The Atlanta Journal Constitution’s Jill Vejnoska blogs about yesterday’s Studio B and Fox Report shows in Atlanta…

There was some confusion about whether the public could watch Smith do his thing; initial information was that they would be able to, but the rotunda area atop the Chamber building wasn’t set up for spectators. Nonetheless, Fox made arrangements for fans who did show up to come up and watch “Studio B.” That was music to the ears of Becky James, a Tate, Ga., resident, who’d been waiting since noon with her daughter, Melissa Toel.

“We are BIG Fox News fans,” said James, who watched the broadcast and got to meet Smith afterwards. “I like the whole network, because they’re so straightforward. And I’m conservative and so are they.”

The AP’s David Bauder writes about FNC’s 10 years on the air…

Loved by some, loathed by others, Fox News Channel has been the biggest success in the cable industry and profoundly changed television news since its signal turned on Oct. 7, 1996.

Ailes can still remember a reporter’s laughter during the news conference to introduce the network. He had the last laugh: Fox News beat by a year his plan for overtaking CNN and grew to more than double its rivals in viewership. It made stars of Bill O’Reilly and Sean Hannity and put “fair and balanced” into news history textbooks.

Opinionated talk is now a staple on the TV dial, with Keith Olbermann on MSNBC, Lou Dobbs on CNN and Nancy Grace on CNN Headline News. Fox was first.

“I watched CNN for a week before I went on and I kept trying to wake myself up,” Ailes said. “I kept nodding off and I realized they are biased, they are boring, they looked like a network that has never had any competition.”

Cable News Ratings for September 28, 2006

P2+ Total Day
FNC - 903,000 viewers
CNN - 455,000 viewers
MSNBC - 286,000 viewers
CNBC - 162,000 viewers
HLN - 255,000 viewers

P2+ Prime Time
FNC - 1,539,000 viewers
CNN - 588,000 viewers
MSNBC - 463,000 viewers
CNBC - 133,000 viewers
HLN - 482,000 viewers

25-54 Total Day
FNC - 301,000 viewers
CNN - 184,000 viewers
MSNBC - 139,000 viewers
CNBC - 54,000 viewers
HLN - 109,000 viewers

25-54 Prime Time
FNC - 369,000 viewers
CNN - 204,000 viewers
MSNBC - 194,000 viewers
CNBC - 66,000 viewers
HLN - 199,000 viewers
(more…)

CNN has been airing a report throughout the day on the story of an Iraqi woman was was put on a death list and executed when she opened the door and identified herself. A background story can be read at CNN.com…

There is a name and a story that goes with every number in the mounting civilian death toll in Iraq. Rarely do loved ones have the courage to tell the victim’s story. 53-year-old Umm Luma was gunned down after the Brigades of Death filled in her name on the dotted line of a death threat, a death threat delivered to her house. Her niece heard the killers call her name, “He said to her are you Umm Luma? She said yes dear what would you like?” Then the killers shot her dead. A gut wrenching tale of a life lost as extremist groups carryout sectarian killings.

The story first aired on American Morning this morning. Transcript follows…
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The Atlanta Journal Constitution’s Jill Vejnoska writes about Shepard Smiths appearance at the Atlanta Press Club yesterday…

“I’m sort of in enemy territory here,” Smith drawled to a lunchtime audience at the Commerce Club downtown. “People are wearing red, but it’s the wrong red. I’m terrified of Saturday. Please be nice and clean up after yourselves in The Grove. Unlike LSU fans.”

Yep, he was talking football. Specifically, Saturday’s faceoff in Oxford between the undefeated University of Georgia bulldogs and the — well, let’s just say, the NOT undefeated University of Mississippi Rebels (A Holly Springs, Mississippi, native, Smith went to Ole Miss and is still a season ticket holder for football there). He was NOT referencing the fact that he was making this appearance just a couple of blocks from rival CNN’s world headquarter, and that Fox has set up shop today right under CNN’s noses. Smith and Greta Van Susteren are broadcasting three shows live at 3 p.m., 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. from the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce overlooking Centennial Olympic Park.

It’s part of Fox News’ 10th anniversary “Thank You America” tour. And, according to Smith, the occasionally overheated rivalry’s all pretty much in good fun.

The AP’s Megan Scott writes about Nancy Grace and features a critical TVNewser…

The show is called “Nancy Grace” — not the “Nancy Grace Factor” or “On the Record with Nancy Grace.” And it airs seven times a week on a 24-hour news channel.

But it’s no news show.

“She’s producing a drama just like any other crime show,” says Brian Stelter, editor of TVNewser.com. “She’s using journalism as her stage because she is taking these real-life events and putting her spin on them. Even the way she introduces the show, it sounds less like news and more like entertainment.”

Dramatic music at the start of the show sets a firm and controlling tone. Her sensationalized narrative (Baby Abby found alive!) Both grab the viewer at the outset, says Ted Mandell, who teaches in the Department of Radio, Television and Film at the University of Notre Dame.

“Musical scores are one of easiest ways to invoke emotion into a piece,” he says. “Let’s make the event really scary and really important with music and identify it as ‘The War on Terror.’ Give it a headline, a narrative. Simplify the story into a cliche bumper sicker — ‘America Fights Back.’ It gives the viewer something to latch on to.”

There are other parts to this theatrical performance — the sound effect of a cracking whip when Grace is interrogating someone. The way she inflects her voice with her barrage of questions (Tell me about the suspect. Was it a woman? Were they in a home? What kind of structure was it? Is the woman under police custody?”) How she ends her show with “Good Night, Everybody. And until tomorrow night, good night, friend.” Nancy Grace is our friend!

The Chicago Tribune’s Phil Rosenthal writes about the Bill Clinton/Chris Wallace interview and all the publicity it’s generated for FNC…

One week later and people are still talking about Bill Clinton ripping Fox News.

Fox News boss Roger Ailes is delighted.

“I would have paid him 100 grand to help us with marketing, just to get a half-hour of his time,” Ailes said by phone Thursday. “As it turned out, I got a half-hour of his time and he did it for nothing. We’re very grateful. … He’s kept us in the news for six days.

“It’s an amazing thing. And in light of that I would extend my hand to ask him to come on as a guest anytime. I would even consider him having a show.”

Told of this, a Clinton spokesman laughed. “Can you just say that’s my response?” he said.

The Boston Herald’s Jessica Heslam writes about FNC.com’s online “Campus Hook-Ups” segment…

Syndicated columnist and Emerson College professor Jeffrey Seglin said the producers of the FNC iMAG section on the Web and the network’s news programs aren’t “cut from the same cloth” and aren’t going after the same audience.

“It’s certainly not consistent with people like (FOX host Bill) O’Reilly and those guys who sort of tout family values,” Seglin said.

Leigh Hallisey, adjunct professor of pop culture at Boston University’s College of Communication, said the video is “racy on the outside but the messages are still conservative.”

“From FOX News Channel’s perspective, there’s no news here. There’s much more pressing issues in the country and around the world and that’s what we’re focused on reporting,” said FOX spokesman Darin Johnson.

Tuesday, I noted that Keith Olbermann crossed a line when he called FNC’s Chris Wallace a “monkey”. Apparently this is a line that Olbermann wants to stay on the other side of as evidenced by his characterizations of FNC head Roger Ailes’ weight both Wednesday and Thursday. As someone who has had his own up and down weight battles and has friendships with people who have weight problems, I wince whenever the subject of someone’s weight is brought up for ridicule.

That Olbermann hates FNC, and for that matter anything connected to Rupert Murdoch, is not really in dispute. But there are ways to crticize and there are ways not to criticize and school yard name calling isn’t one of them in my opinion. Olbermann isn’t going to convince the undecideds out in TV land of the validity of his arguments, however valid they may be, by going this route. Insults detract from whatever substance the arguments have and puts the focus of the attack squarely on the insult. And name calling and personal insults have a short life span as a weapon. At some point the viewer will become desensitized to them.

As these insults pile up, Olbermann risks becoming the very thing he apparently despises most about FNC (judging by his previous comments); a loudmouth talking head who takes the low road with the cheap shot instead of making substantive points. Is that really what he wants to be?

(Note: the “loudmouth talking head who takes the low road with the cheap shot” characterization is based on Olbermann’s numerous pieces on some of FNC’s talent and not based on any personal opinions I may or may not have. So don’t be sending me comments saying that I said FNC is made up of loudmouth talking heads who take the low road with the cheap shot. Because I didn’t say that. I would say that I pefer it if nobody went that route but I acknowledge that talking head TV is very opinionated and there is an audience segment out there who tunes in to see the talking heads give their opinions. I just wish they could do it in a less “volatile” manner.)

Tonight on Countdown in the Keeping Tabs segment, Keith Olbermann noted that his show’s Midnight repeat beat FNC’s Midnight repeat in the Demo by 16,000 viewers in response to Roger Ailes comments this morning about FNC going after the broadcast networks.

Roger Ailes, the circular gentleman, has spoken again. Having already fired or demoted several popular hosts from The Minsitry of Truth’s Fox News Channel and dealing with nasty fight between another host and his wife - now former Washington Bureau Chief - Ailes has announced his his next 10 year plan. Quoted by several TV Blogs as telling his staff, “It’s been a great 10 years…we’ve defied the odds…we should be congratulated…But ever decision I make from here on in is about the next 10 years.” adding that the Ministry of Truth needed “to focus more on taking audience away from the broadcast networks, not the other cable networks.”

Not so fast Sidney Greenstreet. Check out last night’s ratings. At Midnight Eastern, Nine PM Pacific, Countdown in first place in the only ratings the industry cares about; viewers 25-54…beat Fox News and Brit Hume by 16,000…beat Larry King by 52,000…HOUSTON GOODBYE!…beat Glenn Beck by…..181,000?

Mr. Ailes might want to focus back on keeping the other cables news networks from taking audience from his own network…and leaving some food for Canada.

Olbermann Watch was beside itself…
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Yesterday on Countdown, Keith Olbermann tagged Roger Ailes as Worst Person In The World for saying that Bill Clinton’s angry response to Chris Wallace was an “assault on all journalists”…

Our winner: Roger Ailes, “The Ming the Merciless,” of FOX News and congrats, incidentally Roger, on having achieved the perfectly circular shape. He says today that President Clinton’s reaction to Chris Wallace the other day was “an assault on all journalists.” No, Roger, what he said was an admonishment, somebody sending terrorist threats to me and others is an assault to all journalists.

This puts me in a bind. On the one hand, I feel badly for Olbermann because he was targeted with what amounts to several degrees of severity beyond a death threat and he probably, deservedly, feels sensitive about the whole incident. On the other hand, trying to compare Roger Ailes’ comment to what happened to him leaves me nonplussed. The two are not related.

I totally missed this last night. Keith Olbermann responded yesterday to yesterday’s Page Six item on him and deservedly shredded the New York Post for their antics.

And one of the reasons I offered no comment, was obvious: the authorities asked me not to.

Also, a New York Post reporter attempted to gain access to me by falsely identifying herself as a friend of mine.

And, most relevantly, the New York Post never called NBC News or MSNBC seeking any comment. They would have been told that the FBI had requested we try to keep this quiet.

But of course that would have interfered with the New York Post making fun of a terror threat.

It’s almost melodramatic to ask why the New York Post would choose the side of domestic terrorism, rather than choose the side of the FBI.

An interesting side note in Olbermann’s commentray is something I had long suspected but didn’t know for sure. According to Olbermann, FNC had contacted other networks when Steve Centanni and Olaf Wiig were kidnapped and asked them to keep the coverage to a minimum. This should serve as a rality check to the critics of the time who were speculating that nobody was covering the story because it concerned FNC.

Johnny Dollar sent this in. FNC apparently has a YouTube channel called The Blast. I’m not 100% sure whether this is an official FNC sponsored channel or a channel built by an overzealous FNC fan…

UPDATE: According to Dollar, Greta plugged the channel tonight so it’s the real deal…

U.S. Senator James Inhofe criticized CNN over coverage of a Senate floor speech he gave on Global Warming…

This morning, CNN ran a segment criticizing my speech on global warming and attempted to refute the scientific evidence I presented to counter climate fears.

First off, CNN reporter Miles O’Brien inaccurately claimed I was “too busy” to appear on his program this week to discuss my 50 minute floor speech on global warming. But they were told I simply was not available on Tuesday or Wednesday.

I did appear on another CNN program today — Thursday — which I hope everyone will watch. The segment airs tonight on CNN’s Headline News at 7pm and repeats at 9pm and midnight Eastern.

Second, CNN’s O’Brien falsely claimed that I was all “alone on Capitol Hill” when it comes to questioning global warming.

I’ve received emails from readers regarding the CNN/FNC gap info provided by CNN today so I thought I should comment on that. The Q3 2004 period was in the middle of the heated 2004 Presidential election when viewer interest was high and the ratings spiked. The Q3 2005 period was during the devastating 2005 hurricane season and the Natalee Holloway saga (which gave FNC a big bump particularly for On The Record). So it’s understandable that both Quarters would show a drop for FNC. As noted here, all the networks were down sharply in Q3 2006 vs Q3 2005 except CNBC which wasn’t doing wall to wall hurricane coverage.

If one looks at Q2 and Q3 2006, the gaps leveled between CNN and FNC because there was no major breaking news events like other quarters. My takeaway from this is that the gap fluctuates wildly depending on whether there’s a heavy news story that dominates the news for extended periods.

The AP’s David Bauder writes about FNC’s efforts to get higher rates from cable and satellite operators…(via TVNewser)

Fox claims its rival CNN frequently gets around 50 cents per subscriber, and that Fox’s fee is a bargain since Fox’s ratings have eclipsed CNN’s for five years.

“It seems like we’re probably worth at least twice as much as they are,” Fox News chief Roger Ailes told The Associated Press. “In the real world, everything is a negotiation and we’re not being dogmatic about it. But we are being dogmatic about the fact that we’re worth a hell of a lot more than we were 10 years ago when we took very low rates just to get coverage. They had pretty much a free ride for the last five years.”

The deal between Fox News Channel, which is owned by News Corp., and Cablevision Systems Corp. expires Oct. 7, or 10 years to the day Fox began operation. Cablevision has more than three million subscribers in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut in the New York City metro area.

Showbiz Tonight will be airing an exclusive interview with former “Saved by the Bell” star Dustin Diamond about the “sex tape” of him now in circulation. A.J. Hammer interviewed Diamond via satellite from Cleveland to get the first comments directly from Diamond regarding the tape. Among the highlights…

- The sex tape got out because Diamond and some buddies have a “monthly gathering” wherein they exchange such tapes, which earn points based on “what [we’re] able to accomplish” on the tapes: “We do it almost like poker. [The tape] could have been left out in anybody’s home, machine, computer.”

- “The people that are involved in this group [of friends who exchange tapes] are all ‘profile people.’” Diamond doesn’t believe any of those people leaked the tape, but perhaps a significant other of one of them did.

- Diamond admits the tape has “caused turmoil on the home front.”
(more…)

Cable News Ratings for September 27, 2006

P2+ Total Day
FNC - 901,000 viewers
CNN - 559,000 viewers
MSNBC - 280,000 viewers
CNBC - 197,000 viewers
HLN - 263,000 viewers

P2+ Prime Time
FNC - 1,545,000 viewers
CNN - 911,000 viewers
MSNBC - 414,000 viewers
CNBC - 267,000 viewers
HLN - 495,000 viewers

25-54 Total Day
FNC - 289,000 viewers
CNN - 201,000 viewers
MSNBC - 126,000 viewers
CNBC - 78,000 viewers
HLN - 104,000 viewers

25-54 Prime Time
FNC - 391,000 viewers
CNN - 250,000 viewers
MSNBC - 161,000 viewers
CNBC - 119,000 viewers
HLN - 222,000 viewers
(more…)

The Houston Chronicle’s Tara Dooley writes about the body language of the participants in the Clinton/Wallace interview…

“Chris Wallace is trying to neutralize what he is doing,” Bradley said.

“He is trying not to be upset or give in.”

“If you think of this as a dance, a dance of weaponry, if you will, I think former President Clinton definitely pierces Chris Wallace’s body armor.”

CNN is noting that FNC has had a full year of declines year to year in Primetime in Total Viewers…

And a full year of double digit year to year declines in Primetime the P25-54 Demo. CNN notes that it had increases in eight of the last twelve months…
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GretaWire writes about bouncing around the country yesterday…

We expected to spend only the day in Columbus, covering the disappearance of a medical student, and then fly back to D.C. to do the show out of D.C. A long day, but one we could do without staying over night in Ohio. Needless to say, we did not pack… (and this turns out to have been a mistake.)

A short time after we arrived in Columbus, I received an e-mail asking if I could go to Dallas from Columbus. I said, “Sure… why?” I was told why and while I worked in Columbus I called my assistant to help make arrangements for travel.

We finished our work in Columbus (we conducted several interviews at several locations) and then went (raced?) to the airport and flew to Dallas. We also arranged for a D.C. colleague to go to our homes and get some clothes (I have a suitcase packed at all times… I was just an idiot and neglected to bring it with me.)

Republican Candidate for New York Attorney General Jeanine Pirro will be appearing on The O’Reilly Factor tonight in a cable exclusive the network announced…

Attorney general candidate Jeanine Pirro, who announced yesterday that she is under federal investigation for allegedly plotting to secretly record her husband, will appear on tonight’s The O’Reilly Factor on FOX News Channel at 8 PM/EST. Pirro will address the federal investivation, her decision to remain in the race for attorney general, and her quest to beat Democrat Andrew Cuomo in November.

Roger Ailes is giving his Quarterly State of the Business Address to FNC employees this morning. Here are some remarks from his address…

“It’s been a great ten years….we’ve defied the odds…and we should be congratulated…but every decision I make from here on in…programming, executive promotions, bookers…is about the NEXT ten years….we cannot rest on our accomplishments…and I will continue to make changes”

“Mr. Murdoch didn’t invest a billion dollars in this company so people can have jobs…he did it to WIN…he wants to win and so do I…”

“Need to focus more on taking audience away from the broadcast networks, not the other cable news networks….”

CNN Reporter has an interview with Carol Lin…

- How difficult is it to be an anchor?

A lot harder than it looks. The easier it looks, the harder it is. Imagine when the spiritual leader of Hamas is killed in a rocket attack but no information beyond that. You’re on TV, and all the producer can say is “keep talking!” We call it “carrying the air”. That’s what you do. You draw on every thread of experience you have, from having been in the Middle East, and a career of talking to the experts.

The News Woman’s Club of New York’s 68th Annual Front Page Awards winners were announced yesterday. Of the winners, two had ties to cable news. MSNBC’s Elise Warner won for “Wasteland: The Innocent Victims of Meth.” CNNMoney.com’s Parija Bhatnagar won for “The Race for Holiday Bargains Is On.” (via Romenesko)

The Cincinatti Inquirer’s John Kiesewetter writes about FNC anchor Bill Hemmer’s appearance before the Montgomery Woman’s Club…

Fox News anchor Bill Hemmer took Montgomery Woman’s Club members to the front lines of the “Blackberry War” Wednesday.

The Delhi Township native, who reported from the Israel-Lebanon conflict last month, says Blackberries and other new technology allow reporters to go more places and report live for TV than ever before.

“With Blackberries you can get e-mail, make phone calls and do Google searches from practically anywhere,” says Hemmer, 41, at Paramount’s Kings Island’s Paramount Theatre. He opened the club’s 44th Town Hall Lecture Series.

BC Beat’s Rebecca Stropoli thinks last night’s revelation on Larry King Live of the paternity of Anna Nicole Smith’s baby seemed rehearsed…

This “revelation” moment is the kind of thing that live TV is made for, and King was obviously thrilled to be a part of this soap-opera-like minute, announcing well before Stern made his announcement that “here, for the first time ever, he will reveal the identity of the baby’s father…” But watching it, the announcement seemed almost canned, rehearsed and manufactured…one could easily imagine the reality show that might spawn from this one (and I don’t think it’s too cynical to think that E! or VH1 would sign Smith for another show in a heartbeat in light of these made-for-TV new twists).

The AP’s David Bauder has FNC head Roger Ailes commenting on the Bill Clinton/Chris Wallace interview and the “controversy” that erupted from it…(via TVNewser)

Ailes said Clinton had a “wild overreaction” in the interview, broadcast on “Fox News Sunday.” Hundreds of thousands of people subsequently watched clips over the Internet, with Fox foes rallying behind Clinton.

“If you can’t sit there and answer a question from a professional, mild-mannered, respectful reporter like Chris Wallace, then the hatred for journalists is showing,” Ailes said in an interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday. “All journalists need to raise their eyebrows and say, `hold on a second.’”

Cable News Ratings for September 26, 2006

P2+ Total Day
FNC - 894,000 viewers
CNN - 525,000 viewers
MSNBC - 263,000 viewers
CNBC - 203,000 viewers
HLN - 255,000 viewers

P2+ Prime Time
FNC - 1,657,000 viewers
CNN - 833,000 viewers
MSNBC - 410,000 viewers
CNBC - 263000 viewers
HLN - 431,000 viewers

25-54 Total Day
FNC - 287,000 viewers
CNN - 198,000 viewers
MSNBC - 128,000 viewers
CNBC - 79,000 viewers
HLN - 113,000 viewers

25-54 Prime Time
FNC - 409,000 viewers
CNN - 287,000 viewers
MSNBC - 156,000 viewers
CNBC - 127,000 viewers
HLN - 223,000 viewers
(more…)

Bill Maher appeared on The O’Reilly Factor last night. Transcript follows…

O’REILLY: Thanks for staying with us. I’m Bill O’Reilly.

In the “Personal Story” segment tonight, a new feature on the CBS News program, Katie Couric is daily commentary by guest analysts. A few weeks ago, Bill Maher started the HBO program “Real Time”. Contacted by CBS, according to reports, to deliver a commentary, but it didn’t work out. Maher joins us now from L.A.

Now, look, I always want to straighten out the record, because I don’t believe anything I read in the press. But it was reported here in New York that you wanted to do something on religion and they didn’t want you. What happened?

BILL MAHER, HOST, HBO’S REAL TIME: I don’t know. And I’m a little tired of talking about it. But, yes.

Look, I think they should drop the segment, because it was billboarded as free speech, and every night I watch it because I am a devotee of the evening news. You know, I love to watch the guys at 6:30 and now the guys and the gal.

But it’s a little disappointing when they say we’re going to have free speech and then every night it’s the most agreed upon speech you could ever imagine. Last night they had someone who took the stand and said it was good to have football back in New Orleans. He did not care who disagreed.

O’REILLY: That’s an outrage.
(more…)

TVNewser notes that Susan Filan has been named Senior Legal Analyst for MSNBC.

In truth, though the announcement was made today, the cat leapt out of the bag on Monday when Filan was interviewed by Chris Jansing and the chryon tagged Filan as “Senior Legal Analyst”. I stared at that for a while and wondered if I missed something on the wires because I hadn’t heard anything about Filan becoming Senior Legal Analyst. Now I know why I hadn’t heard anything. It hadn’t been officially announced…

The Boston Phoenix’s Mike Miliard writes about the full Clinton/Wallace clip pulled from YouTube at FNC’s request. Milliard gets FNC to respond on what happened…

But, in fact, Fox’s answer may surprise you. It certainly surprised me. When reached on Tuesday, a Fox News spokesperson told the Phoenix: “Our Internet division used poor judgment in asking this to be taken down. We’re thrilled the Wallace-Clinton clip has received so many hits on YouTube.” (It’s worth noting, however, that as of Tuesday afternoon, the entirety of the Clinton interview was still not available on FoxNews.com.)

UPDATE: Re-wrote the entry to include the FNC response instead of the backstory

Gretchen Carlson blogged about her new position on Fox and Friends today…

I couldn’t be more thrilled to be joining such a great morning show with two of the best guys around. Steve and Brian have made me feel very welcome, and that means a lot. And Lauren and I go way back. We both hail from Minnesota and share an interest in classical music. Lauren is a gifted classical pianist as you know, and as a child, I was a serious classical violinist. Lauren and I crossed paths many years ago when we were both part of the Miss America system. It truly is a small world!

On The Record will be broadcasting from Dallas tonight as Greta Van Susteren covers the Terrell Owens story. Also on the show will be Larry Birkhead, the guy who claimed he was Anna Nicole Smith’s baby’s father.

UPDATE: The Birkhead interview has been moved to tomorrow night…

And the reaction keeps coming in. Glenn Garvin in the Miami Herald writes up the story…

Ronald Reagan’s press secretary once shouted ‘’S—w you!'’ at him in the middle of a press conference and didn’t speak to him again for four years. But Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace has never experienced anything quite like the angry on-air tirade Bill Clinton delivered on his show this weekend.

‘’I can only call it spontaneous combustion,'’ Wallace said Monday, after a red-faced, finger-jabbing Clinton accused him of setting an ambush in an interview obtained under ‘’false pretenses'’ in order to do “a nice little conservative hit job on me.'’

‘’I've never had an interview like that, certainly not with a former president of the United States,'’ Wallace added. “No one could have been more shocked than I was.'’

Jay Carson, Clinton’s press spokesman, didn’t return two telephone calls from The Miami Herald about the interview.