Fox News Sticks With the Script

October 17, 2007 on Hannity & Colmes:

Will Media Matters Force Media Outlets to Correct Air America False Mugging Story?

On October 16,

The Air America radio host Randi Rhodes has taken a leave of absence from her show after suffering an injury while walking her dog in Manhattan on Sunday night. Her lawyer, Robert Gaulin, said she “fell hard to the ground” and sustained facial injuries while walking near her apartment on Park Avenue. On Monday evening, her fellow Air America host Jon Elliott reported that Ms. Rhodes, a staunch liberal known for her fiery antiwar rhetoric, had been “assaulted” and wondered aloud whether she was attacked by “the right-wing hate machine.” Yesterday, Air America said “the reports of a presumed hate crime are unfounded.” Mr. Elliott later released a statement apologizing for jumping to conclusions “based on hearsay.” It was unclear whether Ms. Rhodes was intentionally injured. Mr. Gaulin would not comment on what caused Ms. Rhodes to fall. Several people were near her at the time, but none have come forward to describe what they saw, he added. BRIAN STELTER