Shocking Fox News video: Guest chuckles over killing Osama, Obama

Does this Fox News contributor, Liz Trotta, really suggest what it sounds like she suggests -- the assassination of both Osama bin Laden and Barack Obama? And then laughs!

Where is the outrage?  And the apology?

(UPDATE: Finally, it came and abject it was. (See below, a good ways into the tape.)

(UPDATE TO THE UPDATE: Over at WakeUp America, Susan makes a powerful point. Jeffrey Feldman of HuffingtonPost has a strong denunciation of the Trotta gaffe and a call for greater broadcast scrutiny and care about such language because the public does not want it. Though as of late Monday he had not posted Trotta's apology.

(Yet, on the same HuffPost site there's an apparently satirical piece by Guy Saperstein quoting a hopefully fictitious Clinton campaign strategy memo saying, "Assassination is still on the table, but it is still only one of many possibilities." This is funny stuff on one page but legitimate outrage on another?

(And does anyone remember outrage a while back when Sen. Ted Kennedy called the Illinois senator Osama bin Laden?)

--Andrew Malcolm

Comments

[carl29]

How can someone say something like this when there are thousands of lunatics who don't need more "creativity." Fox should not let this individual set foot on its network never again.

[Harry Grace]

This is an example of how dangerous the Huckabee joke and the Clinton comment is: It puts it out there, and it allows troglodytes like this woman to go on networks and make jokes about it so it seems like no big deal. Then, God knows what will happen next. For once, Don and Andrew, I agree with you: Where is the outrage?

[Nancy]

People are truly showing who they are during this Presidential Primary. Running for President requires one to be 35 years old and a U. S. citizen. When people harbor or have prejudicial beliefs regarding race, gender, or any other topic, they will verbally let someone know about it. If the USA cannot conquer its racial divide, why is the military in Iraq trying to make them do something that the USA cannot do? Race and ethnicity will always matter.

[Ron J Paul]

Shame on Fox, even bigger shame on Hillery Clinton. There can be no excuse for linking assasination to any of our candidates for President. If the FCC can fine a company using the public airways for using a four letter word why can't the FCC fine fox for this outrageous behavior. Liz Trotta should not be allowed back on any public airways and Hillery Clinton should retire from the race. If the people of New York really thought about Hillery's actions this campaign they would do the country a favor and vote her out of office.

[Andi]

This is why the heinous act Senator Clinton invoked should not be dismissed so easily.

Please contact Howard Dean (deanh@dnc.org) and Nancy Pelosi (http://speaker.house.gov/) to let them know how you feel. You can also go to this website and lobby the Uncommitted Superdelegates in each state (https://www.lobbydelegates.com/)

Please take action.

[J Wood]

That was worth a spit-take.

[Libby Belle]

Calling for assassination of a presidential candidate is a crime. So is inciting violence over the airways.

Liza Trotta should be arrested and Fox News should have its license yanked.

So should Rush Limbaugh, who publicly called for riots at the Democratic Convention.

[Andrew Horen]

Once again...FAUX NEWS shows its true colors. A network based on promoting fear and hate for ratings.

[Sandy]

That's pretty damned disgusting. She's evil. She deserves to 1) have the Secret Service directly in HER face - as does FOX "News", who encourages this type of talk; and 2) to be out of a job. She's not fit to be called a "journalist", but at least she's been caught crawling out from under her rock.

[jamesincalifornia]

Liz Trotta's apology sounded no more sincere than Hillary Clinton's.

[Vicki Coffman]

I don't really think an apology alone cuts it in this case. She showed shocking lack of judgment at the very least.

[mer]

I hope that some of those offended by this kind of joke you made, don't take is seriously. Ma'm I don't think this is the kind of attention you would like to get into. It's dangerous you know!

[N McGee]

Who cares??

[Aaron]

Few weeks ago the Clinton campaign was into the silly season,such as poor white will not vote for a black man. Now it has taken a new low, such as She is still in the race because Obama could be assasinated like RFK. The reason RFK campaign in June was because he did not enter the race until March after President Johnson would not seek relection. Her husband did not have a serious opponent after March, so this claim make no sense. I would not wish death on anyone. The remaining voters need to end this madness by voting for the nominee Obama to give him the pledged delegates to reach 2025.

[Mr.Jones]

This is a non-issue. The only outrage comes from the Barack Hussein Obama apologists. In other words, the 90% of the mainstream media that support and will be voting for Mr. Obama in Nov'08. For the the other 70% of the American population, this is a non-issue.

[GEAH]

Well, Andrew, that was a real apology...completely unreserved.

What do you want? The donning of a hairshirt? Self-flagellation with a cat o' nine tails?

[Mark @ News Corpse]

It is clear that Trotta was making an aside that was personal. She was straying from her commentary and using the first-person plural (...both if "we" could.) to distinguish the remark from her references to Clinton. Otherwise Trotta would have said "she" and likely would not have laughed gleefully at the notion.

And this is not the first time Fox Newsies have threatend violence against Democrats. More here:
http://www.newscorpse.com/ncWP/?p=923

[bob kholos]

Thank You. I watched that interview live and couldn't believe the host didn't say more than, "....tell us how you really feel."
My three children would be a better host and guest....at least they know the difference between right and wrong.

[John]

There is nothing ambiguous here. Liz Trotta is calling for the assassination ("knock off") of both Osama and Obama. Fox News is giving the world a preview of the hate-fueled tactics they will use to cover the general election.

[lisa]

There is no outrage. Nothing to be angry about. Senator Clinton's comment were exaggerated by Senator Obama's supporter's. I'm sorry no matter how hard you try, no one is going to cram down voting for the Illinois Senator down my throat. No matter how you twist it. It's over. When it comes time for general election I will not vote for him. How big of him not to hold it against her. I bet he's just eating this up.
Senator Obama wants to make friends with the enemy. Where is the outrage in this?

[D]

Wow it is amazing to me that in 2008 the suggestion by
Clinton, and jokes by the fox guess, that a Black political
candidate may be asssinated, is even being uttered publicly. Just goes to show that white America is starting to show it's true colors.

[mrincomestream]

Apology??? Are you kidding...this woman should be fired and the FCC should fine Fox News heavily....

[Sean Bresnahan]

When are we going to stop this horrible stuff? Whether emanating from the Left or Right, hate-speech must end. Ms. Trotta should be fired immediately.

[Stan]

Liz Trotta is not just a Fox "News" guest, she is an employee. This, in my opinion, makes her reprehensible statements reflect even worse on the network.

[Viviana Vivienne Croccolo-Huwald]

Is it not a slip of the tongue? After all Osama and Obama are so close that the names could be exchanged. I know one should be very careful, but sometimes the excitemnet of being in front of a camera can render one's clear thinking obfuscated...
vivih@bigpond.com