Fox "News"; Jefferson; Conyers

It was bad enough when Fox "News," in reporting the story of Rep. William Jefferson's (D-LA) federal indictment, ran file video of Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) with the anchor's voice-over.

Today, as ThinkProgress reports, Fox offered an "apology" which made no reference at all to the specific offense for which it was "apologizing."

Conyers blasts Fox News for ‘apology.’

Fox News “apologized” today after airing images of Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) during a discussion of indicted Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA) (both happen to be African African).

“Yesterday at this time, news of the indictment of Congressman William Jefferson came down. We mistakenly ran the wrong video to accompany this story and we apologize for that error,” a Fox anchor, Martha MacCallum, told viewers at about 1:20 p.m. today. The 10-second apology made no reference to Mr. Conyers and did not explain why or how the erroneous video made it to air.

Conyers responded today in a statement:

Fox News has a history of inappropriate on-air mistakes that are neither fair, nor balanced. This type of disrespect for people of color should no longer be tolerated. I am personally offended by the network’s complete disregard for accuracy in reporting and lackluster on-air apology.

The pretense that Fox is a legitimate news organization has entered the realm performance art. Is anyone really expected to believe that the video and news editors at this network do not know the difference between William Jefferson and John Conyers? Or, is this network actually staffed by people who think that all blacks look alike? Frankly, I don't know which possibility is more absurd.

And if it was an honest mistake, as some will suggest, then why not explain exactly what the mistake was? All the better to clarify the matter, yes? No. They don't want to clarify the matter.

The reality is that the scum at Fox "News" are simply trying to smear an honorable public servant like John Conyers with the taint of an apparent criminal like William Jefferson. They want people to think "criminal" when they see images of John Conyers. That way, Conyers' credibility is compromised in the minds of any Fox "News" viewers who might happen to catch a few minutes of the congressional hearings he is conducting into the misdeeds of the Bush administration.

I don't want to hear one more word from the right wingers about how awful it is that Democrats won't participate in the debate that Fox keeps trying to put together with the Congressional Black Caucus. Fox "News" is a Republican propaganda organ, pure and simple. No Democrat worthy of the name should ever legitimize Fox "News" by going along with the charade that it is a real news organization.

And, what on earth is the CBC thinking by trying to drag Democratic presidential candidates into that pit of vipers? Get a clue, folks. Fox "News" is not, and never will be, your friend.