Fox News Alert: Hannity & Colmes' Schiavo case guest list not “fair and balanced”
Written by Media Matters Staff
Published
Fox News' Hannity & Colmes, whose left-versus-right format supposedly exemplifies Fox's commitment to “fair and balanced” journalism, has been decidedly imbalanced in its coverage of the Terri Schiavo case. On the March 21 edition of the program, co-host Sean Hannity promised his audience, “We'll also meet a congressman who voted against the resolution [calling for a review of the Schiavo case in a federal court] last night, to get the other side.”
But that congressman, Rep. Michael Capuano (D-MA), was the only guest who opposed the involvement of Congress in the Florida state courts' decision ordering removal of Terry Schiavo's feeding tube. Overall, the March 18 and March 21 editions of Hannity & Colmes featured 13 guests who argued for replacing Schiavo's feeding tube and prolonging her life.
| Date | Support Schindler family position to restore feeding tube | Oppose congressional involvement |
| 3/18 | Suzanne Vitadamo (Terri Schiavo's sister) | |
| David Gibbs (Schindler family attorney) | ||
| James C. Dobson (Focus on the Family founder) | ||
| Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) | ||
| Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-WI) | ||
| Randall Terry (Schiavo family spokesman) | ||
| 3/21 | Robert Schindler (Terri Schiavo's father) | Rep. Michael Capuano (D-MA) |
| Bobby Schindler (Terri Schiavo's brother) | ||
| Gibbs | ||
| Vitadamo | ||
| Dr. William Hammesfahr | ||
| Former stroke victim Kate Adamson | ||
| Steve Klugman (Adamson's husband) |