# Fox News Spinning the Katrina Disaster? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 2, 2005, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-spinning-the-katrina-disaster/319779 "2005-09-02T19:17:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2005, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-spinning-the-katrina-disaster/319779/41 "2005-09-03T02:35:18Z")
Don’t worry, he’ll no doubt be back to declaring France’s economy has been crippled by boycotts and anti-war protestors are offering aid and comfort to the enemy through their collusion with the extreme left in no time. ---
**Author:** ![ainigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4491bb/32.png) [@ainigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ainigma)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2005, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-spinning-the-katrina-disaster/319779/42 "2005-09-03T09:11:52Z")
I think the its a joke to call that station Fox “News”…its anything but. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2005, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-spinning-the-katrina-disaster/319779/43 "2005-09-03T11:27:51Z")
> [@rjung](#): > > Wake me when O’Reilly actually grows the cojones to blame Bush directly, instead of the nebulous “federal government.” O’Reilly’s just steamed at the amount of federal tax he has to pay on his phone bill. ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2005, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-spinning-the-katrina-disaster/319779/44 "2005-09-04T06:59:35Z")
> [@furt](#): > > Rivera held up an infant to the camera and said something to the effect of “Look at her! This is who the government is failing to help!” Smith looked about ready to explode talking about the situation at the Superdome. This happened the night before the OP watched the Today Show and then FOX. What started the whole thing was the FOX reporter named Steve (they send him where nobody else will go). He was raving mad about a large crowd of people on I-10 that had been there for days without any help. This was on O’Reilly’s show. Then Geraldo got on from in front of the Convention Hall and ranted about conditions there. That was when he held up the baby. Then Shepard Smith got on and said he’d been to where Steve was two days before and had begged for someone to send help. He was pissed. All four of them were condemning the fact that the people were not being helped. Then the next morning Geraldo was proclaiming how much different it was than the night before, since a steady stream of helicopters were rescuing the people at the Convention Hall. Smith got there and said he’d just seen a lot of help on the way. They were upbeat because it was such an improvement over what had been happening up to that point. Fact is that the Today Show probably didn’t know what was actually happening at the time. ---
**Author:** ![Adoptamom\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Adoptamom\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Adoptamom_II)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2005, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-spinning-the-katrina-disaster/319779/45 "2005-09-04T12:30:00Z")
Not to hijack this thread to far away from it’s purpose, but does anyone know if it’s possible to find a specific piece of footage that was shown on Fox news? Mr. Adoptamom and I have been volunteering at the Rivercenter in Baton Rouge since this happened and one of my coworkers called last night to tell me that it was footage of me that they were showing handing out the comfort kits. I’d like a link to it to send to my daughter in Colorado Springs. She hasn’t seen her mama for awhile 🙂 Thanks in advance for your help if you know how to do this. ---
**Author:** ![Scott\_Plaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Scott\_Plaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scott_Plaid)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2005, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-spinning-the-katrina-disaster/319779/46 "2005-09-04T13:40:13Z")
> [@Adoptamom\_II](#): > > Not to hijack this thread to far away from it’s purpose, but does anyone know if it’s possible to find a specific piece of footage that was shown on Fox news?\ [QUOTEFaux Faq] 4. How do I order a tape or transcript? If you are looking for a tape or transcript of Your World with Neil Cavuto, On The Record with Greta Van Susteren, The Big Story with John Gibson, Hannity & Colmes, FOX News Sunday, Special Report with Brit Hume, The O’Reilly Factor, FOX News Watch, or the Beltway Boys, you may call the Federal Document Clearing House at 1-888-44-FOXTV, e-mail them at [foxtranscripts@fdch.com](mailto:foxtranscripts@fdch.com). Click here to purchase tapes of War Stories with Oliver North. Transcripts or tapes of other shows are not available at this time. [/QUOTE] While it clearly states that other shows are not available, perhaps if you call/write and ask politely… ---
**Author:** ![Scott\_Plaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Scott\_Plaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scott_Plaid)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2005, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-spinning-the-katrina-disaster/319779/47 "2005-09-04T13:41:37Z")
:smack: Yes, I know I should have inserted a “=” in there. It still gives the needed info. ---
**Author:** ![Adoptamom\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Adoptamom\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Adoptamom_II)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2005, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-spinning-the-katrina-disaster/319779/48 "2005-09-04T13:47:28Z")
Thanks for your hard work and research **Scott Plaid**. Between trying to keep the home fires burning and our volunteer work at the shelter, I haven’t had time to look this up. Your efforts are much appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![Scott\_Plaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Scott\_Plaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scott_Plaid)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2005, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-spinning-the-katrina-disaster/319779/49 "2005-09-04T14:06:39Z")
You just gave me a warm and fuzzy feeling inside. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Plynck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Plynck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plynck)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-spinning-the-katrina-disaster/319779/50 "2005-09-06T04:20:36Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > After 3 days of watching various sources, I’ve concluded that Shepard Smith is probably the best thing Fox News has. Now, if he could just finish crowding out Hannity and Colmes entirely, and anchor all the reporting from NO. I just saw Shephard Smith on Letterman where he had a chance to speak freely for about 15 minutes or so. I’ve never cared for Fox News, but after hearing him, I’m willing to reconsider. He is absolutely pissed at the lack of government response when he was broadcasting for days about what was needed. He held back from pointing fingers at specific governmental officials or agencies at this time, but he did mention two things that he felt contributed to this crisis: -The federal identification of NO levees as vulnerable in a Class 3 hurricane (#3 national priority), and -lack of any clear local leadership during the aftermath Smith was deliberate and professional, and it is clear that he wasn’t trying to spin this at all. He truly has strong feelings about the failings of governmental response. Coming from Mississippi, this is hitting him where he lived. ---
**Author:** ![Soylent\_Gene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@Soylent\_Gene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soylent_Gene)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-spinning-the-katrina-disaster/319779/51 "2005-09-06T04:40:08Z")
> [@yo no se](#): > > No. > > Spinning a disaster? To make someone look… good? > > I work out of the house and have been watching pretty much non-stop since Monday. I’ve had it on FOX most of the time. Most all it’s correspondents are doing a good job and not getting too carried away. They’ve asked the good hard questions and expressed dismay at the ‘seemingly’ sluggish response. And O’Reilly is not holding back the punches. > > They’ll be plenty of time for the blame game to be played out in the weeks to come. Whatever. > > Uh, lemmeguess…You voted Dem and think FOX is a republican-sponsored propaganda maker. You are correct! Of course I voted Democrat. And yes, Fox News is basically the Republican Party TV Network. If you have any evidence counter to this, please cite. And give Roger Ailes my regards. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-spinning-the-katrina-disaster/319779/52 "2005-09-06T05:25:05Z")
> [@Soylent Gene](#): > > Fox News is basically the Republican Party TV Network. If you have any evidence counter to this, please cite. And give Roger Ailes my regards. I guess there must be new deabte rules around here. I always thought it went like this: Posters make statments and then back them up with facts. When did the rules become: Posters make statements which are assume to be true unless someone else disproves them? ---
**Author:** ![Soylent\_Gene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@Soylent\_Gene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soylent_Gene)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-spinning-the-katrina-disaster/319779/53 "2005-09-06T06:42:31Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > I guess there must be new deabte rules around here. I always thought it went like this: Posters make statments and then back them up with facts. When did the rules become: Posters make statements which are assume to be true unless someone else disproves them? There are debating rules on this forum? please cite. BTW- my reference to Roger Ailes is in regards to the fact that he is a former Republican operative now running Fox. Since 2/3 or more of the talking heads on Fox are clearly conservative and regurgitate the Bush Adminstration talking points, I feel fairly conformtable calling Fox News is the Republican Party TV Network. Are they officially the “Republican Party TV Network”? No. But for all intents and purposes, they are. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-spinning-the-katrina-disaster/319779/54 "2005-09-06T09:51:29Z")
And lest we forget, there is NO Democratic equivalent to FOX. So much for the “liberal media” claptrap. ---
**Author:** ![Arwin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/51bf81/32.png) [@Arwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arwin)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-spinning-the-katrina-disaster/319779/55 "2005-09-06T10:23:14Z")
Being probably one of the few people in Europe who has and does watch Foxnews every now and then, I think much of the criticism is deserved. However, since it is also one of the few U.S. networks I get without any commercials (I get some cheesy global weather updates every once in a while, say 15 minutes or so), I do occasionally watch it, also because I know so many outspoken republicans watch it and refer to it regularly (not just on SDMB). For Katrina, it turned out to be a very decent newssource, and both O’Reilly and Shephard Smith came across really good, and this Steve guy on the overpass near the Super Dome did some awesome work too. He had been there from they one and has stayed there all the time, and he really did a good job. CNN on the other hand was pretty useless, but then I also can’t stand the stupid hotel commercials every five minutes. But we’ll see how long it lasts. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-spinning-the-katrina-disaster/319779/56 "2005-09-06T14:23:33Z")
> [@Soylent Gene](#): > > There are debating rules on this forum? please cite. Cite? Are you kidding. I made a statement. Prove me wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Scott\_Plaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Scott\_Plaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scott_Plaid)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-spinning-the-katrina-disaster/319779/57 "2005-09-06T16:01:53Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > Cite? Are you kidding. I made a statement. Prove me wrong. Umm, no. Last time I looked, it’s the person who makes _extraordinary_ claims that has to prove what he is saying, not simply the person who makes a claim. No past thread has disproved that Fox new is not biased. Quite the opposite. Thus, “Fox news is biased” is not an extraordinary claim. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-spinning-the-katrina-disaster/319779/58 "2005-09-06T16:14:32Z")
> [@Scott Plaid](#): > > Umm, no. Last time I looked, it’s the person who makes _extraordinary_ claims that has to prove what he is saying, not simply the person who makes a claim. No past thread has disproved that Fox new is not biased. Quite the opposite. Thus, “Fox news is biased” is not an extraordinary claim. Ummm, in case you missed the sarcasm, I’m debating by the rules \*\*SG \*\*set up in his post #51. ---
**Author:** ![Scott\_Plaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Scott\_Plaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scott_Plaid)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-spinning-the-katrina-disaster/319779/59 "2005-09-06T16:21:18Z")
> [@Soylent Gene](#): > > You are correct! Of course I voted Democrat. > And yes, Fox News is basically the Republican Party TV Network. If you have any evidence counter to this, please cite. And give Roger Ailes my regards. :dubious: Rules? He asked you for a cite. You said “I guess there must be new deabte rules around here. I always thought it went like this: Posters make statments and then back them up with facts. When did the rules become: Posters make statements which are assume to be true unless someone else disproves them?.” I pointed out they don’t really need to back up points already made. What rules? What am I missing? ---
**Author:** ![Psycho\_Pirate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Psycho\_Pirate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Psycho_Pirate)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-spinning-the-katrina-disaster/319779/60 "2005-09-06T18:57:52Z")
…the entire point, maybe? :smack: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-spinning-the-katrina-disaster/319779.md?page=2)