Just visited the
webpage of Greta Van Susteren, who is at the Astrodome, to e-mail her. She describes what she's witnessing firsthand, then posts some of the e-mail she's been receiving. I know much of FOX's audience are as bad as the FOX pundits, but I thought the fact that the pundits are seeing and reporting a huge dose of reality would also be reflected in their watchers. Apparently not.
E-mail No. 1
Greta Van Susteren,
Give us a break reporting from the Astrodome! Those people are glad to be there with food and beds and air conditioning and showers and YOU are making problem for the FUTURE! It is one step at a time... everything that can be done is being done for immediate problems, let the other things work out as they WILL... one step at a time! You don't have the answers, either, so don't be so critical and pessimistic!
[continued below]
I live in Florida and my son is an Ohio National Guardsman ON HIS WAY at this moment to New Orleans, as are thousands of other military personnel. It takes time to activate them and deliver them to the area. The airports had to be cleared so the planes can land delivering the aid and personnel. Nobody can wave a magic wand and instantly solve this gigantic problem! It's an awful tragedy and the American people/government are responding! The victims of this disaster are acting better than the news media! I normally enjoy FOX News but the grandstanding by media is getting disgusting! Bill O'Reilly's statement that "they" would DEMAND that the federal government get resources in there NOW was ridiculous! "Walk a mile in their shoes" before criticizing so much... or come up with a BETTER solution yourself!
Anonymous
Of course, we have viewers who are upset that the hurricane fiasco (mostly blacks) has upstaged Natalee (blond white girl).
E-mail No. 2
Shame on you, Greta for now totally forgetting about Natalee. Seems you couldn't get enough of her when you were having a "slow" news time. Now that something bigger has happened you can't even give her storyline (one that you have reported nightly for a VERY long time) five minutes. You are only interested in doing whatever the big news is about at the time... shame on you for totally forgetting about something you once claimed was important! While I am in agreement that your news now should be about the aftermath of Katrina you still should give Natalee five minutes of your time.
Angela
FOX isn't "patriotic" anymore:
E-mail No. 3
Greta,
Thank you for your coverage. I am overall disappointed in the tone of FOX News. At times it seems so slighted [slanted?] that it doesn't appear patriotic. This is a sad time in American history and I think these days will be revisited in a very unkind manner. I realize that there are lots of things going on but we have got to find a way to stop the unnecessary deaths of these affected people.
Lexie
Memphis, TN
It's the victims' fault for not being prepared enough:
E-mail No. 6
On Wednesday's show you repeatedly mentioned someone that had been waiting on their roof for help for five days! The storm hit Monday. The levee was breached on Tuesday. Was part of her hurricane preparation to sit on a roof for a couple of days prior to the storm? Outrageous reporting like this from you and others in the media inflames the public and is inexcusable. There is no need to hype this horrible catastrophe more than what it is.
John
Ft. Pierce, FL
There were a couple comments similar to ours here on dkos, but only 2 out of 6.