Fox News host Greta Van Susteren expressed outrage on Monday that The New York Times couldn’t put the massacre of 21 Christians in Libya on the front page of the paper. It came on A-6, under the headline “Islamic State Video Shows Beheadings of Egyptian Christians in Libya.”
On her Fox website, she wrote: “Something is seriously wrong with The New York Times.. 21 Christians beheaded by ISIS in Libya and it is NOT page A1 in my New York Times edition — but buried on page A6. How could the beheading of 21 Christians not be front page?”
She also took it to her TV show:
VAN SUSTEREN: Maybe you can explain this one, because I simply cannot. ISIS beheads 21 Christians solely because they are Christians, threatening other Christians, and "The New York Times," which holds itself out as the nation's paper, buried this beheading of Christians on page A-6 of today's paper.
Joining us, our political panel, National Journal's Ron Fournier; and National Review's Jim Geraghty. Ron, first to you. If I were the editor-in-chief, this would have been page one for me. 21 Christians beheaded because they're Christians, their ideology, their thinking, their faith.
RON FOURNIER: First, as editor-in-chief, I realize we are now in a digital first world, and what's in the front page of "The New York Times" means a lot less than it did a few years ago.
VAN SUSTEREN: But it sends a message....
FOURNIER: Most people who are influenced by "The New York Times" in the news business are online. If you went online, you saw that story at the top of "The New York Times" website.
If you look at their page, they have Denmark at the top. That's a big terrorism story. They have allegations against an imam. Pretty important story in terrorism. And they have a story about a Democratic governor in a lot of trouble. So I wouldn't say this is a left-wing layout, in my opinion.
VAN SUSTEREN: You know -- you know what, the Democratic Party is a story from Friday. And it's a small state with -- not as significant to the American people. Probably more Christians worried about Christians being beheaded for Christians than a governor who has a funny situation with a fiancee in a small state.
FOURNIER: Like I say, in this day and age, what on the front page of The New York Times means a lot less.
VAN SUSTEREN: To me, it sends a big message.
Greta and the panel discussed whether the other front-page items could have been sent inside.
VAN SUSTEREN: Let me give you one and take one from you. One if the John Podesta profile doesn't have to be on the front page. But I give you one. The Washington Post puts it on A7 [with the headline "Video appears to show beheading of 21 Egyptian Christians."] The Los Angeles Times puts it on A1, and USA Today, A1. So The Washington Post put it --
FOURNIER: But you could not go on any of those websites today without seeing the story. You guys are all obsessed about what's on the front page of a newspaper when nobody's really looking at newspapers any more, which is another problem.
VAN SUSTEREN: I guess, see, I see it as a bigger picture, is that, I think for a long time, that people have been sort of denying a little bit what's going on with Christians in this world. And I think the beheading -- lining up 21 Christians and having them beg for their life and videotaping it in a country that has completely disintegrated where ISIS is growing. To me, it's like huge --
FOURNIER: It is a huge story. It is a huge story. You know what? If you go on "The New York Times" site right now, it's on the top of their website. I think we're --
GERAGHTY: In a lot of newsrooms, the concept of Christians as victims doesn't fit the narrative.
FOURNIER: Oh, no, come on. There's a lot of newsrooms, including mine, that's filled with Christians, who are really appalled --
GERAGHTY: I don't mean Christians don't work there.
FOURNIER: -- appalled by what happened over there and are spending a lot of time --
GERAGHTY: They are –
FOURNIER: -- risking their lives, covering this story. And we're going to sit here and Monday-morning quarterback the selection on the front page? I mean, come on. "The New York Times" right now has people overseas risking their lives covering this.
End.
