In Defense of Fox News’ Ambush Of “Congressman With Guts” Alan Grayson
Yesterday, Mediaite offered a sneak peek at Fox News’ Griff Jenkins ambushing controversial Democratic Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fl) outside his office. The first thing I thought when I saw this was that Grayson’s repeated demands that Jenkins make an appointment constituted some particularly weak sauce. On last night’s O’Reilly Factor, Bill O’Reilly and Jenkins called Grayson out for hiding behind his press flack, and I couldn’t agree more.
Alan Grayson became an instant hero to many on the left when he refused to apologize for his “Die quickly” rant on the House floor, mainly because he was the first Democrat ever to refuse any demand for an apology. Since then, he’s done everything he can to earn the name of his new website, CongressmanWithGuts.com, ratcheting up the tough talk along the way. This week, however, he was forced to apologize for a month-old remark that resurfaced. He called a female assistant to Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke a “K Street whore.”
Grayson didn’t help his “Congressman with guts” cred any when he basically took on the role of his own receptionist in response to Griff’s questions. Here’s the full O’Reilly segment:
First of all, I don’t know what “rules” Grayson is talking about, unless the First Amendment has some kind of “appointments” clause in it. Griff approached him in the halls of the Capitol, an area that we all pay for. It’s a far cry from, say, tracking someone down while they’re on vacation. If Grayson didn’t want to talk to Griff, he should have had the guts to say so.
As for making an appointment, I can certainly vouch for that strategy going nowhere if your subject doesn’t want to talk to you.
In fact, the whole episode put me in mind of an experience I had at the Democratic National Convention in Denver last year. Much like Griff, I wanted to confront a public figure about statements he had made, but was met with a similarly gutless response:
The fact of the matter is, if you’re doing your job well as a journalist, some people are not going to want to talk to you. If this were not the case, the press would simply be one big PR operation. As Major Garrett pointed out in his radio interview on Tuesday, access is often the price you pay for skepticism.
Having said all of that, Grayson should have been able to handle Jenkins better than this. Perhaps he just blanked, a notion supported by this video footage that we obtained, which shows what Grayson was thinking as Jenkins questioned him:
46 comments
m says: Griff Jenkins is the perfect example of the bias of Fox News. He’s a “reporter” and does segments for their news shows all the time, yet he’s extremely ideologically motivated.
timzank says: How is asking Grayson to explain himself bias in any way shape or form? Did Grif walk up to him and say “I really think you’re an a$$hat Congressman, I find your remarks to be reprehensible and I think your mother is a slut?
Je$u$, he just asked simple questions of someone who is extremely newsworthy of late. It’s what reporters USED to do before they became teary eyed, leg tingling, water carrying wussies.
hadashito says: Mr. Christopher:
Grayson doesn’t need defending. He is entirely capable of taking care of himself, especially against lying, cowards like O’Reilly who constantly spew incredibly stupid and false accusations and fake allegations. Anyone who takes on Fox “News” should be supported, not criticized for making comments that the lunatics on FNC make every day.
assleyjohnnychimeridollar says: Well said M and hadashito, Fox News is nothing more or less that Republican Propaganda, Shep Smith even called out his own network yesterday about needing more balance. Billo is a lying cowards and hope someday the someone just punches that idiot Griff Jenkins in the mouth.
Fox News stands behind their Fair and Balanced lie and everyone in America knows it, and Mr Christopher I find it Laughable that you are so naive to think that about Fox News. How much did they pay you to write that article. Right Mikec
TfT says: Good for Griff, FNC tried to set up a meeting and Grayson refused them. He is a freshman congressman and will most likely be booted out of office in 2010. He has earned that much at least. congressmanwith guts??? more like congressmanwithnutsforbrains (as in peanuts). He is a simpleton.
timzank says: Hadashito sez “like O’Reilly who constantly spew incredibly stupid and false accusations and fake allegations”. Please list them for us.
Try watching the channel sometime instead of reading media matters quotes out of context.
Grammie says: I sure wish that Jenkins had made an audio recording of Grayson shouting to the capitol police.
I have noticed that the self proclaimed macho guys frequently have big mouths, especially in regards to women, and crumple like a cheap suit when face to face with anyone who might challenge them.
If the folks in FL don’t give this creep the boot they deserve him!
ImNotBlue says: m says:
October 29, 2009 at 11:49 am
Can you back this up, please?
straitshooter says: This is the kind of journalism that all networks should practice. I miss the Sam Donaldsons who, despite his liberalism, worked hard to make everyone he interviewed uncomfortable. They should be uncomfortable, and when they retreat to their talking points during an interview, the reporter should point out they failed to answer the question. And then politely ask it again.
Griff Jenkins will never be a White House correspondent, but he is fearless enough to attract derision from the Fox haters while asking unpopular questions.
Tommy Christopher says: Assley,
I think maybe you put too much emphasis on the headline to this piece. I’d recommend re-reading it, and paying closer attention to the videos. It would be really funny if Fox News paid me to write this.
“I wanted to confront a public figure about statements he had made, but was met with a similarly gutless response”
Did Jenkins call Michelle Obama baby mama?
Do you honestly, even though you are a Democrat, do you honestly think the phrase Baby mama was malicious?
Even though the movie starring Tina Fey Baby Mama was released two months earlier? And is a term that people use all the time, in a friendly manner?
That last video is disgusting. Those people should be ashamed.
Grayson doesn’t have guts – he’s doing what Obama said – “What gets you on the news is the extreme statement. The easiest way to get 15 minutes on the news, or your 15 minutes of fame, is to be rude.”
assleyjohnnychimeridollar says: Hey Grammie or Hagzilla do you have any proof of what you said?
Tommy Christopher says: Sara,
I was asking Griff about his statement that Fox is “Fair and balanced.” I didn’t say the phrase was malicious, I simply asked the question. Fox, however, did feel compelled to apologize. Hmm.
assleyjohnnychimeridollar says: Ask a Fox Employee if Fox News is Fair and Balanced is like asking the Taliban if they hate Americans. Really a no brainer.
The quickest way to make someone apologize is to call them racist, which is what happened with the baby mama thing. I asked if Griff said it because in your article you said he wouldn’t respond to you regarding statements he made. He didn’t make them, did he?
I am also asking if you found them offensive, or lacking in balance, to chase him down and interrupt him, and ask about the comments. Do you really think Baby Mama was offensive, especially based on the reasons I gave above.
Or, do you think it was a comment that was taken and blown out of proportion, kind of like when Obama made the crack about the special olympics on Leno.
The left are treating Grayson like a hero, a man with guts, for his nasty comments, and his calling a woman a whore… Do you think the Baby Mama was in the same category?
ImNotBlue says: assleyjohnnychimeridollar says:
October 29, 2009 at 6:44 pm
NEAT! JohnT is that you?! I’ve heard so much about you! That you stalk people. You’ve been banned at a whole host of sites. You make stuff up. You run away when confronted with facts. You make stuff up. You can’t spell and your grammar is atrocious. You make stuff up. You’re unstable and spend your whole day blathering on blogs. You make stuff up.
And now you’re here! COOOOOOOL!
ImNotBlue says: Tommy…
Are you really trying to compare an elected official and a reporter, as if somehow the two were equal? One works for us… the other for a television station. They are not equal, and therefore, do no need to conform to the same standards or rules.
That’s pretty… “Duh,” don’t you think?
assleyjohnnychimeridollar says: And you ImNot Smart are a troll, running back to tattle to Lord Dollar, and if you believe what the so called sheeple of Koldys say that you are about as stupid as Assley.
Tommy Christopher says: Sara,
the “statements he made” that I’m referring to are that Fox News is fair and balanced. He did make that statement.
As far as chasing him down, I’d suggest you read the backstory first, then we can talk. I didn’t chase him down, and I didn’t interrupt him.
http://www.politicsdaily.com/2008/08/25/fox-attacked-the-backstory/5
Tommy Christopher says: NotBlue,
where in my article did I say they were the same? Quote?
I’m agreeing with Griff, hiding behind your PR flack is a weak-ass move. What’s the problem?
Grammie says: ” assleyjohnnychimeridollar says:
October 29, 2009 at 6:16 pm
Hey Grammie or Hagzilla do you have any proof of what you said?”
Since you asked so nicely, which we both know is an earth shattering first for you, I’ll be happy to oblige using your very own behavior to illustrate.
First, there is the fact that you continually referred to a lady, Cecvelia, who was commenting at the same site, as C**tcelia (and yes those stars do represent u & n). When called down for it you gloated that no one could stop you.
Second, you continually referred to lady posters as drunks, sluts, comfort girls etc.
Third, you were totally engrossed with using vivid sexual terms, descriptions and accusations of homosexuality/transgendered as insults against many of the men.
Fourth, you have, by your own many admissions, stalked a very nice young man from site to site with no other purpose than to make it unpleasant for him in your very own nasty style.
I believe that is enough to qualify you as a loud mouthed tough guy (in your own little mind at least), especially from the safety of your keyboard. However, you have even posted several times that you set no limits on what you say b/c you are not face to face with your targets but far away at your keyboard.
I, therefore, submit that you are exactly the type of miserable coward I accused Grayson of being. It is my experience that your type of bully turns into a milquetoast except when you are performing from a distance in complete safety.
BTW, Blue, he is not BusterJohnT. He is Steve Doooshy, Patrick, Bababouey etc, and he has been banned from quite a few sites exactly b/c of the behavior you and I just described.
assleyjohnnychimeridollar says: Hey Hagzilla,
Take another shot of the Absolute, take some valium and got to sleep, wake up repeat.
Grammie says: “Tommy Christopher says:
October 29, 2009 at 6:32 pm
Sara,
I was asking Griff about his statement that Fox is “Fair and balanced.” I didn’t say the phrase was malicious, I simply asked the question. Fox, however, did feel compelled to apologize. Hmm.”
I assumed that this comment referred to this link:
http://www.politicsdaily.com/2008/08/25/fox-attacked-the-backstory/5
It appears from your last comment to Blue that I misunderstood you also. Only after reading the comments did I think you were criticizing Jenkins for telling you, and I paraphrase, that he couldn’t answer you re the baby mama comment when he was working.
So, if you were not comparing Jenkins v you to Grayson v Jenkins what did you mean by ” Fox, however, did feel compelled to apologize.” followed by HMMMM.
The more said about this the more confused I become.
assleyjohnnychimeridollar says: Why are you confused Hagzilla off your med again. Greyson should have punch Griff in the face, first for bothering him and second for working for Fox News.
Also grammie, did you hear what Shep said about his own employer ot being Fair and Balanced. I love the spin Dollar put on that one.
Grammie says: ” assleyjohnnychimeridollar says:
October 29, 2009 at 10:30 pm
Hey Hagzilla,
Take another shot of the Absolute, take some valium and got to sleep, wake up repeat.”
Don’t you think by now you could learn how to spell “Absolut” correctly. If that is too taxing you might want to try Grey Goose as an easier substitute. :)
johnny dollar says: While I think this article is quite fair overall, I have a real problem with dragging in the old video of confronting Griff Jenkins. The problem isn’t so much the video as the supposed description of it: “wanting to confront” him “about statements he made”. Jenkins is then asked about the Obama ‘baby mama’ comment, and he ducks the question.
This is highly misleading. Griff Jenkins never made any such statement, and to claim he did is simply false. The whole ‘baby mommma’ business was over a chyron that appeared at the bottom of the screen. A freelance producer thought it clever, but it wasn’t. That producer was fired, and an apology was made on air. Shortly thereafter the producer was rehired…by CNBC.
So it’s wrong to claim you were confronting Jenkins about a statement he made. And it shows his unwillingness to interact with you in a different light, as you’re asking him to comment on a controversy that was being dealt with at the top of the FNC pecking order. He’s just a feature reporter and I would expect his instructions are not to comment on internal FNC affairs.
Actually I think you need to do a correction or revision to your article, to remove the false claim that Griff Jenkins ever made any such statement. Thank you so much.
Tommy Christopher says: Grammie,
yeah, this is why I opted out of debating the “baby mama” comment in the first place, so just ignore that part.
I didn’t say I wasn’t comparing Grayson to Jenkins, I asked where I said they were the same. You are correct, I was drawing a parallel between Grayson hiding behind his flack, and Jenkins doing the same. Another commenter tried to make me defend the notion that Griff and Grayson are exactly the same, which I never said.
Tommy Christopher says: Mr. Dollar,
in the video, I confront Griff for the “statement he made” that Fox is fair and balanced by asking him if it was fair and balanced when Fox called Michelle Obama Barack’s baby mama. Crystal clear, no correction needed, but thanks for saying the rest of it was fair.
johnny dollar says: Well if that’s what you meant then I take you at your word. But as sarainitaly’s comments above show, people were under the impression that ‘baby mama’ was something Griff said, based on the way you introduced it. So I think it’s fair to say your presentation on that aspect is unclear, and leaves the impression at least with some that Griff made the ‘baby mama’ statement. That’s certainly what I thought you were claiming.
Because once it’s clear that Griff didn’t make the statement, then your intended ‘parallel’ that you want to draw becomes much weaker. Griff is questioning a Rep about the Rep’s own statements, and the Rep is fully free to speak if he wants. You were questioning Griff about something someone else did, that Griff had nothing to do with, and since he works for the company in question he was likely told not to comment on such internal matters.
Jelperman says: The way to deal with these semen-crusted little stalkers is to say:
“Keith Olbermann, Andrea Mackris, Loofah, Falafel, Malmedy”
assleyjohnnychimeridollar says: Dollar first of all shut the hell up. Fox News has made many comments to degrade the Obama’s. Doocy saying Obama was taught at a Muslim school which was proven false. Megyn Kelly racial comments about “those people” which was meant towards black people. The baby MAma comment.
Tell me this Dollar why does Fox have many more conservative analyist that liberal. Please Dollar lie all you want but the facts are Fox News is the talking head for the GOP, you know it. the world knows it, even Grammie knows it. Why wont you admit it? What about Sheps comment on the air yesterday, he even called out his own network. Comon Dollar, or is your only arguement ratings?
assleyjohnnychimeridollar says: Well I just posted there because he has a flat-out falsehood in his piece. He’s claiming he confronted Jenkins over “statements he (Jenkins) had made”. Jenkins made no such statement. The whole ‘baby mama’ thing was a chyron on the freaking screen. Period. So his piece has a serious inaccuracy in it.
johnny dollar | Homepage | 10.29.09 – 11:19 pm | #
Dollar you idiot, did you not watch the video, are you and Grammie taking a nip from the same bottle. He asked Griff if that comment was Fair and Balanced. But I forget you get paid to lie for your employer.
ImNotBlue says: Tommy Christopher says:
October 29, 2009 at 10:01 pm
Okay… that’s what I was asking. I was bit confused when you started talking about Griff, instead of the subjects at hand (Grayson’s comment / Grayson’s reaction / the ethics of ambush interviews). I wasn’t sure why there was so much back-story on interactions with Jenkins, and how that really related to the story. I had to assume you were making a comparison… but apparently you’re not. So why the back-story?
I was drawing a parallel between Grayson hiding behind his flack, and Jenkins doing the same.
By “drawing a parallel” aren’t you equating the two? Isn’t that what I asked if you were doing? I don’t understand how you can “draw a parallel” but not think you’re comparing the two. That’s one in the same, and as I said before, there is a big difference between a reporter and a congressman.
______________________
assleyjohnnychimeridollar says:
October 29, 2009 at 9:57 pm
I’m sorry, I thought you were “JohnT.” I have come to learn you’re a different person, although similar. I think Grammie points out some of the other names you’ve been known to post under… so different identity, but same basic persona. My original comment stands with the needed alteration.
But Assley… as an experienced blog shouter, as you apparently are… shouldn’t you have better material? I mean, the insults thus far, well… they suck. I’ve heard a lot about you… intolerant, immature, uneducated, liar, etc. And while all those things seem to ring true in your few posts here… I expected a higher quality of insult from someone like you. Someone who is apparently unable to post anything constructive, and must resort to juvenile attacks, should at least be well versed in such attacks. Your stuff is sophomoric… childish, even for the content contained. Please try harder in the future.
KiKi says: assleyjohnnychimeridollar
Don’t forget to add Joe Biden’s clean comment re Obama. That one was particularly offensive.
Tommy Christopher says: NotBlue,
the whole point of drawing a parallel is that they are not the same. A parallel. One parallel. Both Grayson and Griff wussed out and hid behind their flacks. There are many differences between the two, but that is A parallel. One parallel.
Tommy Christopher says: Mr. Dollar,
I also hope you went back and looked at the update I made to the post from the weekend that you were curious about.
http://www.mediaite.com/columnists/foxs-white-house-bans-fox-news-story-completely-unravels/
ramjet says: “As for making an appointment, I can certainly vouch for that strategy going nowhere if your subject doesn’t want to talk to you.”
“In fact, the whole episode put me in mind of an experience I had at the Democratic National Convention in Denver last year. Much like Griff, I wanted to confront a public figure about statements he had made, but was met with a similarly gutless response:…”-TC
Sing to me, Mr. C, sing to me,
You did “interrupt” another journalist’s interview
.
Is a part of “the whole episode” that put you “in mind of an experience…” your asking Griff for an appointment? Or being turned down by Griff or Fox News for an appointment? Was Griff following his bosses instructions or the policy of his employer or was he being “gutless?” Was Representative Grayson following his bosses instructions? Or the policy of his employer?
“You (Grammie) are correct, I was drawing a parallel between Grayson hiding behind his flack, and Jenkins doing the same.”
Sure, you can draw a “parallel,” in a parallel universe.
From your video. Mr. C, “Did you think it was fair and balanced to say that Michelle Obama was Barack Obama’s Baby Mama?” Here’s a little exercise. Pretend someone asked you the same question. Now answer the question……
Did you think the questioner meant that you said Michelle was Barack’s Baby Mama? Would you have thought the questioner meant that you said it was fair and balanced to say that Michelle was Barack”s Baby Mama? Would you have thought that the questioner meant that someone actually SAID that MO was BO’s Baby Mama? Another little exercise would be to replace the phrase “fair and balanced” with other descriptions; i.e., appropriate, or stupid, or well thought out, or OK, or good journalism, etc.
If you had really “wanted to confront a public figure about statements he had made,” a better and less ambiguous question would have been, “Mr. Jenkins, you just said, “We’re fair and balanced at Fox, so we want everyone to be heard.” Do you believe Fox was being ‘fair and balanced’ by putting up a Chyron that asked, ‘Is Michelle Barack’s Baby Moma?’?”
Anyway, it’s a stupid premise. There was and is absolutely nothing inherently unfair or biased about the Chyron. Was it PC? Nope. Smart? Nope. Unfair? How so?
Tacoma Chuck says: If so much is made about Michelle being the baby momma, my refering to her as The First Wookie is probably not something we would suggest a presser use.
Oh well.
Sunnyr says: Griff Jenkins ROCKS! And that fat maggot who called that woman a whore should be horsewhipped and kicked under the bus by his constituents next year. What a jerk.
TfT says: I recall when Michelle introduced Barak at a rally:
She announced Barak Obama as “her baby’s daddy”….why is it that you never mention that? If you go back in time you will find the use of “his baby’s mama” was a take off of Michelle’s own words.
Ignoring Michelle’s statement in this whole conversation seems disingenuous.
Well, based on the comments, I don’t think I am the only one who felt your comments misrepresented the situation. Might not have been your intent, but that is how it read. It does seem to me that you interrupted the interview, as well. He asked you to wait, after you cut in. And asking him to comment on whether Baby Mama was fair and balanced is a little silly…. Do you think it was unfair? Do you think you are fair and balanced?
Regardless, you do make some good points in the beginning of the article. The problem with it is you came at it from the Left, since you are a Dem, and the story reflects your bias. And we noticed…. that’s all.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQvo8Z6-Kkg Barack – My babies daddy.
JCred says: m says:
October 29, 2009 at 11:49 am
“Griff Jenkins is the perfect example of the bias of Fox News. He’s a “reporter” and does segments for their news shows all the time, yet he’s extremely ideologically motivated.”
Griff Jenkins was dispatched by the “O’Reilly Factor” a political commentary program. If Bill O’Reilly wants to send somebody to ask the questions he wants answered, they are going to be asked from Bill’s perspective. Clearly, that represents any bias O’Reilly may have. But what idiot would not expect that?
Griff Jenkins is what lefties call an “investigative journalist” when attacking the right and I personally don’t have a problem with that title, as long as it’s afforded to anybody asking politically loaded questions. But if you can’t distinguish the O’Reillys’ and Olbermans’ (and their staff) from Major Garrets’ and the Jake Tappers’ you’re a blind fool anyway.
ImNotBlue says: Tommy Christopher says:
October 30, 2009 at 1:01 am
But in drawing that parallel, you are in fact comparing the two! You’re saying Person A did XYZ, and so did Person B! That’s a comparison!
I don’t understand how you don’t think you’re comparing the two, by… comparing them!
The whole Jenkins/Grayson comparison is absurd on every level. Grayson is a public official paid by the taxpayers. He represents himself and his own views and nothing else…he doesn’t have a responsibility to speak for a larger organization, because he IS the top of the food chain within his own organization.
Jenkins, on the other hand, has a responsibility, we can assume, as an employee of a larger organization that he can’t speak for the entire organization period. Most corporations have in place rules that dictate who can and cannot speak on behalf of the company, so to say he was being gutless is just silly. Companies have PR agents for that exact purpose, to know exactly what the company’s official position is, and then to spread that position. I bet Jenkins probably wants to keep his job. “Griff- can you please violate company policy and risk your job to answer a rude guy with a camera who keeps interrupting the college journalist who is interviewing you?! Griff! Griff!!! Answer me!!”
Sorry, but you were acting like a petulant child. I would have ignored you altogether if you rudely thought you could just interrupt me as I was being interviewed. What’s worse is that you thought you could be rude to the college kid who has nothing to do with Fox.
No to mention, when I read this (and I think many would see it the same way) it seemed as if Jenkins was the one who called Michelle Obama’s baby mama. Why would Jenkins have to answer for every single person who works for the same company? You have some truly inane columns here on this site, do you think you should have to answer for every single article written here?
You can’t draw a parallel on a situation that is completely perpendicular.
Ben Linus says: I don’t understand why people on the left have a problem with what Griff Jenkins does, but they love it when Michael Moore basically does the same damn thing. Moore is a freakin’ hero when he does it, but Jenkins is a monster when he does it. What a bunch of pathetic hypocrites!
oneifbyland says: You can’t draw a parallel on a situation that is completely perpendicular.
Hood winkers.
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