Editors’ Note: Your VoxFairfax editors read a large number of news articles, including those of Fox News, to ensure being informed by an array of differing opinions. The article parsed and dissected herein was selected particularly as a sample of what it takes to read across a broad spectrum of material, some of which is merely propaganda. Though the Georgia runoffs are past, the issue of political propaganda remains. For the curious, follow the link to hear former Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R) as substitute host for Sean Hannity. The print article is presented in its entirety. Judge for yourself. https://apple.news/AbNjw9NZAQLOlefykjSI22w
The Fox article was published on December 26, 2020, with this opening headline:
Senate candidate Warnock sidesteps questions on ex-wife’s police video
“Warnock accused Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler of ‘playing games’ in the Georgia runoff.
“Democratic Georgia Senate candidate Rev. Raphael Warnock is deflecting questions about police bodycam footage of a dispute with his former wife, Ouleye Ndoye.
“In the March footage obtained by Fox News’ Tucker Carlson, Ndoye can be heard telling a police officer that her husband is ‘a great actor’ and ‘phenomenal at putting on a really good show’ after Warnock denied her allegations that he deliberately ran over her foot.
“‘I’m going to stay focused on my family, which includes their mother, and I’m going to stay focused on the people of Georgia, who, during a pandemic, are still waiting on relief all these months later while politicians including Kelly Loeffler are busy playing games,’ Warnock said in a Wednesday statement to CBS46.
“Warnock did not immediately respond to an inquiry from Fox News.
“The incident was first reported by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution as Warnock was gearing up to compete against GOP Sen. Kelly Loeffler in what has become a high-stakes runoff that will determine which party controls the U.S. Senate.
“In the footage, an officer can be seen pulling up to Warnock’s house in Atlanta. Warnock tells the officer his estranged wife called the police on him and alleged that he had run over her foot with his car, which Warnock denied.
“Warnock, senior pastor of Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church, explains to the officer in the video that he and Ndoye are in the process of getting a divorce, and domestic disputes between them have been escalating. He goes on to say that they had an argument that morning over divorce papers while their two children were present.
“Ndoye later tells the officer she wants to file a report.
“‘This man’s running for United States Senate, and all he cares about right now is his reputation,’ she tells the officer. ‘I’ve been very quiet about the way that he is for the sake of my kids and his reputation.’
“Medical officials did not find visible signs of injury on his wife’s foot, and Warnock was never charged with a crime. The couple finalized their divorce in May, according to the Journal-Constitution.”
#
Following is our commentary on the Fox presentation. It is meant to demonstrate how “news” from some sources must be read carefully and critically in order to avoid being completely bamboozled. The Fox material is in bold.
Senate candidate Warnock “sidesteps questions” on ex-wife’s police video.
Democratic Georgia Senate candidate Rev. Raphael Warnock is “deflecting questions” about police bodycam footage of a dispute with his former wife, Ouleye Ndoye.
The opening “headline” and introductory sentence characterize Warnock both as “sidestepping” and “deflecting” questions about an incident with his now former wife. For emphasis, Fox added the line that Warnock did not “immediately” respond to an inquiry from Fox. Yet the Fox writer concluded sidestepping and deflecting based upon a quote from a local TV interview. That quote, however, is not dated as to whether it was given in March or at some other point in time.
Warnock, senior pastor of Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church, explains to the officer in the video that he and Ndoye are in the process of getting a divorce, and domestic disputes between them have been escalating. He goes on to say that they had an argument that morning over divorce papers while their two children were present.
This is the explanation offered by Warnock at the time of the incident to a police officer in March and recorded on the police body cam footage. The Fox print article does not date the Tucker Carlson broadcast. Assuming it was contemporaneous to the print article, that would have been in December, which was 7 months following Warnock’s final divorce decree. The Carlson replay and print article occur one month post Warnock’s successful campaign in the general election. Apparently, Georgia voters were not swayed. Nor were any charges filed against Warnock. On its face, Warnock’s recorded explanation seems quite frank and open: no sidestepping, no deflection.
I’m going to stay focused on my family, which includes their mother, and I’m going to stay focused on the people of Georgia, who, during a pandemic, are still waiting on relief all these months later while politicians including Kelly Loeffler are busy playing games,’ Warnock said in a Wednesday statement to CBS46.
This quote is out of context in a wholly different interview with a local TV station. It may be more contemporaneous with the Fox article but there is no reporter’s question to which the quote is connected. It seems one designed to lower the admitted conflicts with Warnock’s former wife. Perhaps even upon legal advice. Once again, Fox has incorporated a statement from Warnock that may or may not be connected to the March incident. For all anyone knows, the CBS46 reporter may have inquired about another matter entirely.
#
So, what was Fox’s point? That police interviewed Warnock and his wife during a “high stakes” runoff election as noted by the Fox article? That Warnock accused his opponent of “playing games” in the campaign? That a pastor is involved in a divorce? Our recommendation is that readers take an occasional moment from ordinary news sources to read a Fox item to sharpen their skills.
You have been armed.
Categories: elections, FREE SPEECH, Issues, National, politics, press
Join the discussion!