Fox's Jesse Watters meets a ThinkProgress camera crew: Revenge is a dish best served cold
By David Neiwert Saturday Sep 19, 2009 5:00pmYou all remember how Jesse Watters of Fox News ambushed ThinkProgress's Amanda Terkel while she was on vacation. It was one of the more obscene examples of the routine violations of basic journalistic standards that Fox indulges when it sends out these ambush crews.
Well, a ThinkProgress writer caught up with Jesse while he was in the hallway at a right-wing gathering in D.C., and managed to turn the tables a bit. In the process, Watters just barefacedly lies on camera:
We pointed out to Watters that O’Reilly has said he always contacts people to give them a chance to respond before ambushing them. Watters attempted to stall several times before answering the question, but eventually responded:
WATTERS: We called her office.
Q: She said she got no call.
WATTERS: Yeah, no — I called her office twice.
Q: Who in the office did you call?
WATTERS: I called the main number.
Q: The main number?
WATTERS: Yeah, I called the main number and asked if Amanda Terkel was there.
Watters then began to say that he contacted Amanda Terkel “before we went after –” but stopped himself before finishing the sentence and instead said, “Yeah, before we went there.”
Watters is lying, just like he did when he claimed he contacted Hendrick Hertzberg before accosting him in New York City. No one at the Center for American Progress ever received a call from Jesse Watters or anyone else at Fox News about having Amanda appear on the show.
Watters previously had a little taste of turnabout. He deserves a whole lot more. Because karma is a bitch.
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How about if you're going to ambush a smug little prick you at least make your voice sound like you've got a pair? The reporter didn't seem very well prepared.
I'd like to see somebody like Jeremy Scahill or Palast or Michael Moore ambush this cutewhoor.
But they have bigger fish to fry.
I logged in to "complain" about this same thing so I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who's annoyed.
I love that Mr.ThinkProgress is doing what he's doing but I sat through the video pulling my hair out in exasperation at the way he stumble/bumbled his way through it.
Next time, send an Alpha male. Or better yet, go hire a big, dominant Alpha actor; brief him, give him talking points and then unleash him to do some hot, man-on-dog, ambush action.
I couldn't even watch the whole thing because the "ambusher" didn't have his sh!t together, thinkprogress.org dump this guy and get someone who can dance with these douchebags! I think that's why Water's is smirking, I would too if "confronted" by one of these "soft male" types who are all too common on the left. Too bad.
Bill Maher or Dan Rather. Send someone who has a legitimate bone to pick with a Bushie.
If you're going to bring out the revenge/dish best served cold line, please back it up. Don't encourage stuff like this. The ThinkProgress interviewer sounded weak and ineffectual. What a joke and a huge missed opportunity.
I just realized that this ThinkProgress interview was just like one of the faux interviews Chris Farley did on SNL!
would have had this guy in tears.
This could have been great, but the lack of preparation and/or interviewing skills gave Watters the opportunity to treat the interviewer like a joke. It almost works in Watters' favor.
Think Progress is great but this guy doing the questioning...
not so great. Watters is trying to act like Mr Smooth and Reasonable
in putting up with puny liberal camera guy but I at least know
that the interview with Terkel was anything but reasonable, that
Watters was doing a "national security" Fox News manipulation
on her and he deserves to have someone muscle him around and
STICK THE DAMN MIKE INTO HIS FACE without actually touching him, of course.
Should have forced his way into the elevator instead of letting himself be dismissed like that.
Kind of sucks trying to do your shit and have a camera shoved in your face doesn't it.
Karma is my kind of bitch. I think we need to check out his kitchen counter tops, follow his kids around, dig through his garbage on a daily basis, run a credit check every week, and generally make his life as unpleasant as he has done for everyone else.
"Duh..what wuz the question agin?"
Hmmm.. you're not the sharpest pencil in the case are you Jesse?
That must have been scary when this turd said that. I'm surprised the the ThinkProgress guy didn't turn and run away.... NOT!!!
Brilliant, fucking brilliant!!
Do yoiu see the pattern? These people will lie and lie and lie and lie and lie...
Fox turd gets taste of own medicine. I like it!
of weird journalistic reconnaissance because when we stay on point our ideas win out. clearly.
Watters shouldn't dish it out if he can't take it. What a sneering jerk he is.
Kinda makes you want to slap the shit out of him, eh? Oh, and mess up his perfect hair.
first off, when think progress sends someone out, send someone out who has a voice and doesnt trip over their words
second...he stopped at the elevator....what a waste
third...he didnt get watters to say anything
you do what that ahole did...you follow him down and keep asking him questions...like is he ashamed to be acting like a stalker...does his wife aprove of what he does...would he want his kids to follow in his footsteps...would he allow his baby sister to be alone in a room with loofa boy
that would be revenge
this entire thread is stupid
libs are pussies
Send me next time. That little pussy would not have stood a chance.
Saw this schmucko a new one.
Get in that dipshit's face for goodness sake. This wasn't as obnoxious as Watter's or Griff or whatever the F his name is ambushes. Glad he at least got a taste of his own medicine, just wish it had been a bit more bitter.
Jesse Watters is a douchebag. The less I see of that asshole the better. He evokes a visceral reaction in me to endeavor to beat the shit out of him. I've met herpes lesions with more charm than this putz.
I think the place where I might have gone ballistic is when Watters said "Oh, so you're ambushing the ambusher?" I think I might have replied, "No, this is not an ambush. THIS is an ambush." And, then, lit into him.
I for one am glad that the folks at Think Progress don't know how to behave like bullies or assholes, but they did their best with Watters. Karma will do the rest.
By the way, liberals such as Amanda Terkel can be pretty brave in the face of right-wing attackers like Watters without having any balls at all!
Okay, I can appreciate taking the high road, but, damnit, I can't believe someone got that close to Watters and didn't slap him in the snoz with a wet fish at least once!
...note to Think Progress guy:
When doing a retaliatory ambush and the smarmy little pissant you're ambushing is punking your questions with a smirk on his face, the correct response is not to say "okay."
Why bother talking to the guy?
This is going to become a case of the Editing Wars.
Creep: "Is your camera on?"
------------------------------------------------
Knowing up front, you aren't going to get ANYTHING from this creep use
your time wisely.
"Sir, have you had your vaccine yet?"
Response: "Are you asking me if I've had my Flu Shot?"
"No Sir. While you should get your Flu Shot too, I'm asking if you been
vaccinated against becoming FOXNUTS.
Your symptoms of ignorance, rudeness and outright lying have been noticed
and I'm concerned for your well being."
Response: "Who are you? Is this a joke?"
"Sir, you don't look well. Take a look into a mirror
and see for yourself. The one condition not covered by your healthcare
plan is FOXNUTS. I'm glad I could warn you. Once cured of being
FOXNUTS, people will stop avoiding you and you will no
longer need to ambush them Take care!"
"Sure, I'm a p*ssy who takes orders from a bigger p*ssy named O'Reilly."
Also, did Jesse admit that is was an AMBUSH? I wish Amanda's boyfriend was there when that took place. That would have been must see TV.
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