# Fox News employee advocates assassination of Obama **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 25, 2008, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-employee-advocates-assassination-of-obama/450597 "2008-05-25T21:29:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2008, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-employee-advocates-assassination-of-obama/450597/61 "2008-05-26T23:33:10Z")
**Q.E.D.:** > [@](#): > > I disagree, her attempt at face-saving notwithstanding. Her laughter after she made the remark sounded very uncomfortable to me; of the “oh, dear, did I just say that?” variety. Now you’re assessing the timbre of her laughter in order to decide what she did and didn’t mean? Ooooookay. :rolleyes: **magellan:** > [@](#): > > … but hose statements contradict one another. The first one claims that her attempted humor missed the mark. The other that she did, in fact, think it funny. > > Can you help me here? If you were registering agreement with the last line, is that just an opinion, or has she stated that it was 1) a joke and 2) a funny one? My statements didn’t contradict each other in the least. She is characterizing the remark as “a lame attempt at humor.” The most reasonable interpretation of that, assuming that it’s true, is that _she thought it was funny when she made it, which is **why** she made it, and then came to realize after the fact that other people didn’t find it funny at all._ Nothing particularly difficult about that. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2008, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-employee-advocates-assassination-of-obama/450597/62 "2008-05-26T23:40:34Z")
[QUOTE=Gadarene] Now you’re assessing the timbre of her laughter in order to decide what she did and didn’t mean? [/QUOTE] And? You’re saying there’s no perceptible difference between embarrassed laughter and amused laughter? If you say so. ---
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2008, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-employee-advocates-assassination-of-obama/450597/63 "2008-05-26T23:57:01Z")
Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying. Genius. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2008, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-employee-advocates-assassination-of-obama/450597/64 "2008-05-27T00:05:05Z")
Then, you’d be [wrong](http://www.coli.uni-saarland.de/conf/laughter-07/files/DEVILLERS_VIDRASCU.pdf). ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Scrappy\_Hero\_Pup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ea5d25/32.png) [@Happy\_Scrappy\_Hero\_Pup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Scrappy_Hero_Pup)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2008, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-employee-advocates-assassination-of-obama/450597/65 "2008-05-27T02:39:55Z")
> [@](#): > > But, again, nobody is saying what you say they are saying. All I’m doing is saying that “Fox News employee advocates assassination of Obama” is an over-the-top title, because that’s not what happened. Other than that, I got no dog in this fight. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2008, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-employee-advocates-assassination-of-obama/450597/66 "2008-05-27T02:55:52Z")
[QUOTE=Gadarene] **Q.E.D.:** My statements didn’t contradict each other in the least. She is characterizing the remark as “a lame attempt at humor.” The most reasonable interpretation of that, assuming that it’s true, is that _she thought it was funny when she made it, which is **why** she made it, and then came to realize after the fact that other people didn’t find it funny at all._ Nothing particularly difficult about that. [/QUOTE] I slice it a \*little \*differently. I don’t think she thought it was funny when she made it. I think it’s one of those things that you’re trying to be funny on the spot and something comes out of your mouth and you know it’s not funny, or appropriate, that you botched it and shouldn’t have attempted the humor. Not to put too fine a point on it, the statement you made made it sound as if she thought it was funny _after_ (albeit, immediately) it came out, and then later, after the shit came down, she realized that it was a lame attempt. But I think we’re pretty much in agreement. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2008, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-employee-advocates-assassination-of-obama/450597/67 "2008-05-27T03:59:30Z")
If she knew immediately she had made a mistake why did she wait so long to apologize. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/59ef9b/32.png) [@Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_fight_the_hypothetical)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2008, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-employee-advocates-assassination-of-obama/450597/68 "2008-05-27T04:06:41Z")
I saw this before I came to the pit thread or before I heard it was such the big deal, here’s my take. She was talking about the suggestion that some thought Hillary meant to suggest knocking off Obama but said Osama instead. After the Osama came out it was more of a “him too” (speaking for Clinton). The nervous laughter was probably more of a “that didn’t come out like I meant it”. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2008, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-employee-advocates-assassination-of-obama/450597/69 "2008-05-27T05:22:06Z")
As I posted on another board, she looks like she is making a joke, but it’s a really, really bad one - so bad that it is actually a death wish for a candidate who will most likely be a presidential candidate in a month. I’ve had my foot in my mouth once or twice, but it didn’t usually involve wishing anyone else dead, regardless of which political party they were in. ---
**Author:** ![Kozmik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8dc957/32.png) [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2008, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-employee-advocates-assassination-of-obama/450597/70 "2008-05-27T08:23:59Z")
She wanted a hat trick. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2008, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-employee-advocates-assassination-of-obama/450597/71 "2008-05-27T10:10:46Z")
[QUOTE=Happy Scrappy Hero Pup] All I’m doing is saying that “Fox News employee advocates assassination of Obama” is an over-the-top title, because that’s not what happened. Other than that, I got no dog in this fight. [/QUOTE] But that is _exactly_ what she did. Did you not see the clip? Or read her quote? She said it jokingly but she did say it would be good to knock him off. And **QED** , what the hell are you talking about? She didn’t mistakenly make a joke. She made the joke. The only slip was the word ‘Osama’. She did not slip up and say “both, if we could” by accident. A bad and tasteless joke is more than a mere slip-up. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/59ef9b/32.png) [@Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_fight_the_hypothetical)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2008, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-employee-advocates-assassination-of-obama/450597/72 "2008-05-27T10:26:12Z")
[QUOTE=Biggirl] But that is _exactly_ what she did. Did you not see the clip? [/QUOTE] No it’s not. She was speaking as Hillary and when she said Obama (accidentally) she added , “Oh him too”. Her “joke” was about Osama - not Obama. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2008, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-employee-advocates-assassination-of-obama/450597/73 "2008-05-27T11:07:40Z")
[QUOTE=Don’t fight the hypothetical] No it’s not. She was speaking as Hillary and when she said Obama (accidentally) she added , “Oh him too”. Her “joke” was about Osama - not Obama. [/QUOTE] She was speaking about Hillary’s own assasination blunder. She meant to say ‘Obama’ but said ‘Osama’ then joked that we should knock them both off. The slip was ‘Osama’ the supposed joke was about knocking them both off. The offensive part was not the slip of the tongue but the deliberate joke about knocking off both Osama and Obama. ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2008, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-employee-advocates-assassination-of-obama/450597/74 "2008-05-27T11:43:51Z")
That Osama/Obama “slip” has happened far too often on Fox News for it to be an accident. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2008, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-employee-advocates-assassination-of-obama/450597/75 "2008-05-27T11:57:44Z")
[QUOTE=cricetus] That Osama/Obama “slip” has happened far too often on Fox News for it to be an accident. [/QUOTE] I may be being very naive but I don’t think it’s a editorial decision of the station, rather I think that the type of right winger\* that they employ has spent so much time commenting on/joking about the Osama thing that they find it hard not to do it on air. \*Not all obviously but it seems quite a few have made this error. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2008, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-employee-advocates-assassination-of-obama/450597/76 "2008-05-27T21:16:03Z")
[QUOTE=cricetus] That Osama/Obama “slip” has happened far too often on Fox News for it to be an accident. [/QUOTE] FWIW, both Jay Leno and I have made the Osama/Obama slip. And I believe we both intend to vote for him. The latter, that is. ---
**Author:** ![ArizonaTeach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/45deac/32.png) [@ArizonaTeach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArizonaTeach)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2008, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-employee-advocates-assassination-of-obama/450597/77 "2008-05-27T21:25:22Z")
[QUOTE=PunditLisa] FWIW, both Jay Leno and I have made the Osama/Obama slip. And I believe we both intend to vote for him. The latter, that is. [/QUOTE] Hell, Ted Kennedy did it on the floor of the Senate. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2008, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-employee-advocates-assassination-of-obama/450597/78 "2008-05-27T21:33:24Z")
[QUOTE=ArizonaTeach] Hell, Ted Kennedy did it on the floor of the Senate. [/QUOTE] Heh. Teddy also once referred to Sammy Sosa as “Sammy Soser.” ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2008, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-employee-advocates-assassination-of-obama/450597/79 "2008-05-27T21:58:06Z")
[QUOTE=magellan01] I think it’s one of those things that you’re trying to be funny on the spot and something comes out of your mouth and you know it’s not funny, or appropriate, that you botched it and shouldn’t have attempted the humor. [/QUOTE] Sure is a good thing she isn’t employed in a position that requires her to speak intelligently off-the-cuff on matters of great significance in a medium of extraordinary power or anything. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2008, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-employee-advocates-assassination-of-obama/450597/80 "2008-05-27T22:06:35Z")
[QUOTE=Cervaise] Sure is a good thing she isn’t employed in a position that requires her to speak intelligently off-the-cuff on matters of great significance in a medium of extraordinary power or anything. [/QUOTE] She isn’t; she works for FOX News. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-employee-advocates-assassination-of-obama/450597.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-employee-advocates-assassination-of-obama/450597.md?page=5)