Rachel Marsden profile…
Salon’s Rebecca Traister has a not at all favorable profile of Red Eye’s Rachel Marsden…
Given the speed with which she moved from O’Reilly contributor to a regular gig, it is clear that someone at Fox really wanted Marsden, and really liked what they got. “Red Eye” senior producer Shelly Stevenson explained by phone that she didn’t make the initial call on hiring Marsden for the program, but as the executive on the show, is a big fan. “Political expertise is what she brings to the show,” said Stevenson. And it’s true that Marsden was recently called upon to explain a reference to the Gulf of Tonkin to her slack-jawed co-hosts. “She has very passionate opinions,” continued Stevenson, “she’s articulate, intelligent, and we get a lot of favorable mail about her; I think the viewers connect with her.” Stevenson also raved about Marsden personally, calling her “lovely, a team player who can’t do enough for the show. From the bottom of my heart I like her very much, and I respect her.” Stevenson confirmed that it would be fair to say that Fox is grooming Marsden.
Stevenson said she was “aware” of Marsden’s history in Canada, and added that “we make no story selection based on her past or anyone else’s past. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her be unfair about any type of story that might tread near those waters. I would expect her to be as even and fair as anyone else. I would expect no less of her.” Stevenson felt no compulsion to disclose Marsden’s past experiences with regard to sex harassment stories. “I would not ask anyone else to disclose her past,” she said. “And I think she’s not the only woman who has had to deal with this — it’s a big problem out there in the world and if anything it has probably given her sharper insights on issues of gender.” Later, when Salon followed up by clarifying that Marsden’s past included more than her initial claims of having been harassed, Stevenson replied via e-mail, “I do not know every detail of Rachel’s history in Canada, however I feel people should always be given the benefit of the doubt. She has clearly distinguished herself in the ensuing years and is entitled to move ahead with her future and the contributions she can make.”
Marsden did not speak for this story. After two attempts to steer me to Fox News publicists who repeatedly informed me that they had nothing to do with controlling her press coverage, since Marsden is technically a contributor, not a Fox News employee, Marsden stopped replying to my e-mails completely. For two weeks, I made many further requests to speak to her both directly and through the network, with no luck.
Liberal whining about a 2am show. RED EYE must be a BIG hit for her to write a 4 plus page hit peice. BTW - RED EYE is the best show on FNC. Janice Dean was a riot the other day.
Comment by Lurker — March 29, 2007 @ 4:32 pm
Lurker: Rachel is definitely the Canadian Ann Coulter!
Despite getting viirtually no promotion from Fox, “Red Eye” is constantly improving and hopefully is developing a cult following.
Agree about Janice Dean “the weather machine!”
Comment by Ira — March 29, 2007 @ 7:40 pm
Lurker it wasn’t a hit piece on Red Eye.It was an article on Rachel Marsden and her three, yes three incidents of harassing.Oh and before you say oh poor Rachel was harassed, it was her doing the harassing.
Comment by myview — March 29, 2007 @ 7:46 pm
She can harass me if she wants to.
Comment by Edward Schatz — March 30, 2007 @ 1:11 am
I’d like to see some of the “pasts” of that den of liberal moonbats at Salon. That would be a story worth reporting.
Comment by spiffo — March 30, 2007 @ 10:23 am
myview: Initially I dismissed your post as typical anti-FNC. But Glenn Sacks, a “men’s rights” advocate, wrote a very interesting column about Marsden and some of her “adventures” with men in British Columbia.
My question: if Marsden is apparently unstable and has problems with men, how did her career blossom in Canada, eventually leading to TV and the “Red Eye” gig?
Comment by Ira — March 30, 2007 @ 12:05 pm
I wouldn’t say her career blossomed in Canada.She tends to embellish her credentials a bit. As far as landing on FNC I think it’s her very conservative political views and probably that whole “babe” thing.
Comment by myview — March 30, 2007 @ 12:58 pm
myview: I would have thought that after the sexual harrassment incidents, Marsden would have been retroactive for any newspaper or TV station.
Comment by Ira — March 30, 2007 @ 8:15 pm
Whoops, I meant radioactive.
Comment by Ira — March 30, 2007 @ 8:16 pm
Never mind that she is on TV and in newspapers, she was once asked to run as a candidate for the Conservative Party until saner heads prevailed.
http://westernstandard.blogs.com/shotgun/2005/11/too_ahem_high_p.html
Comment by myview — March 30, 2007 @ 9:20 pm