On today’s Fox News Sunday, Wallace provided another example of his overt prejudice when he rudely cut off his colleague Juan Williams (video below). They were discussing presidential politics when Williams sought to make a point about the Republican’s affinity for the rich One Percenters:<\/p>\n
WILLIAMS:<\/strong> The Republicans, in this time of Occupy Wall Street, are the protectors of the super rich.<\/p>\nWALLACE:<\/strong> [Laughing]<\/em> I’m not sure if we should talk about Occupy Wall Street as a plus anymore…<\/p>\nWILLIAMS:<\/strong> Yeah, I think we should!<\/p>\nWALLACE:<\/strong> Really? With all the violence in the streets? You really think that most of the American people…<\/p><\/blockquote>\nWallace pointedly interrupted Williams to make a snarky remark about OWS, which he followed up with a distortion about the incidence of violence. Most of the violent episodes at OWS sites have been perpetrated by law enforcement against the protestors. Williams made a valiant attempt to counter Wallace and complete his thoughts, but Wallace was unrelenting.<\/p>\n
WILLIAMS:<\/strong> You know what? You are getting distracted, and you’re getting distracted by people who are crazy…<\/p>\nWALLACE:<\/strong> I think I’m in touch with what most people are thinking, which is they’re getting fed up with it.<\/p><\/blockquote>\nWhen did Wallace become the arbiter of “what most people are thinking?”<\/em> He is the host of the lowest rated Sunday news program and a representative of a minority viewpoint with regard to the key issues expressed by the 99% movement. Every poll shows that broad majorities agree with the agenda of OWS, particularly on taxation of the rich, protection of Social Security and Medicare, and reining in the power of corrupt and abusive corporations and getting them out of politics.<\/p>\nClearly Wallace is wildly out of touch with the American people and pitifully unaware of that fact. Consequently, he persists in trying to censor Williams who plainly tells Wallace that he is not in touch.<\/p>\n
WILLIAMS:<\/strong> The fact that is when you ask most people is Wall Street out of control; is there inequality in terms of income in this country? People say ‘Yes.”<\/em> And those are the basic tenets of Occupy Wall Street.<\/p><\/blockquote>\nAt this point Wallace cuts Williams off again even as Williams is pleading to be allowed to finish is point.<\/p>\n
WALLACE:<\/strong> Juan, there’s a limit. We want to play fair here.<\/p>\nWILLIAMS:<\/strong> You’re not playing fair, but go right ahead.<\/p><\/blockquote>\nWallace was determined to prevent any positive characterization of OWS from being articulated on his program. It was obviously a frustrating moment for Williams who criticized Wallace on the air for his unfairness. That’s nearly unheard of in these news talk circles.<\/p>\n
It is particularly interesting in that Williams regards himself as the victim of editorial repression at the hands of his previous employers at NPR. He wrote a book on the matter called “Muzzled.”<\/em> One has to wonder if that’s how he felt this morning with Chris Wallace.<\/p>\n