They Did It … Update – Bill Congress for commercials

Talk about Mr Smith goes to Washington. Shep Smith jumped ugly on Congress … and Chris Dodd. It is an amazing performance and worth watching for sure. Enjoy.

Video now up  … sorry about the delay. New software today, still working out the kinks.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjymMNP_hJY

He went on to call today’s hearing into the AIG bonuses before the House Financial Services subcommittee a distraction and suggested that Fox bill Congress for all of the needlessly lost commercial time covering the hearings live.

It’s a distraction only if you lose sight of the big picture but well worth reporting, at least the way Shep did today. As we have been saying for two days … Congress is at the heart of this whole bonus boondoggle and the meltdown of Wall Street as well.

Update: Here’s the video of Shep condensing the AIG hearings down to a complete distraction from the banking crisis … and Fox News … “Fox should bill congress.” Enjoy.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utdA0vGCOX8

Posted in

Jim Vicevich

Jim is a veteran broadcaster and conservative/libertarian blogger with more than 25 years experience in TV and radio. Jim's was the long-term host of The Jim Vicevich Show on WTIC 1080 in Hartford from 2004 through 2019. Prior to radio, Jim worked as a business and financial reporter for NBC30 - the NBC owned TV station in Hartford - and as business editor at WFSB-TV in Hartford for 14 years while earning six Emmy nominations and three Telly Awards.

12 Comments

  1. Lucinda on March 18, 2009 at 10:29 am

    My favorite line: "Are you kidding me?"

    Thank you, Shep, for calling Dodd, Frank, and the rest of Congress to the carpet.

    And thanks, Jim, for a delicious piece of video. I loved it!



  2. SoundOffSister on March 18, 2009 at 11:39 am

    Let me see if I have this right.  First, Congress bails out AIG under a plan crafted by our now Secretary of the Tresury, who, at the time, was made aware of AIG's obligation to pay bonuses.  Then Congress passes the Stimulus Bill containing a provision, inserted by the Chair of the Senate Banking Committee, allowing the bonuses to be paid.  Then, the President signs the Stimulus Bill, apparently without reading it, as he was unaware of the AIG bonus provision until last Thursday.  Then, outraged, Congress decides to "tax away" those bonuses, but, Charlie Rangel, Chair of the tax writing House Ways & Means Committee declares that it would be inappropriate to penialize the recipients of the bonuses with the tax code.  Meanwhile, our President is preparing to fly to California to appear on the Tonight Show.  Is anyone else shaking their head?  If this wasn't so pathetic, it would be funny.



    • Dimsdale on March 20, 2009 at 12:58 am

      Maybe there should be a test for legislators as to what is in the bills they sign.  Flunk the test, you either go back and study again, or no vote.  Then you can explain to your voters why you didn't read it and pass the test and fail to represent them on two levels.



  3. Dimsdale on March 18, 2009 at 11:48 am

    That was spectacular!  There is nothing sweeter than documentable evidence of Congressional ineptitude.  But ineptitude of this magnitude should not be pointed out only by Fox.  Where is ABC, NBC and yes, even CBS?  Maybe the "reporters" from those organizations should either pry their lips off of Obambi's backside, or tear their gazes off of his crotch long enough to actually do their jobs.  That, or just sign up for his adminstration.

    Everytime I hear some empty headed Ozombie telling me about the bias at "Faux" News, I am going to think of this.

    Congratulations, Shep!



  4. Darlene on March 18, 2009 at 1:35 pm

    Great post Jim.  Thank you!  The sad part is … this is only the beginning of many lying politicians being brought to task.  I don't know if the main street media will cover this accordingly, they should …. but will they?  My sincerest hope is that the voting public sees this.  Because it is only they that can really and truly hold these corrupt politicians accountable. 

    It is a sad day in history when politicians can stand on their pulpit and lie to our faces so easily.   So sad.



  5. Anne-EH on March 18, 2009 at 1:46 pm

    Excellent video and article Jim. Shep Smith was really fit to be tied. For to have the politicos acting like they are outraged at what AIG did and then not admiting that they helped AIG along is nothing more then foolishness at best, hypocracy at worse. Sen. Dodd admitting to a loophole just this evening with the bonusess shows that the heat was on him to admit the truth.



  6. Wayne SW on March 18, 2009 at 3:24 pm

    Has anyone ever seen such a bunch of dunderheads like this Congress and this President?

    The Axis of Evil, (DEM/LIB/MSM) continue to trash the Constitution and disrespect Americans.



  7. Scott Q on March 18, 2009 at 4:14 pm

    We shouldn't act surprised . Think about it for a moment all the guys in big business getting all this money and bonuses are probably 10 times smarter then the guys in congress because the "SMART " guys go into private work force making more money than god, While the guys left(politicians) who couldn't make it a day in the real world of business are being played like Jim"s violin.Eventually these dummies will cut their own throat and limit big business salaries enough that hopefully for us and the country the smart guys will run for public office because it will be more profitable.



  8. Uconnjim on March 19, 2009 at 3:55 pm

    (a.k.a. NH-Jim)  Well, well, well…Isn't this a fine mess they have found themselves in!  Allow me to say this once-ever-so-more:

    Read the bill before you sign it!

    I am actually smiling for the first time in weeks.  You know my SOC friends, we have given them enough rope and they are hanging themselves.  Now, where is the counter-outrage from the right?



  9. gillie28 on March 19, 2009 at 8:53 pm

    Shep nailed it.  One particular point he brought up was the "revealing of names" demanded by Barney Frank.  That definitely is reminiscent of the McCarthy hearings, and a little scary.  Incidentally, Barney Frank has a link to the AIG "Retention Plan" on his website:  http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/financialsvc

    This plan was effective as of Dec 1st 2007 – plenty of time, one would think, for those involved with the bailout decisions to read it!  But that brings up another question: can members of Congress actually read????  It's obvious the majority of our leaders don't bother to read the bills set before them that they pass.  What a disgrace.  In a regular company that would be incompetence and grounds for firing.



    • ryalso on March 20, 2009 at 2:05 pm

      check out Downsize D C.org
      ‘Read the Bills Act’
      says it all



  10. Dimsdale on March 20, 2009 at 8:02 am

    First you go Howard Beale, then you go John Galt.  'nuff said.



The website's content and articles were migrated to a new framework in October 2023. You may see [shortcodes in brackets] that do not make any sense. Please ignore that stuff. We may fix it at some point, but we do not have the time now.

You'll also note comments migrated over may have misplaced question marks and missing spaces. All comments were migrated, but trackbacks may not show.

The site is not broken.