During the Wednesday edition of his program, Fox News anchor Shepard Smith, not known as any sort of conservative, attacked the government for being dishonest and witholding critical information from Americans while at the same time also undertaking highly invasive surveillance programs.
“I don’t believe much of anything they say anymore. Because I can’t figure out which parts to believe, so I choose not to believe any of it,” Smith said in an interview with Fox News legal analyst Mercedes Colwin.
The Fox anchor drew a contrast between the government’s refusal to let the public know about the charges with its simultaneous desire to know as much as possible about the public’s personal activities.
“You know, it’s interesting to me that the government now keeps everything a secret and yet they read my email to my father,” Smith said. “They know who I’m talking to on the phone, they know everything that’s going on in the house, they have the government minders around now—but if you want to know what the charges against somebody who attacked our embassy, you can’t have that. Oh no, that’s a secret.
“They always say the same thing, lives are at risk, we can’t tell you,” Smith responded. He then said he did not think that anything the government had been saying was trustworthy or useful and jokingly implied that so-called reality television shows were actually more truthful than what the government was putting out.
“Just watch the Kardashians and reruns of Will and Grace or something. Whatever feels good to you because it’s nothing worth hearing,” Smith told a laughing Colwin.
The relevant transcript of the conversation follows. Hat tip: Gateway Pundit.
SHEPARD SMITH: You know they’re doing their best. Because, if—I would say they are doing their best because Americans lost their lives and they want to do their best. Who wouldn’t?
MERCEDES COLWIN: Sure.
SMITH: But they also getting the hell beaten out of them by the Republicans. And if they can just get this fixed, get some justice here, it will give Republicans less ammunition. So you know they want to fix it.
COLWIN: Sure. And you know what the other interesting thing is? What about these charges? Why does there such a belief that releasing the charges are going to somehow compromise the investigation. Get on with it. Release it, let us see it. And in fact, you might have others, if they know what these charges are they might say after the fact, ‘You know, I know someone that is an accessory after the fact, I know someone that assisted Amid Kalid.’ Maybe this is someone that can help and actually should be investigated.
SMITH: You know, it’s interesting to me that the government now keeps everything a secret and yet they read my email to my father. They know who I’m talking to on the phone, they know everything that’s going on in the house, they have the government minders around now—but if you want to know what the charges against somebody who attacked our embassy, you can’t have that. Oh no, that’s a secret.
COLWIN: It’s a secret—lives are at risk.
SMITH: Lives are at risk. They always say the same thing, lives are at risk, we can’t tell you.
COLWIN: Right.
SMITH: I don’t believe much of anything they say anymore. Because I can’t figure out which parts to believe, so I choose not to believe any of it.
COLWIN: I think that everyone’s—
SMITH: Just watch the Kardashians—
COLWIN: Ok I will. (laughs)
SMITH: —and reruns of “Will and Grace” or something. Whatever feels good to you because it’s nothing worth hearing.
COLWIN: I’m not a Kardashian fan.
SMITH: I’m not either.
COLWIN: Maybe Honey Boo Boo though.
SMITH: Maybe Honey Boo Boo.
COLWIN: She’s cute.
SMITH: Well, she tells more truths.
COLWIN: Well she certainly—Mama bear. She is a truth-seeker, she is definitely a truth-seeker.
SMITH (laughing): Thank you, for something.
