MSNBC Admits: 'Unable to Verify' False Limbaugh Quote; No Retraction or Apology
MSNBC Admits: 'Unable to Verify' False Limbaugh Quote; No Retraction or Apology
By: Kyle Drennen
October 16, 2009 16:37 ET
During the 3:00PM ET hour of live coverage on MSNBC Friday, co-host David Shuster admitted that racially charged quotes he and other hosts attributed to Rush Limbaugh had not been verified: “MSNBC attributed that quote to a football player who was opposed to Li
More..mbaugh’s NFL bid. However, we have been unable to verify that quote independently. So, just to clarify.” Shuster did not formally retract the quote or apologize.
On Monday, Shuster revealed the supposed source of the false quote: “Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Farrior says Limbaugh should be denied the privilege of owning an NFL franchise for comments like ‘slavery had its merits.’” Speaking with columnist Stephen A. Smith later that afternoon, Shuster’s co-host Tamron Hall wondered: “Should a person who says there are merits with slavery be able to have this privilege of owning a team?”
As result of the ensuing controversy raised by the false quotes reported by MSNBC, CNN, and other media outlets, Limbaugh was removed from an investment group that was considering purchasing the St. Louis Rams football team.
During Wednesday's Morning Joe program on MSNBC, host Joe Scarborough warned of false Limbaugh quotes being touted by his own network: "And a lot of those comments were actually not true. The quotes that we heard the most of, the people we interviewed on our shows came with articles, waving articles with quotes – completely made up. And Mike Barnicle, the dangerous thing is, that the media just flew right into it."
On Tuesday, Media Research Center President and NewsBusters Publisher Brent Bozell called on CNN and MSNBC to “immediately and publicly source when Limbaugh uttered this phrase....They can prove their innocence by documenting this accusation. If they can’t, then they are 100% guilty of character assassination.” Shuster failed to provide any such documentation, instead waiting days to acknowledge his false reporting.
Shuster’s full Friday statement:
3:40PM
DAVID SHUSTER: And Tamron, speaking of influence, we do have an update involving talk show host Rush Limbaugh and the controversy over his effort to help buy an NFL football team. Limbaugh denies he said quote, ‘slavery has its merits,’ it was a quote that appeared on MSNBC this past Monday and Tuesday. MSNBC attributed that quote to a football player who was opposed to Limbaugh’s NFL bid. However, we have been unable to verify that quote independently. So, just to clarify.
—Kyle Drennen is a news analyst at the Media Research Center.
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Added: Oct 17 2009 In: news_politics
Recorded on: Oct 16 2009
By: menderman 
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- Comments: 19
Comments - sort by newest to oldest
Better than nothing, I suppose. I'm surprised they didn't go with the "fake but accurate" defense that CBS tried with Rather a few years back.
Posted Oct-17-2009 by "john731863" (R)
Why apologize to a shock jock? Why do people even acknowledge Rush's existence? He is only as popular as we make him.
Posted Oct-17-2009 by "willy_lump" (R)
Why did that joe guy have to apologize to the POTUS then?...The POTUS is only as popular as WE THE PEOPLE make him!
Heres a clue for ya...Human decency! If he didnt say it then he didnt say
Apologize and move on.
Ideological simpletons make me laugh.
Posted Oct-17-2009 by "OzzyGodsmack" (R)
Why did that joe guy have to apologize to the POTUS then?...The POTUS is only as popular as WE THE PEOPLE make him!
Heres a clue for ya...Human decency! If he didnt say it then he didnt say
Apologize and move on.
Ideological simpletons make me laugh.
Who's Joe? And why did he have to apologize to the president?
We are talking about a uneducated radio station DJ here. And all I'm really wondering is why these so called news stations even discuss the man to begin with.
Posted Oct-17-2009 by "willy_lump" (R)
They just made official what everyone besides liberal were able to figure out long ago. That MSNBC spews all manner of unverified bullshit.
Posted Oct-17-2009 by "Fenrisulfr" (R)
Hey, Rico and willy, where's those "racist" Rush qoutes you've been posting now???
Posted Oct-17-2009 by "ChopperTom" (R)
1. Because he's been publicly smeared in order to deny him a business opportunity.
2. Because the smear was aided and abetted by people who are supposed to be journalists, and who are supposed to be able to source something like that if it's damning.
Posted Oct-17-2009 by "vicsemprini" (R)
The "progressives" are out of control. They foolishly think this is their time. It is not. There is NEVER a time when naive children should be allowed to run the world. Never. We will fight the progressives wherever they are. This is a war that for the sake of the future of the human race, we do not have the luxury of loosing. We must put the progressives in their place NOW!
Posted Oct-17-2009 by "HopieChangie" (R)
Rush should sue any and everyone - starting with Farrior, and every news agency that reported it as truth. He will own MSNBC, if he sues. Then he should turn it into the RUSH channel... how many Lib heads would explode then?
Posted Oct-17-2009 by "DontTreadOnMe2" (R)
Rush!
Sue them for Libel and Slander and own the worthless MSM!
Posted Oct-17-2009 by "PresidentZero" (R)
NBC Universal
For Sale!
Very Cheap because GE killed it by making NBC/MSNBC/CNBC as part of obamas campaign to get elected and keep power and it is payback to obama for helping with some china deals.
Posted Oct-17-2009 by "SouthParkIndie" (R)
Why did that joe guy have to apologize to the POTUS then?...The POTUS is only as popular as WE THE PEOPLE make him!
Heres a clue for ya...Human decency! If he didnt say it then he didnt say
Apologize and move on.
Ideological simpletons make me laugh.
Who's Joe? And why did he have to apologize to the president?
We are talking about a uneducated radio station DJ here. And all I'm really wondering is why these so called news stations even discuss the man to begin with.
re-read the last line of my quote.
Posted Oct-17-2009 by "OzzyGodsmack" (R)
Why did that joe guy have to apologize to the POTUS then?...The POTUS is only as popular as WE THE PEOPLE make him!
Heres a clue for ya...Human decency! If he didnt say it then he didnt say
Apologize and move on.
Ideological simpletons make me laugh.
Who's Joe? And why did he have to apologize to the president?
We are talking about a uneducated radio station DJ here. And all I'm really wondering is why these so called news stations even discuss the man to begin with.
Wilson? the one who called the POTUS on his bs about no illegal immigrants getting health care.
Posted Oct-17-2009 by "OzzyGodsmack" (R)
There all programmed drones over there at MSLSD.
Posted Oct-17-2009 by "souljah45" (R)
DEE DEEE DEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Posted Oct-17-2009 by "thebigniv" (R)