Shep Smith: "We do not f***ing torture!"
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Fox News anchor Shepard Smith let loose with one again today in a spirited discussion on enhanced interrogation techniques. Another Fox anchor Trace Gallagher toes the Fox News line. This isn't the first time Smith has gotten all hot and bothered on the subject either.
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I don't know how Smith keeps his job at Fox, but I'm sure glad he does.
Makes me wonder if they tried to make him their "token liberal" and he had too much class to go with it. No wonder the boofheads don't get him on as an "analyst" - he's got sense and he's got guts.
Pounding the table - that's what makes us great? Not what we do, not whether or not we torture or slaughter?
Shall we just ignore the hundreds of thousands of Iraqis we have killed for Cheney and Rumsfeld's greed and bloodlust?
It does not take courage to shoot your mouth off when you're paid very handsomely to do just that.
Yeah, pound on the table and swear - what a man! He's another gutless loudmouth who talks big but avoids serving.
Another winger who could have joined after 9/11 but chose to let others do the fighting so he could profit off of bloody lies.
Especially on that network.
You seem to have heard him saying that torture is wrong - which he does not say.
I heard him say that this is America and that we do not torture. Not that we wouldn't do it because it is wrong, he simply issued a blanket denial: we do not torture.
But we did torture.
(and I'm the deaf guy).
I thought it was more of an excited denial than saying it's not something we shouldn't do, but rather... No, we don't do that.
From the context he was saying that it doesn't matter if people think it's effective as America we should never stoop that low. I am pretty sure he accepts that it happened, but I think he's disgusted that it happened.
I didn't read it as a denial, as it was prefaced with the statement "I don't give a rat's ass if it worked".
...he condones torture. Not everyone at Fox is the anti-Christ. You appear to have a personal problem with this guy.
He's faking either his outrage that America tortures or his belief that America does torture.
Either way, it's being misread.
I happen to watch a clip of Smith's show with a guest. He got into with his guest. He yelled and said I do not want my government torturing prisoner under my name or family. He said this is america and we don't do torture. He was right.
No, sadly he's wrong. This is America and now we know that torture has been done in our name.
in saying "we do not torture" is not the same was Bush saying it. He's not denying that we've tortured. He's saying "This is America. It is against our principles and ideals to torture. It is wrong. We should not be discussing whether it works or not, because it is wrong, It is off the table as a tactic. It is something we do not do."
He's speaking to our ideals as a nation governed by laws and by a Constitution that applies even when we're scared. We might not always live up to those ideals, but we should. And, under those ideals, we do not torture, no matter how scared we are. It's like catching your kid playing with matches and telling her "no, we do not play with matches." Clearly, she is, but you're saying this is forbidden conduct.
I agree with him and think he should get credit for saying it. It sucks that it needs to even be said, let alone so emphatically, but on that network and in this country today, someone saying torture is just off the table is always a good thing.
This is exactly right. Anyone who has followed Smith's career at Fox knows that he takes a distinctly no nonsense approach to the BS propagated elsewhere on the network (his derision of Glenn Beck's show being another example). He is clearly saying that America must not torture if it is to be the country that we believe it to be. I'm pretty sure that, like Alan Colmes, he was hired to provide "fair and balanced" cover for Fox's actual agenda. It's hard to believe that he would still hae a job otherwise, because some of his comments have been almost aggressively mocking.
Ooooooh, look everyone, blue light special, aisle 9.
Torture? What torture?
to "play along". There's not many people on earth strong enough to refuse that temptation.
I can't wait until his contract is up. You know his contract will not be extended. Hope he is keeping good notes. Gonna make a great book.
I love me some shepherd smith
who find murderers in prison to write love letters to.
No accounting for taste
Occasionally watch and have watched Fixed News to see what the talking points are, probably moreso during the Bush admin, but will flip on the O'Reillys and Hannitys, etc., for the fake outrage du jour.
Through the years I always found Shep Smith unctuous and smug and disliked him immensely. Then I saw him on location, out in the field, during Hurricane Katrina, and he was the only talking head from Fox who showed any real, heartfelt concern. Geraldo Rivera cried for the cameras, sure, but it was Shep who raged against the incompetence on the ground. And in those moments revealed that, unlike his brethren at that network, he is capable of empathy and humanity. Changed my view of him forever.
And it is more and more moments like the above, "We do not ****ing torture", that continue to prove Sheppard is perhaps the only good hearted person on that network. And the feistier he gets, the better.
Keep it real, Shep. Keep it real.
Smith is genuinely pissed here. Look at his body language in addition to what he said. It's not like Limbaugh or Beck faking outrage. This is real outrage. I have to admire Smith for it. Lord only knows how much longer his masters at Fox will tolerate such decency.
on this same topic...someone mentioned, that Shep may be a true old school conservative, who truly loves this country, and doesn't buy into the neo-con ideology.
I think that may well be the case. And I applaud you Shep! Give 'em hell!
And a bit of advice...get the hell outta faux news!
should stay right where he is. He is the only true conservative on Fox. Let the foxbots see what one looks like.
n/t
He's pissed because he's tied to Fox and their profit and ratings are rightfully in the toilet - and the murdering liars he has supported are now starting to feel the heat for the war crimes they committed.
In other words, Shepard is pissed because his ride on the jingoistic war-mongering gravy train may be coming to an end, and he doesn't like it. In fact, it pisses him off.
Maybe Shepard Smith hates torture.
I think he's the rarest of breeds...an actual conservative who cares for this country, and it's laws.
Aren't many of those around anymore.
Ironically, I know of a number of us OCs (Original Conservatives ala Barry Goldwater) who voted for Obama.
But after spending too much time on the side of the Dammedocratic Party (what my Dad used to call it) I feel pulled by the Dark Side and might actually put the Dreaded D on my Voter Registration next time around.
Should you decide to make that leap, I welcome you in advance.
what torture is. He's been on Fox for several years.
People tend to do that when they're trying emphasize their belief in a point that they believe is not true.
Imagine if Dick Cheney had done that same move with a raised voice in that context... would the message be the same?
Yeah, he seems like a conservative that can think for himself. I pity him the things he has to hear and see every day at work.
Trace believes truth is relative, he is a fake intellectual.
Shep is awesome but Judge Napolitano is a living version of Thomas Jefferson. Everything Napolitano says is 100% correct.
I've visited C&Ls since it started and loved it the entire time Bush was in office. But since Obama has become President, C&L and liberal talkers like Olbermann and Maddow have just totally went off the deep end.
IT is dishonest, intellectual fraud. Maddow knows she's an idiot on the economy yet she still loves to ooze condensending one-liners.
LISTEN TO FREEDOM WATCH. WE HATED BUSH AND DISLIKE OBAMA (although I like him better) -- not because he's black because like Bush he's a Big Government Socialist.
THINK!
no one's forcing you to stick around.
Buh-bye :)
Jacobin said, "Trace believes truth is relative, he is a fake intellectual."
Calm down. There are no intellectuals on Fox.
What the hell do Olby and Rachel have anything to do with this thread.
Hell, boy. Start your own website about MSNBC.
Wait, I have the perfect response.
The Right wingers say, "Waaaaaaa!"
Dear gawd! We gots us a liiiiive one!
Sheesh!
Yer brains is all backed up like 5 o'clock traffic kid!
... that I get my marching orders in the same manner as conservatives. That I can ONLY think in the narrow box painted nightly by Olbermann and Maddow, or nod in sage agreement with the gang here at C&L.
You have the gall to come here and cite FREEDOM WATCH, and chide US for not thinking?
God, that's a laugh.
The narrow view held by Olbermann and Maddow that holds Obama accountable on his promises? The ones that blasted him for saying that even if criminal acts were committed that we should "move forward", those narrow views? Come on the only reason the right won elections for years was because Democrats can't be led down a narrow path with blinders on. The Dems have historically been all over the map on a variety of issues, simply because it's ok to disagree with other Democrats in the Democratic party. Unlike the GOP where frequent charges of heresy lead one to believe they are watching a Monty Python sketch. Our chief weapon is surprise, surprise and fear, our two main weapons are surprise and fear, a ruthless efficiency and a fanatical devotion to the Limbaugh, amongst our weaponry are such diverse elements as fear, surprise, ruthless efficiency and a fanatical devotion to Limbaugh.Bring out the comfy chair!
Not only like Cardinal Biggles, but 99.999% of faux is like a trip to the Argument Clinic! Naysayers, .......who always wanted to be lumberjacks! Aaaaaarrrgh
(Sorry, thinking about republicrud goopists just trigger thoughts of Monty Python skits) And yes the biggest difference is that we have the ability to think rather than march in General Jabba the Rush's trail of salacious slug slime.
Have you found out about yourself yet? Or do you still labor under the impression that you have a clue?
the door hit you in your Pampers on the way out.
F***king "A" Right!
This is "f***king" excellent!
Wonder how long it will be before Shepherd is fired?
for further brainwashing.
But I really think that Shep is not like the other half-wits on faux.
These rightarded traitors should also be held criminally liable for the fascist regime's crimes against humanity. They support and defend war crimes and treason against America, they should be in prison right along side Bush, Cheny, Rice, Powell, and the rest.
Give him credit for realizing that it is an issue of right and wrong not right and left.
And props for Napiltano for pointing out that there is NO LEGAL argument for justifying torture.
How Trace just goes on like Shep didn't say it that way, with real emotion.
willfully oblivious.
I've always kind of thought that Shep doesn't suffer fools, he just gets a paycheck from them. A shame, really, he's got some fire in his belly and all Faux will do is snuff it out.
60 cases of Pabst Blue Ribbon tall boys, a keg of beer, and Monster Energy drinks for the kids.
Im against cruel and inhumane treatment of anyone .. however.. if the real perps of 911 are ever brought to justice. I say torture the living snot out of them. Waterboard Cheney in a vat of cat piss for all i care.
Bush and Company just didn't give a squat whether anyone objected or not.
Doesn't work that way. If torturing is wrong, you can't do it regardless of how deserving sad person is.
Nor would it prevent further attacks. It would serve only to create martyrs for recruitment purposes.
Jail. Key, throw away the.
If you state something that has been proven patently false, your staying it does not make it true.
If you state something LOUDLY that has been proven patenly false, screaming it does not make it true.
Grow up, Shepard.
He clearly was talking as a matter of principle, not disputing any facts. In fact, he was objecting to any justification of torture.
God, do CLers even READ or LISTEN to anything that's put on this site?
And we treat it like it's some sort of national event?
I love at the end Shep saying under his breath, quickly..
'doesn't matter, we don't do it'
He's right on, but it struck me as both very cool and amusing. I watched the whole thing 3 times smiling ear to ear.
for the minor detail that we DO do it. We have tortured innocent people. We have tortured people to death.
Us. Americans.
We need to get a grip. Denying the truth does us no good.
meheheheh
Too bad this show is only web-streamed and more Fox viewers didn't get to witness it.
Did anybody else notice that Shep almost dropped the F-bomb when talking about his lawyer "Go ffff- DO IT!"
Fox won't stand for that no sir!
BTW Liz Cheney is now on MSNBC trying to smooth things over for her dear old dad. Pathetic!
Who's watchin' the baby?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/23/megh...
Liz actually slams cheney and rove, good for her.
I'm so ready for this week to be over.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mN6coIJ202g
trying to be a good son, like Mary Cheney.
I saw her too. What the hell is she doing on tv telling us what this country should do or not do? Why can't she and her father go somewhere and have a life. We've had enough cheney to last for eons. Pretty damned poor when you have to put your kids on tv to defend your criminal acts.
Liz Cheney is on MSNBC, right now with Norah O'Donnell, spreading more lies and propaganda that the Bush administration "did not torture" but that it worked anyway, and should be left alone. Go turn on MSNBC and see if ya can catch some of Liz Cheney's lies.
I say prosecute all of them, including John McCain!!!!!
Prosecute U.S. War Criminals from both Political Parties Immediately!!!
Not that I am holding my breath that these prosecutions will ever take place.
Shep is good. FAUX is bad!
but we have done it. Where has he been? FOX keeps Shep because he gives them cover. Remember they are supposed to be fair and balanced. He stays with the program most of the time.
Shep Smith is intelligent and has a sharp sense of humor. He has the potential to become the new face of Fox News.
has his resume updated. The downside for him is his resume includes Fox News. This is the network of no return, at least as far as journalistic integrity is concerned.
LOL that was sold out a long time ago.
I mean seriously they are infotainers.
Don'tcha have to be factual to be informative which is the info in infotainment?
Shep your casting pearls before swine...
If you cast pearls before swine, you offer something of value to someone who doesn't appreciate it like the swine@Faux Propaganda Network.
and they surely can't appreciate anything remotely like logic or common sense.
http://comics.com/pearls_before_swine/
How can Fox get away with saying "the F word" on a broadcast? Do they get fined, like Janet Jackson did for showing her boob for half a second?
Money is our God
Cable's not subject to the FCC.
It was web-streamed. It wasn't on the TV.
They said the "F" word on the INTERNET???!! CHILDREN use it! Next thing you know they'll have PORN on it!
;)
throwing facts around, aaaaaall willy-nilly!
Someone could lose an eye!
I saw that after I posted.
I didn't know anything from a TV network was streamed only.
for firing him.
It's the "licensed" broadchasers that get all the Notice of Apparent Liability notices.
shep needs to stop hanging around with them thar sheep.
but I think it was staged. Only now, in the midst of the furor, does he say a bad word -- even though it's been obvious for months (e.g. when Bush yelled we don't torture). Was it from the heart (on live TV), did he sucker the liberal blogosphere, would he rather be on MSNBC, or did his bosses tell him to play up his independence? Hard to tell.
So it had to be true.
;)
I'm givin him the benefit of the doubt.
But liberalicious made a good point...it WAS on teh teevee...so...we all know they never fib!
It was on the Internet.....
.....
.......
SO IT HAD TO BE TRUE!!!!!
The internets don't never lie!
Shep decides to use language that's consistent with the intense emotion that this subject warrants. "Enhanced interrogation techniques" doesn't sound like slamming a prisoner into a wall then pretending to drown him. It sounds like a boob-job.
it's easy to find something nefarious in anything connected to Fox News, but I think that Shep's outrage is genuine. And I for one appreciate it. Dancing around with euphemisms like "enhanced interrogation techniques" and debating their efficacy ignores what was once a simple truth - civilized nations do not torture.
we do. The more people in the media that speak out against torture the better...even if they're not our friends.
I think a few on here today, are so conditioned against anything positive coming from faux news, they're not apt to believe Shep's outrage could be genuine.
I for one believe him.
It might have been a little theatrical but I think his sentiment was sincere.
;)
But I agree, it was sincere.
He's gone. I can see Ailes' red face contorting and twisting. Hack Napolitano is busy lying his mouth off and SS can't take it anymore. SS is not toeing the line and will be demoted and fired.
A Jew in Hitler's army.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AP8ISToe1Sc
It sounded like the lot of them were denying what happened was torture.
I know I'm cynical, but it sounds staged to me, like he did it so he could get a lot of internet hits.
Absolutely how the bedwetting Faux Noise Reslugs are absolutely losing their minds and starting to really sweat like the raunchy pigs they are, while showing just how guilty they are. This again certainly proves their habitual unfair and unbalanced biases and hatred to the entire world.
Bullshit. for the last 8 years these guys have beenkissing bushs ass. Now that the shit is hitting the fan there all (some) of them are saying george and dick were wrong????
But it took them 90 days to nudge the rudder to the left.
Dinosaurs!
Wasn't Shep the Dumb Bully of the three stooges??
Wasn't that all of them?
will the New shep smith quit faux news and tell the American people how faux newa has fixed there news for the last 8 years to just a repug suck up. come on smith, tell us some real news.
Yes he does...
He says Torture is WRONG...
I am not sure how anyone can read what he said as a "Denial" of the facts..
"We are America!!, I dont give a rats ass if it helps!!, We are America, WE DO NOT FUCKING TORTURE!! WE DON'T DO IT!" - Shep Smith
"I am not saying Torture is right or wrong" - Trace Gallagher
"It's WRONG! Thats it!" - Shep Smith
"effective or"- Trace Gallagher
"Doesnt matter we don't do it" Shep Smith
----
Reading that any other way is where the real denial lays..
When people fake anger, they slam their hand on a table, desk or wall .. or even punch the palm of their hand.
'Nuff said.
That's the most striking point of the whole exchange. If he had said "We do not fucking torture. We don't do it" without slamming his hand down, I'll be inclined to believe his outrage.
C'mon folks... this IS FOX News we're talking about here.
When people are really angry, they slam their hand on a table, desk or wall...
This may be Fox news.. that does not mean that there are not human beings that work there.
Sheppard Smith has shown his human side a few times, and is actually partially credible.
I think its genuine. I think Shep has been disillusioned with Fox for a while now. Did you see him make fun of Beck's "look into my eyes" bit?
to the left.
Where is your Alan Colmes now?
the definition of compromise, no?
I'm a unicorn.
we are America and WE definitely DO TORTURE! Whether we will in the future may depend on whether or not there is accountability for past criminal acts.
Unless individuals from the top (Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, etc.) to the bottom (CIA hands-on torturers) are prosecuted for their crimes, we can all rest assured that we will torture again. When the trials are completed, if Obama chooses to pardon (or commute sentences for) those individuals who were carrying out what they may have believed were "lawful" orders from their superiors, I won't have a problem with that as long as the originators of the policy spend time in jail.
I've lived long enough to no longer believe that American presidents are not above the law -- they are (but shouldn't be) in practice. Bush and Cheney deserve prison, but I can't imagine that ever happening. However, I don't believe we should punish the underlings at all, unless the biggies are sentenced to prison (plus loss of pension).
In PRINCIPAL.. the way that WE would like to see this country... does not include torture in the tapestry...
That is what he is saying, he is not saying it did not happen, or has not happened..
He is saying WE DON'T DO IT ON PRINCIPAL!
That WE are better then that..
Once again fighting smoke and ignoring the fire...
But we shouldn't do it on principle, either.
I don't trust ANYTHING or ANYBODY on Faux Noise.
That includes SS.
I think a LOT of people think just like Smith. It's truthiness, not truth.
Way to go Shep. If republicans keep going down this path they will and are keeping america look bad in the eyes of the world. We come off looking like bullies.
And I think Sheppard Smith is sincere and genuinely good.
What the HELL he is doing on Faux is something else altogether!
And I think Sheppard Smith is sincere and genuinely good.
What the HELL he is doing on Faux is something else altogether!
I hate profanity in the media. They should fine corporations that allow this sort of language.
But then again it's cable so I guess if people are choosing to pay for it....
i think the fourth estate has much larger problems than swearing. i'm actually pretty sure that that's the least of it's problems.
Who cares about profanity? It's a word.
The press is the bastion of free speech.
if you walked up to shep and asked him if he'd take a huge pay cut to go over to MSnbc or CNN, i think he'd take it. maybe even work for free.
I i worked at FOX i would be feeling very guilty right about now. The weak will screech and wail while the strong will face their guilt.
How many of the pundits and anchors at FOX do you suppose will be strong and face that guilt? Besides shep smith that is.
Good for ratings.
It seems that the people at Faux News Keep Losing their cool!
LOL! I love it!
Lets Call th FCC on this!
I have seen a few of these "is Shep Smith a closet Fox liberal?" and I am not sure whether this is for ratings, controversy or he really feels this way or not. It is hard to trust anyone from that network-as far as I have heard, they are pretty much all sworn to obedience to the cause and politics Fox purveys.
He seems like an ok guy-better than most, but still...I guess we can all hope that one day he and others will just throw down their mics, get up and walk off the set yelling "I can't do this anymore!"
I dunno you guys. Is anything done at FOX not carfeully orchestrated and calibrated for their advertisers, and their ratings? So ya toss the odd liberal in there. Big deal. It's a (circus) show.
I mean, C'mon.
He's the only remaining journalist at FNC. He is a reasonable person. Go youtube.com some videos of him.
He's not just another FNC anchor.
That may be true. But, as you can see, this "display" (not debating the realness; it may very well be heartfelt) has lefties (like us) thinking Fox isn't so bad after all. Why... they might even havea shred of decency-- which they do not. They're just tossing us a bone. (Ratings go up.)
PS it's also a wonderful way to keep the reich-wingers tuned in. They'll be watching extra-hard to curse at this un-American aberration.
We'll know he's genuine if he gets fired.
Somebody should keep any eye on him. He has some anger issues.
shepard, we dont torture you say? yes we can.
He looked really, really ah, effeminate there. (NTTTIAWWT!) Why would any self-respecting gay man work for Faux?
OMG, someone with a conscience at FOX?! Time to go night night, Shep.
Is he being groomed to take the token liberal slot sans Colmes? Or is he pouted having not gotten the Howard Beal role Fox gave to glenn beck? Or could it be he's become disillusioned with the flight from morality he helped to create.
...your days at Fox Noise are numbered.
After watching the video a few times, Shep is letting his hair down. When Trace repeated the "it worked" talking point, Shep clearly has a spontaneous, emotional, and heartfelt reaction -- mostly likely from hearing it way too much in the halls and studios of FNC -- and the fractions of seconds before he roared at Trace pounding the desk, his eyes widen and his eyebrows raise. That's true, raw, honest, and unvarnished anger from Shep. After his brief meltdown, it seems like a producer off camera near Judge Napolitano is sending signals of some kind and successfully gets Shep's attention because his head jerks suddenly in that direction.
I spent about 8 months to a year watching FOX NEWS straight and, as far as I'm concerned, the only people on that network worth a damn are Shephard Smith, and the panelists of News Watch.
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