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Recently I e-mailed Kevin Magee the Vice President of News Programming for FOX News Channel, regarding his recent comments in a TV Guide Online interview about CNN's Crossfire.

I also took FOX to task for using bogus military consultant, Joseph A. Cafasso, as was recently reported by the New York Times (URL:http://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/29/business/media/29HOAX.html)

The following are our verbatim emails

Subj:WHAT ARE YOU SMOKING KEVIN?
Date: 5/2/2002 2:07:57 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: *********@aol.com
To: Kevin.Magee@foxnews.com

Kevin Magee,

Do you guys at FAUX News really buy this BS that you spew forth for public consumption?

I just caught assorted statements by you in a TV guide online article regarding how your farce of a station trumps CNN's Crossfire and how you scoff at FAUX News being called an organ of the GOP - Let me just say Kevin... That I STILL haven't stopped laughing! I do agree, however.. that your hosts and supposed "journalists" at Faux are more like "tools" of the GOP as opposed to "organs".

You put a crack pot like Sean Hannity on the air and you call THAT a journalist? The guy's pictures are all over the net at right winged extremist "Free Republic" functions! LOL! Who the h*** are you people kidding?

At least Crossfire bills Begala and Carville as what they are and they don't present people of dubious credentials as "military experts," like you clowns just got caught doing on your supposed "news station" recently.

Truly hilarious! It is quite obvious that Crossfire and CNN are scaring the h*** out of FOX...Thanks for the entertainment.

Sincerely,
C.Arnie

Kevin Magee's response follows:

Subj: RE: WHAT ARE YOU SMOKING KEVIN?
Date: 5/2/2002 3:12:50 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: kevin.magee@foxnews.com (Magee, Kevin)
To: *********@aol.com ('*********@aol.com')

We don't ask our people to dress up in costumes.
We don't pit spinners vs. journalists.
We don't call those who take the side of the argument we don't like "The Prince Of Darkness".

Twice as many people watch Hannity and Colmes as watch Crossfire.

(By the way, that faux news thing is a real knee slapper. I can't keep up with your razor-sharp wit.)

Kevin Magee
Vice President, News Programming
FOX News Channel
(212) 301-3030

In the next e-mail I continue to question Magee about Joseph Cafasso and send him an excerpt about the bogus consultant that was posted here on Democrats.com.

Subj: Re: WHAT ARE YOU SMOKING KEVIN?
Date: 5/2/2002 3:41:13 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: *********@aol.com
To: kevin.magee@foxnews.com

Apparently you don't check the resumes of your supposed "experts" either!

Fox News' 'Military Expert' Was Discharged after just 44 Days in Boot Camp!
29-Apr-02
FOX

According to NY Times, a Fox News Channel consultant who claimed to be a "military expert" with an extensive military background has been exposed as a fraud. Joseph Cafasso was hired by Fox News in the fall of 2001 after he claimed to be a retired lieutenant colonel in the Special Forces, said he had served in Vietnam, claimed a Silver Star for bravery and was part of an unsuccessful secret mission to rescue hostages in Iran in 1980. But military records show Cafasso was discharged as a PRIVATE after spending just 44 DAYS at boot camp in Fort Dix, NJ. Fox News has chosen not to respond to the story, but it has confirmed the accuracy of the Times' account. Hey Roger, no WONDER you won't debate Democrats.com - Fox News isn't only biased, it's just plain bogus.

http://www.democrats.com/search.cfm

Isn't this the second such incident in about a month? Say, Maybe you could hire one of the fact checkers at CNN to help you guys out!

Sincerely,
C.Arnie

Kevin now attempts to defend Faux's affiliation with Joseph Cafasso in his response by way of a ridiculous explanation!

Subj: RE: WHAT ARE YOU SMOKING KEVIN?

Date:5/2/2002 4:22:29 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: kevin.magee@foxnews.com (Magee, Kevin)
To: *********@aol.com

lost in your vitriol is the fact that joe never appeared on our air but rather worked with us to help gain contacts in the military which, in fact, he did very well. he did apparently mislead us. we investigated. we found it out (months before the new york times did) and we parted company. maybe no one has ever lied to you, but he did to us. we found about it. we took care of it. now i'm done with you, mr. *********. have a wonderful life.

Kevin Magee
Vice President, News Programming
FOX News Channel
(212) 301-3030

Next I ask Kevin Magee why he didn't see a need to inform viewers about a bogus "military expert" on FOX

Subj: Re: WHAT ARE YOU SMOKING KEVIN?
Date: 5/2/2002 4:54:15 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: *********@aol.com
To: kevin.magee@foxnews.com
OIC- You just "parted company" and yet you never felt the need to inform viewers that Fox had been relying on some guy that spent 44 days in boot camp to gain access to other military "experts" used behind the scenes on your network?

Silly me...but I would not think that a Private that spent a brief time in boot camp would have access to any high level military contacts?

So are you trying to claim that this *private* supplied contacts you would not be able to acquire through reliable sources? That is hardly an explanation Mr Magee.

BTW this is not a *Mr* *********.

Sincerely,
C.Arnie

In Kevin's next response he proceeds to come up with more inane rationalizations

Subj:RE: WHAT ARE YOU SMOKING KEVIN?
Date: 5/2/2002 5:03:03 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: kevin.magee@foxnews.com (Magee, Kevin)
To: *********@aol.com ('*********@aol.com')

My apologies for the gender misidentification. It was sexist of me to assume that someone who is so nasty had to be male.

we didn't inform the public because they never knew he existed. I consider myself a pretty good writer but the best I can up with would be this"

"Now, a personnel note.

We've had this guy making phonecalls for us for a few weeks now. You don't know who he is but today we found out he lied on his resume. He's gone.

In other news..."

Not the most euphonic of scripts, is it?

I don't know how he knew high-level military officials, but he did. I guess he tricked them too.

Kevin Magee Vice President, News Programming
FOX News Channel
(212) 301-3030

In my final email to Kevin Magee I ask for final clarification about his stance on the subject of Joseph Cafasso. I have yet to receive a response.

Subj: Re: WHAT ARE YOU SMOKING KEVIN?
Date: 5/2/2002 5:39:06 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: *********@aol.com
To: kevin.magee@foxnews.com

I fail to understand what is so nasty about sending you a copy of an article and asking you to comment on it's topic? What's nasty or vitriolic about that?

That's not any more nasty or vitriolic than your comments are about Crossfire. ( I think I have really entered an ALL spin zone in this email with you )

So your final comment on this bogus military "expert" that was used, is that the public was oblivious to Joe and his origins and that he provided high military contacts to Fox - so therefore it's all a boring moot issue?

Further to clarify your statements: The costumes on Crossfire are a problem...and your station is far more accurate and balanced than CNN because you don't pit spinners against journalists?

I think I have this straight now thanks.

C.Arnie

In this writer's opinion it's quite obvious that FOX believes that referring to a fraud as an "expert" is no big deal as long as they weren't featured on the air! In other words most of our audience didn't know the difference so who cares! Fair and balanced news? I think not!

 


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