So Long, Brit Hume (Wizbang)

Fox News, the Murdoch saddle burr that torments the left is losing Brit Hume, its longtime anchor, to retirement this week.

I'm sad to see Hume go and wish him well. He was an excellent newsman and played an invaluable role in establishing Fox News as a credible newcomer, helping the network break into the former monopoly controlled by NBC, CBS and ABC (and later CNN).

My favorite Hume moment (he was with ABC at the time) was when he lit up then President Bill Clinton's short fuse during the announcement of Ruth Bader Ginsburg's nomination to SCOTUS.

As the Washington Post reported:

"Reporters had been told Clinton would take questions at the conclusion of the ceremony. But the session was abruptly cut off after the first question when ABC correspondent Brit Hume asked about the extraordinary last week of the search.

White House officials had first said Clinton was leaning toward Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt, then that he was inclined to name Judge Stephen G. Breyer of the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston.

Clinton held a much-publicized lunch with Breyer on Friday -- White House aides even provided details of the menu -- and Breyer was told to stay in town. The president secretly interviewed Ginsburg for 90 minutes in the White House residence Sunday morning and aides finished intensive background checks on her that afternoon. He told aides in the afternoon that he had settled on Ginsburg and called her at 11:33 p.m. Sunday to offer her the job.

Asked by Hume about the "impression, perhaps unfair," of a "certain zigzag quality in the decision-making process," Clinton, who had wiped a tear from his eye as Ginsburg finished her acceptance speech, responded in angry tones.

"I have long since given up the thought that I could disabuse some of you of turning any substantive decision into anything but a political process," Clinton retorted. "How you could ask a question like that after the statement she just made is beyond me."

This exchange, for just a nanosecond, makes me miss Bill Clinton. He could work up some serious righteous indignation just on cue, even if he did have his priorities misplaced.

Comments (12)

Brit Hume is a great news a... (Below threshold)

1. Posted by Pasadena Closet Conservativep | December 24, 2008 12:11 AM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)

Pasadena Closet Conservativep:

Brit Hume is a great news anchor. I hope he'll come back to Fox News as a contributor of some kind.

Posted on December 24, 2008 00:11

I believe that ABC decided ... (Below threshold)

2. Posted by geminichuck | December 24, 2008 12:46 AM | Score: 4 (4 votes cast)

geminichuck:

I believe that ABC decided to dump Hume for asking a question that pissed off Clinton. Anyone else remember it that way? Anyway, good for FXN that they hired Brit - great for us viewers. Brit had absolutely the best one hour news show in television - ever.

Posted on December 24, 2008 00:46

If you really miss Clinton,... (Below threshold)

3. Posted by fustian | December 24, 2008 1:41 AM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)

fustian:

If you really miss Clinton, you're in luck. With his harridan wife now Secretary of State, the big Bubba is BACK!

And I also thought that Brit Hume was the best guy in news. Fox is a substantially crummier network without him.

Posted on December 24, 2008 01:41

"even if He did have His... (Below threshold)

4. Posted by 914 | December 24, 2008 1:46 AM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)

914:

"even if He did have His priorities misplaced"

Along with His sexual organs.

Posted on December 24, 2008 01:46

No need to miss Clinton. W... (Below threshold)

5. Posted by Jason | December 24, 2008 2:36 AM | Score: 1 (3 votes cast)

Jason:

No need to miss Clinton. We'll get everything we got from Clinton, and more, from Obama.
http://www.rightklik.net/

Posted on December 24, 2008 02:36

I am going to miss Brit Hum... (Below threshold)

6. Posted by The Intellectual Redneck | December 24, 2008 9:12 AM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)

The Intellectual Redneck:

I am going to miss Brit Hume. He is my favorite news anchor. Fox News reports is the only news show I watch on a regular basis. He seems very fair, balanced and professional. The contrast between him and the other news celebrities(even on Fox) is dramatic. I guess I will get all my news from the Internet now.

http://bloggingredneck.blogspot.com/

Posted on December 24, 2008 09:12

I too will miss Hume, he's ... (Below threshold)

7. Posted by SillyPuddy | December 24, 2008 9:21 AM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)

SillyPuddy:

I too will miss Hume, he's one of very few professionals left. His replacement too date (Bret Baier) has been a pretty straight shooter as well, I hope it continues. I was glad to hear Brit Hume will return in a limited capacity as a political contributor.

Posted on December 24, 2008 09:21

I'm surprised to see Brit H... (Below threshold)

8. Posted by Paul Hooson | December 24, 2008 1:25 PM | Score: 1 (5 votes cast)

Paul Hooson:

I'm surprised to see Brit Hume leave. He's a very tough and hard nosed conservative journalist of extremely high quality, and makes a very worthy opponent to some that he's questioning.

I like to balance my heavy viewership of CNN with some of FOX like FOX NEWS SUNDAY, which is one of my favorite programs. And I like it when Brit Hume is on the discussion panel, even if I don't agree with his views much of the time simply because he's such great conservative advocate.

Posted on December 24, 2008 13:25

Good riddance, bad rubbish.... (Below threshold)

9. Posted by max | December 24, 2008 3:17 PM | Score: -3 (3 votes cast)

max:

Good riddance, bad rubbish.

Posted on December 24, 2008 15:17

Good riddance to biased rub... (Below threshold)

10. Posted by daniel rotter | December 24, 2008 10:49 PM | Score: -1 (3 votes cast)

daniel rotter:

Good riddance to biased rubbish.

"He seems very fair, balanced and professional."

(Upon reading this sentence, I proceed to fall to the floor laughing uproariously).

Posted on December 24, 2008 22:49

How many email addresses do... (Below threshold)

11. Posted by Greg | December 25, 2008 9:52 AM | Score: -1 (1 votes cast)

Greg:

How many email addresses does jp2/peabrain have? Why hasn't that evil Bush tapped it and taken her to Gitmo?

Posted on December 25, 2008 09:52

Brit is head and shoulders ... (Below threshold)

12. Posted by Mitchell | December 25, 2008 9:25 PM | Score: -1 (1 votes cast)

Mitchell:

Brit is head and shoulders above any other news show anchor alive. His superior intelligence is also clear, as is his diction.

I love him on the roundtable. I could watch that for an hour, versus the politician-gassbags who make it on these shows to regurgitate talking points.

Brit's great.

Posted on December 25, 2008 21:25