This story is the perfect symbol for why Fox News watchers are so ignorant and misinformed. Heather Childers, a Fox “News Anchor” tweeted the following message (and provided a link as well) regarding the latest right wingnut conspiracy theory: That Obama threatened Chelsea Clinton’s life to keep Bill and Hillary “quiet” about his eligibility to run for President (i.e., his “birth certificate”).
Here’s the tweet in question from the screen capture at Media Matters:
The alleged conspiracy in question claims Obama’s associates did the following:
Childers tweeted a post from godfatherpolitics.com by “da Tagliare,” who asks in the title, “Did Barack Obama Campaign Threaten Life of Chelsea Clinton to Keep Parents Silent on Obama’s Ineligibility?” The post passes on claims from film producer Bettina Viviano about Obama associates threatening individuals to hide secrets about Obama’s eligibility. The post also forwards suggestions that the Obama campaign was involved in the murder of former head of the Arkansas Democratic Party, Bill Gwatney; threatened President Clinton; and “told him that his daughter Chelsea would be next if he opened his mouth.”
Welcome to the 2012 Fox News Presidential Election Propaganda Campaign! More birther nonsense but this time with alleged Mafia style threats by that Muslim Socialist Fascist Chicago Black Panther Muslim Thug against victimized white people (admittedly white people that the wingers hate, but still …). Fox News just ought to drop the News part of their title. It’s really not what they do, and I don’t think their audience would notice anyway.
Ps. Imagine if Rachel Maddow or Lawrence O’Donnell had sent a tweet claiming McCain operatives had done something similar to keep Romney silent about his “eligibility” for the Presidency. I know, impossible to imagine because they don’t do this kind of crap and they correct their errors on-air, but just think really hard about some alternate universe or your favorite Twilight Zone episode, and ignore all the absurd things that would have to occur for a “liberal” news anchor to be allowed to do such a thing.
Yeah, sorry. It’s just not imaginable, is it. Fox News anchors on the other hand have carte blanche to say or do anything (sexual harassment of their own producers, lie on air, hold rallies in the Washington Mall for the Tea Party, etc.). Now those folks and their audience are allowed to create their own realities, because when facts don’t matter, when sordid behavior doesn’t matter, and when political activism by a “news network” doesn’t matter, well, you can say anything and never have to say you’re sorry. Unless you are as crazy as Glenn Beck and start hemorrhaging money.
