect from what Hillary has Created!

UNITED Hard Word is paying off!

THANKS TO YOU GUYS and GALS For Applying The Pressure and Piling On Fix News for Fairness and High Moral Conduct:


LIZ TROTTA APOLOGIZES:

CLICK> http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/05/26/liz-trotta-apologizes/

----------­----------­----------­----------­----------­----------­----------­----------­----------­-----

Fox news anchor said basically "tell us how you really think" instead of challenging the appropriateness of the remark. She basically got a smack on the wrist for her remarks. Fox pretty much gave her the ability to say anything anti-Obama, legitimate criticism to tasteless personal attacks, without getting nailed for it or even having to explain. Do you honestly think that she would have said the same thing on CNN or even MSNBC or the major news networks. There is an atmosphere of Anti-Dem, Anti-progressive at FOX and I believe that hacks like Trotta play accordingly.


IF ANYONE STILL FEEL THE NEED TO Let Your Resentment Be Heard Here Is Some Help Full information:

Liz Trotta 340 E. 66th St. New York, N.Y. 10065 212-734-7543
Call now! You'll get her voice mail... but leave a message!

==========­==========­==========­==========­==========­=

I JUST FILED A ONLINE COMPLAINT WITH THE FCC

http://www.fcc.gov/eb/oip/Compl.html
Electronic Mail at [e-mail]
Toll Free: 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322); 1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-835-5322) TTY
Fax: [phone]

[ProfessorDuh]

I filed one, too. Thanks for the info. Let's flood their ass with complaints.

[dairyair]

I am also thinking of complaining. We need to stop freedom of speech and person's individual thinking. Hell we are all equal, damit we need to thiink, talk, walk, and smell all the same. Damn Individuals anyhow!!

[ProfessorDuh]

Two mad, rampaging elephants in the room that the American public and especially the corporate media refuse to acknowledge - Bush, Rove and Cheney are clearly sociopaths, and the Republican Party is now literally fascist. And Fox News is their voice.

[TERRYKEITH4]

Nice work!

[DC]

Her threats against a Presidential candidate should be handled like any threat to the President and other elected officials -- sent to the FBI and Secret Service. She, like all threats must be investigated.

That is what the government is supposed to do. Now that we have FOX inciting deranged persons, the FBI, Secret Service and FCC must take action.

[Weasie16]

This isn't a spin off of what Sen. Clinton said...that would be like saying Sen. Obama's "sweetie" is responsible for all the sexist Hillary statements in the media. This person was a jerk...no matter who you have chosen for your candidate....NONE Of them are racist. Not Hillary, Obama or McCain. Your spin off is what is causing the party to be divided.

[duze]

This old crone is going to have to explainthat to the Secret Service, THEY protect him, even the rhetoric.
If anyone wants to file a complaint: http://esupport.fcc.gov/complaint.htm
www.petitionsite.com ----U.S.Secret Service http://www.secretservice.gov/contactUSSS.shtm
leverell@n­ewscorp.co­m-jhorner@­newscrop.c­om

Her stupid comments are in violation against U.S. Code, Title 18, Part 1 Section 879 Section 305 (a) (b): anyone who acknowledges any of these violations she be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 5 years or both.

Now it's reaI and I feel like laughing.

[ecksman]

i filed a complaint with the FCC and contacted the secret service. i hope to never hear a call for the assassination of any political figure. that type of behavior is barbaric. there is no humor in it whatsoever.

[realiybased2]

Liz Trotta is an example of the "powerful republican organization" who speaks and operates like dictators. Dictators can say anything and do anything they want and nothing can be done about it.

Believe or not, there are a lot countries that look at Americans as hypocrites. Especially when it comes to racism, defaming and assasination. While Presidents like Bush, are attempting to control another country just like they control everything America thinks and does. WE should not tolerate this kind talk from Americans. We have had as many Presidents assasinated as some the of the other countries.. We may not be limited in way we live here in America as other countries are, but we continue to have "wholesale" brain-washing" from the far right. There are too many Americans that cater to these cable news stations and let them get away with saying anything without protest. WE need to boycott and protest this type of talk and have her taken off the TV so she won't continue to incite an already explosive society.

[Galt907]

I am neither a fan of Fox Noise, nor of anyone who advocates assassination, so, I did call Liz Trotta at her home. She answered the phone herself, and engaged me in a conversation in which she apologized repeatedly for the comment, admitted it was wrong of her to even say, and that it should not have been aired. Having suffered through the past 8 years of an adminstration which refuses to admit any wrong, or listen to opposing views, I found Ms. Trotta very open and honest. I seem to remember making a mistake once, so, I shall give her the benefit of the doubt and accept her apology,which I pass on to all of you.

[DC]

Ok, she had a terrible slip, but why would FOX air that?

[ProfessorDuh]

Oh, yes, she's a peach. A nice, fascist peach.

[sheikwil]

How would that idiot think she would like it if someone wished that she was raped. She wouldn't think that was so funny as suggesting someone kill Senator Obama. She and the media would hit the ceiling as they should, but for her to think what she said was funny and for her to still have a job, just goes to show how low we have stooped as a country and this is why we are so hated by other countries. She and Hillary both are losers. She should be fired and put to shame.