Campaign Ad? Fox News Broadcasts Its Hagiography Of Scott Brown

by Colby Hall | 10:51 am, January 22nd, 2010

» 31 comments

Howard Fineman wrote a piece in this week’s Newsweek that declared that Fox News chief Roger Ailes “is the real head of the GOP.” While it’s easy to recognize the hyperbole in this comment, recent coverage of Scott Brown‘s victory in Massachusetts might make a skeptic see this as true, best evidenced by last night’s report filed by reporter Griff Jenkins which summed up Brown thusly: Hero, Regular, Truck driver, President? Video and transcript below:

Transcript:

Griff Jenkins: We know he’s from he drives a truck. A regular guy, but with extraordinary accomplishments: he is a Tufts grad, He has a BC Law degree, he’s a Lt. Colonel in the National Guard, married to a local tv reporter, Gail Huff.

When we checked in on his high school we looked in his yearbook we learned a few little things, like his secret ambitions in life, In 1977 the year he graduated, were to be “outrageously happy and play for the Celtics”. Well we talked to several people that know Scott Brown and here’s what we’ve found.

Scott Brown grew up here in Wakefield, Massachusetts, graduated at Wakefield High Warriros in 1977. It was on this court that he earned the infamous nickname downtown Scottie Brown. (airball) Clearly I don’t have what he had.

Jenkins: He was the homecoming king and the co-captain of basketball.

School Representative: Very popular. He took a lot of kidding over the Cosmo incident, the picture in Cosmo. But he never let too many things — nothing really got to him as far as being nervous. He just decided this is what I’m going to do and he was able to do.

Jenkins: Scott Brown still holds the record for the mile relay set in 1976. His track coaches still teach track here at the school.

Coach: Fatigue was never a word with Scottie. He wind about to give up. Call him an undoing at the beginning that made him feel better, i think

Coach: We are proud of all our students, not only Scott. but he has set a high example of what our boys and girls can do if they are willing to work at a project. They can succeed and have success. And he has given them that example.

Jenkins: What does America need to know about scott brown?

Subject: trust him.

Jenkins: what does America need to know about him?

Rep: I think Scott acknowledges he’s got a learning curve going to Washington learning the rules of the senate and the ways. scott is a tenacious campaigner, tireless worker. so i think he’s going to roll up his sleeves i think the nation will see him get very involved. i think they are going to be interested to know he’s the routine guy from Renthem, puts out his crash, gets his mail. Really always wanted to be someone — was what he represents.

Jenkins: We are at the gas station where Scott gets his pick-up truck worked on. Joe Pindola is probably the last guy to work on the trouble what is the truck like?

Mechanic: He keeps it up, keeps service, runs great. 200,000 miles on it now i think.

Jenkins: rob has lived next door to scott brown for 20 years. you are here at the end of the cul-de-sac. now senator elect scott brown in the house behind me. what is it like?

Neighbor: he mows his lawn, takes out the trash. he doesn’t have a fancy car that’s his truck that is his truck.

Jenkins: he does drive a truck? the time you’ve known him?

Neighbor: yeah. that truck served him well.

Jenkins: That truck has served him well. Greta we found he’s immensely well liked and trusted. some folks that knew him actually mentioned the “president” word which may be getting ahead of themselves. However, let’s not forget in guy has a lot of political moxy. he ran for a seat that many thought was unwinnable for a Republican and he did it. now steps on to the national stage. We are going to dig into his political background and find out just a little bit more about him.

The Real Royal King

Well, it’s generous to say FOX is anything but one continuous RNC/(White) Tea Partier campaign ad, isn’t it? And, Griff Jenkins is nothing more than Ailes’ pocket puppet. Remember his coverage at the DNC, all the way from trying to agitate the crowds to looking for protesters when none existed. No serious news organization would give Jenkins 10 seconds of air time. I’m surprised FOX hasn’t given him his own show.
http://www.sailrabbits.com Magister

I don’t know about Ailes, but that reporter-dude seems pretty excited and I’m sure the Senator-elect’s 45 year-old neighbor didn’t know he was still “growing-up”.
BJL411

Fox is blocked from viewing in my home.. don’t want my kids to see that garbage, but I can only assume they are orgasming on-air. “News” is the furthest thing from reality that this channel of right-wing-propaganda has to offer. Lest we not forget Fox “news” went to court to win the right to INTENTIONALLY LIE ON AIR.. and they won!

Welcome to the United States!

If I hear one more time about this guy drving a truck I’m going to vomit.
roxsteady

Fox is pathetic. Scott Brown is PRO CHOICE so, how could he ever even run as a Republican or teabagger or whatever he is? Oh, and he’s also not too bright. He speaks talking points and campaign slogans but, nothing of real substance. And cript keeper Van Susteren should check out her network’s poll taken yesterday:

* Fox News poll finds that Obama would beat Sarah Palin by 15 points, 55-31, and Mitt Romney by 18 points, 51-33.

Maybe they should poll the pin up?
Zakk

Would you three like some cheese to go with all that whining?
Moderate

Coakley received several invites to appear on Fox News and turned them down. She should have learned from Virginia and New Jersey, boycott Fox News and you lose.
ImNotBlue

…last night’s report filed by reporter Griff Jenkins which summed up Brown thusly: Hero, Regular, Truck driver, President?

Call me crazy, Colby… but where exactly in the transcript did Jenkins make that summation? Oh he didn’t… that’s just how YOU summed it up… ooooooh. I was confused, because you wrote it in a way that suggests he said something he didn’t. But I know, I know… you’re not biased, and neither is Mediaite. Sure this doesn’t appear as a “columnist” article… but that was just an “editorial decision” to post something that’s clearly an opinion piece, and suggests that things were said that weren’t, in the “news” area. I get it now.

Personally, I think there should be a new “comedy” section. YOU complaining about journalistic ethics or integrity is nothing but a joke. A sad and pathetic joke.

The Real Royal King says:
January 22, 2010 at 11:14 am

Well, it’s generous to say FOX is anything but one continuous RNC/(White) Tea Partier campaign ad, isn’t it?

Not to go too far off topic, but Kingy… why do you disrespect Black people so much? Why do you think Black people must conform to your political theory? Why don’t you recognize minorities who don’t agree with you? And doesn’t that make you a racist?

BJL411 says:
January 22, 2010 at 11:19 am

Fox is blocked from viewing in my home.. don’t want my kids to see that garbage…

Wow, indoctrination and demanded conformity… how proud you must be.

Lest we not forget Fox “news” went to court to win the right to INTENTIONALLY LIE ON AIR.. and they won!

You do you know this is a lie, right? That’s not what happened, it didn’t involve FNC (it was a local affiliate), and it had nothing to do with lying? So I guess I should ask… why do YOU think lying is acceptable?

You can read about it HERE, if you want to inform yourself… but I doubt you will.

And while there are plenty of questions you could ask about that… it has NOTHING to do with what you’re talking about. Thusly, one must conclude… you are either grossly uninformed, or a liar.
timzank

I’mNotblue, as to your last sentence, it’s the latter. BL411 is a liar.
timzank

Actually I can understand the liberals outrage, I mean it’s almost as if an editor of a national magazine called him God or something. Can you imagine something like that happening? Oh wait…
Ted

ImNotBlue but IAmAnIdiot – YOU are the comedy section. Since you write so much and say so little one must conclude you are a narcissist or a tea-bagger. Maybe there’s nothing better to do in moms basement…attic?
felixw

Not only was Fox News behind the tea parties. But most of the 1,168,000 people who voted for Scott Brown were Fox News employees! Won’t somebody stop these evil people who are scheming everywhere?
ImNotBlue

Ted says:
January 22, 2010 at 2:10 pm

Do I post a lot… or is that just what someone else told you happens?
Zakk

I love the sound of the lefties tears as they soak into the groun. Careful guys, your keyboards may short out.
Ted

Zakk- What is the “groun?” Is that some sort of adult under-garment that you tea-baggers wear?

InNotBlue – Try for coherence.
TfT

They are also doing an hour special on Obama – “In his own words”.

I’m sure Colby will be watching, along with a whole bunch of other people. The republican took a seat that had been held by a Democrat for 40+ years. It was an historical election, nearly unprecedented.

I mean it is not like he has been on the cover of time magazine a gazzillion times, or that he is called god by the editor of newsweek or anything.
Zakk

Whoops, you see I was so busy laughing at the hysterical tears of you lefties that I didn’t bother to spell check. That word I was looking for was ‘ground’. Thanks for looking out.

Now to further expose your idiocy, if I were a ‘tea-bagger’ as you like to say, I wouldn’t have any undergarments on, and my balls would be in your mouth. I understand if you didn’t know that, because like so many on your side – you just blindly repeat what you hear Olbermann say. So very, very pathetic.

For you my leftie friends I would recommend some Pont l’Eveque to go with all the whining
Ted

Well, I’m sorry Zakk, but you are a tea-bagger and so I’m sure that you probably do in fact wear adult under-garments which is nothing to be ashamed of (throw away after single use). You do however, show your dumb ass-ness and door knob IQ (no offense to door knobs) and for that you should be ashamed. I’ll pray for you and ask Glenn to do the same. Your not sleeping with his wife are you?
Jim R

What a surprise! Fox giving a tongue bath to a Republican, how fair and balanced!

Does Scott Brown get his show yet or is there some kind of limit on the number of Republican candidates they’ll employ?
Zakk

Ted your outrage is laughable. Who touched you as a child? Or, who hasn’t touched you as an adult? Probably the later.

And I am surprised that everyone is so surprised that Fox is high on the Republican beating a Dem in the most blue of blue states. Did everyone forget the dripping Obama enthusiasm at MSNBC? Turn-about is fair play.
liberalontogeny

Ted,

Is your argument that Zakk doesn’t know how to spell “ground” or that you couldn’t figure out what Zakk was implying/writing with “groun”?

Or that you were able to figure out “groun” was “ground” and didn’t like the message?
Ted

Yes
Ted

Zakk – not outrage – you’re a joke. I laugh at you!! Big laugh!! Back to the basement, pronto!
http://www.karlspensen.blogspot.com Karl Spensen

YES YES YES you are a SAD and PATHETIC JOKE Colby!!1 Heroes like ImNotBlue STAND UP to you, and CALL YOU on your LIB BIAS, while the COWARDS simply pick another website to read!!1 NOT US!!1 We will continue to COMPLAIN and REGISTER our DISGUST on the INTERNET until Dan Abrahms fires YOU and each and every one of your OBAMESSIAH WORSHIPPING pals!!1
Zakk

I assume by the basement you are refering to where you live. You know, your parents basement.

Look at your outrage, oooooooo, yours sooooo angry. It’s ok, if I had your life I would be pissed too.
Ted

Zakk – Thats it? That was way too easy.
m

Griff Jenkins is a prime example of where Fox News blends its commentary, conservative slant with traditional news reporting. Jenkins, who’s an incredibly conservative and biased reporter, does partisan pieces for supposedly “non-commentary” day time shows.
Zakk

Oh pitiful poor Ted, what exactly did you do that was so easy? Show the post board what a douche bag you are? Mission accomplished. Well done. Congrats. Tell you what, when you have something constructive to add to the conversation, let us know.
Facebook User

Did Griff pull his pants back up after filing that report?
ImNotBlue

Ted says:
January 22, 2010 at 3:00 pm

Zakk- What is the “groun?” Is that some sort of adult under-garment that you tea-baggers wear?

InNotBlue – Try for coherence.

I don’t know what’s funnier… the fact that you can’t remember me calling you out for not actually watching the news you like to talk about… OR the fact that you mocked Zakk for a typo, while misspelling my name (InNotBlue)? Sure, I’m used to you using goofy other names to refer to people whom you can’t debate intellectually, but “In” doesn’t make sense… so I’ll assume it’s a typo, which makes for some really pretty hilarious irony… don’t you think?

Ted says:
January 22, 2010 at 3:48 pm

Ted is making less and less sense these days. I think we need to start up a collection to get him some help.

Jim R says:
January 22, 2010 at 3:56 pm

Yes, it would be much better if FNC was like the other networks, and attacked him over and over and over again… right?

Ted says:
January 22, 2010 at 4:27 pm

Uh-oh… Ted’s back in the basement. You know, if he comes out soon, and sees his shadow… we’ll have 6 more weeks of his insanity.

Karl Spensen says:
January 22, 2010 at 4:38 pm

Aww… Christian Larson… always good for a laugh. Not because of what you say, mind you… just at you. When is NY1 going to give you your own show?

m says:
January 22, 2010 at 6:55 pm

Just for comparison sake… where does that put David Schuster?

Facebook User says:
January 22, 2010 at 10:58 pm

And what part, specifically… did you object to?
TinaFromTampa

OMG.
Jeez, Griff.
How did you find the time to write such a wonderful piece?
Assuming that he keeps his back-issues of COSMOPOLITAN neatly organized at home (where his wife can’t find them).
ImNotBlue

I wonder when Mediaite will report on FNC’s hour long show about Obama… you know, like TVNewser did.

Funny. I wonder if they’ll call that a “campaign ad” too?