What would be the proper response to the tragic story of a father killed by a great white shark? For "Good Morning America" guest host Barbara Walters, apparently, it was to quote from the trailer of the 1978 film "Jaws 2." Reporter Miguel Marquez recounted the story of Dave Martin, the San Diego man killed by a shark off of the California coast last Friday. He explained, "Dave Martin's family is defiant. They say the shark attack hasn't ended their love of the sea."
When the segment cut back to Walters, she observed, "But perhaps that family should remember that line 'Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water.'" Maybe journalists should be told that they don't need to have a pithy quote to end every segment. Perhaps viewers should be glad that she didn't choose other famous "Jaws" quotes, such as "This was no boat accident!" or "You're going to need a bigger boat."
(Of course, this is the woman who famously asked Katherine Hepburn what kind of tree she would like to be.) GMA viewers can look forward to seeing Barbara Walters for two more days as a guest host on "Good Morning America." In an earlier segment on Monday, she pestered DNC Chairman Howard Dean to end the Democratic primary race.
A partial transcript of the segment, which aired at 7:45am, follows:
MIGUEL MARQUEZ: The family of the man killed by a great white shark speak of their loss.
JEFF MARTIN (Victim's son): He died doing what he liked, surrounded by his friends in a place he loved. As a Christian family, we believe that our father is in heaven.
...
MARQUEZ: Authorities are now convinced the shark was a 15 to 16-foot great white. Bite marks on Dave Martin's legs gave investigators all the information they needed to know.
RALPH COLLIER (Shark researcher): Just as humans have fingerprints, in a sense, the fingerprints of sharks are their teeth.
MARQUEZ: Dave Martin's family is defiant. They say the shark attack hasn't ended their love of the sea.
MARTIN (to reporters): I went surfing yesterday. Does that help? I'm taking my boys out tomorrow.
MARQUEZ: A hard reminder of nature's power with summer just around the corner. For "Good Morning America," Miguel Marquez, ABC News with the Coast Guard, north of San Diego.
BARBARA WALTERS: But perhaps that family should remember that line "Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water."
—Scott Whitlock is a news analyst for the Media Research Center.















Editor at Large

Comments Policy
My Only Surprise
April 28, 2008 - 18:07 ET by geoff.galeI'm surprised that Bahbahwa didn't tie the shark attack to AGW. That would have been about as appropriate and believable.
She's a darn good argument for forced retirement.
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."
- Edmund Burke (1729 - 1797)
www.conservativeboot...
Barbara's gonna need a
April 28, 2008 - 18:09 ET by nicksmith112Barbara's gonna need a bigger boat.
I'm a refugee from the Democratic Party.
Nick
April 28, 2008 - 19:47 ET by Noel SheppardNick,
NICE! :-) ns
" Sometimes that journalist,
April 28, 2008 - 18:19 ET by Blazer" Sometimes that journalist, he looks right into ya'. Right into your eyes. And, you know, the thing about a journalist... he's got lifeless eyes. Black eyes. Like a doll's eyes. When he comes at ya, doesn't seem to be living... until he bites ya, and those black eyes roll over white and then... ah then you hear that terrible high-pitched screamin'."
"You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious. "
- Ben Kenobi on Liberals, and the MSM.
" The Cake is a lie."
This same line was used
April 28, 2008 - 19:34 ET by SemperrightThis same line was used when Helen Thomas eats in the whitehouse cafeteria.
"Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference.
The MARINES don't have that problem."
President Ronald Reagan - 1985
Blazer
April 28, 2008 - 19:48 ET by Noel SheppardBlazer,
Very nice! :-) ns
What a compassionate woman
April 28, 2008 - 18:19 ET by bigtimerWhat a compassionate woman indeed...glittering jewel that she is.
The things that go whiz right over leftists heads....
"Never murder your opponent when he is committing suicide." ~ W. Churchill
note to Barbara
April 28, 2008 - 18:41 ET by landsharkallow me to quote Hank Hill in response;
*ahem*
Just when I think you've said the dumbest thing ever, you just keep right on talkin'.
Open mouth, insert both feet.
April 28, 2008 - 18:44 ET by R D HelmWow.
Theme for Election '08: Who cares?
Remember Barbara?
April 28, 2008 - 18:47 ET by Mica the MagnificentBut perhaps Barbara should remember the line her plastic surgeon used the last time she wanted her face stretched again:
"We're going to need bigger hands!"
Hoof in mouth disease
April 28, 2008 - 18:49 ET by bobthemanHoof in mouth disease ...jeesh, what a moron.
http://politicsofdes...
Oh For The Love Of God!
April 28, 2008 - 18:50 ET by PamIt just doesn't end with these people! Maybe this was running through her mind?
She forgot the tunes with her statement
April 28, 2008 - 19:01 ET by Humblepiehttp://www.sharkatta...
During this time with political correctness at its zenith, I reserve the right to let you know you're an idiot.
Hey Humble, isn't that
April 28, 2008 - 19:03 ET by BlazerHey Humble, isn't that the theme song they play over at Ponderosa when Rosie O'Donnell approaches the buffet ?
"You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious. "
- Ben Kenobi on Liberals, and the MSM.
" The Cake is a lie."
ROTFLMAO
April 28, 2008 - 19:07 ET by HumblepieSo sorry, you are correct, dang that was a good one Blazer. Blew coffee out my nose because of you.
During this time with political correctness at its zenith, I reserve the right to let you know you're an idiot.
No more swimming?
April 28, 2008 - 19:40 ET by SouthwestJIs Barbara implying the family shouldn't go in the water because they'll have a big chance of getting killed by a shark too? No fear mongering here.
What a loon. It would be funny except that it will feed into idiots thinking a lot of sharks should be killed to make humans safer. I wish I had a link (don't have time to find it atm) but after Jaws was released there were literally thousands of sharks killed, and for no good reason. And that wasn't a good thing for the ocean and I doubt it saved anyone.
The media continues to try the scare journalism tactic.
Sad.
J
"Here's to swimmin' with
April 28, 2008 - 19:45 ET by nicksmith112"Here's to swimmin' with bow-legged women."
I'm a refugee from the Democratic Party.
Jaws
April 28, 2008 - 19:56 ET by trthskr"That's some bad hat Harry"
Jaws
April 28, 2008 - 22:55 ET by AzRenegadeI think she is going to ignore this particular problem until it swims up and bites her in the ass!
AzRenegade
Barbra Wa Wa
April 28, 2008 - 20:10 ET by Airforce_5_Ois getting up there in age and a bit senile. At least she didn't say something like "Bet they want do that again." or maybe ask if they recovered any of the body parts. Your going burn for that AF5O.
The nanny state closes the beaches...close then for ever!
April 28, 2008 - 21:25 ET by upcountrywaterThe last shark attack there was more than 20 years ago.
To be sure this never happens again close the beaches for ever!
If people tasted good then more people would be missing at sea.
Not this bite and release that occurs, worldwide.
60 year old flesh vs 2 year old seal? hummm
Surfers sitting on surf boards looking like turtles
Swimmers with black wet suits, looking like seals.
Ban gasoline and we would not have any more fatal auto accidents.
The POPE says, GOD BLESS AMERICA!!
IranianUranium<sleep>New/Infrastructure/repair?/ROFLMAO
Great post upcountry.
April 28, 2008 - 23:16 ET by BlazerGreat post upcountry. People putting on a wetsuit and a pair of flipper's and swimming in the ocean around shark's is comparable to people donning antler's and brown furry suit's and running through the wood's during hunting season. Occasionaly someones gonna get an a$$ full of buckshot.
Shark's are highly tuned predator's, if you swim in the ocean you assume that risk. From below a human being with a wetsuit and flipper's on or on a surfboard look's amazingly like a seal.
Go to any bait shop and you can find artificial lures. Go to any dive shop and you can become one.
"You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious. "
- Ben Kenobi on Liberals, and the MSM.
" The Cake is a lie."
Nanny state lost this one to the beach people
April 29, 2008 - 00:22 ET by ChaitealoverActually, the beaches weren't closed. An 8 mile stretch from Carlsbad to Torrey Pines was posted, and lifeguards strongly suggested that people stay out of the water until enough time had passed for the shark to have left the area, but people could and did swim and surf all weekend. Good thing, too, as it was in the 90s here!
The woman who died in Ocean Beach about 14 years ago was listed as a "probable" shark death; they never could say with certainty whether she drowned & then the shark bit her, or vice versa. The only confirmed death by shark in the SD area was back in the '50s. That man's body was never found [a long-time local reporter said that, at the time, there were rumors that he had really run off to Mexico, but they were just rumors]. So, as shocking as Dr. Martin's death was, there's no keeping SoCal folks out of the ocean.
Chai
“A liberal is a man who will give away everything he doesn’t own.” —Frank Dane