Fox News' Shep Smith has been known to show a bit of an independent streak once in a while, meaning that he seems less willing to regurgitate FNC's propaganda. He memorably called out Sam the GOP Reality Star/War Correspondent for some provocative views on Obama and the supposed Death of Israel. Overall, he generally comes off as pretty rational (and yes, I do believe that rational conservatives are still in existence.) Smith could probably excell as a legit journalist if he were in some other medium.
Today on the Fox program Freedom Watch, during a discussion about the legal safety nets that may or may not have been used to justify torture of prisoners, Smith lets his opinion (that torture is never legally justifiable) known. After today's rant, he may be going the way of Alan Colmes, Fox career-wise:
We are America! I don't give a rat's ass if it [torture] helps, we are America! We do not fucking torture! We don't do it.
EDIT: Thanks for the tip on embedding.
For those who are curious about him swearing "on air," this is apparently from a live webcast. http://www.foxnews.com/...
Predictably, the wingers are not happy.
Smith will no doubt be demonized now. Sadly, the media and the GOP are already spinning the idea that any investigations of the previous administration re torture will be nothing more that the result of a lefty-led witch hunt, exactly what the President does NOT want to project.
UPDATE: Here is another, longer clip in which Smith reiterates that this should NOT be political, nor is torture condemnation an "opinion."
UPDATE 2: Another panel on torture, led by Shep Smith today:
We are America. We don't torture, and the moment that that's not the case, I want off the train. This government is of, by and for the people. That means it's mine. That means- I'm not saying what is torture and what's not torture, but I'm saying whatever it is, you don't do it for me. I want off the train when the government starts. I want off. Nex stop, now.