Fox News, who have been positively giddy over CBS News’ choking on fake documents, one-ups Dan (I’d) Rather (not apologize) by not only publishing some fake news but also creating it themselves. Carl Cameron, Fox’s chief political correspondent, penned a pleasant little ditty (since removed from the Fox site) that used fake quotes to mock Kerry and his supposed penchant for manicures. The fake story quoted Kerry saying, “Didn’t my nails and cuticles look great? What a good debate!” and “I’m a metrosexual — he’s a cowboy.”
Fox issued this apology on their site: “The item was based on a reporter’s partial script that had been written in jest and should not have been posted or broadcast. We regret the error, which occurred because of fatigue and bad judgment, not malice.”(We’ll post a link as soon as we manage to locate it on the site, which is proving — surprise — difficult.)
Sure, when we’re tired we write fake stories that mock the people we are hired to cover. Publishing it is even more relaxing!
Fox spokesman Paul Schur told the LA Times that Cameron was “reprimanded”. Which means Roger Ailes probably called to congratulate him.
But there appears to be another wrinkle to this story: the headline of fake article, “The Metrosexual and the Cowboy,” is exactly the same as a column penned by relationships writer Toni Coleman. Did Fox’s Cameron poach the concept for his fake article? The mind boggles.
