Fox News Senior Political Analyst Brit Hume (screen grab)
Fox News senior political analyst Brit Hume compared former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page to civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. -- and was swiftly set straight.
The conservative broadcaster linked to a Wall Street Journal column by William McGurn, who compared FBI surveillance of Page to recently revealed secret recordings of King made by federal agents under former FBI director J. Edgar Hoover.
But McGurn and Hume agreed there was little substantial difference between the two cases.
"The only difference is the media called the King surveillance 'spying,' and get the vapors when that word is used about Carter Page surveillance," Hume tweeted.
The only difference is the media called the King surveillance “spying,” and get the vapors when that word is used a… https://t.co/kf3iBrikcB— Brit Hume (@Brit Hume) 1559653612.0
But legal experts and others smacked down Hume's claim as ridiculous.
@brithume @wjmcgurn One very important difference is that the wiretap of Martin Luther King was not authorized by a… https://t.co/o7uk4Q5pDo— Renato Mariotti (@Renato Mariotti) 1559654553.0
@brithume @wjmcgurn Anyone who can't figure out the difference between the surveillance of Martin Luther King and C… https://t.co/Jzn45u8Gb5— Jake Ellison (@Jake Ellison) 1559653953.0
@brithume @wjmcgurn Um, 1978-Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act - just guessing.— Lisa Burke (@Lisa Burke) 1559655250.0
Um, Brit, there is literally an entire statute called FISA that was created BECAUSE of the warrantless and unregula… https://t.co/8bMsAnsQ2Z— Bradley P. Moss (@Bradley P. Moss) 1559657542.0
@brithume @wjmcgurn warrants, dingus. that's the difference.— Willow 🍞+🎪 (@Willow 🍞+🎪) 1559657633.0
@brithume @wjmcgurn This is why the FoxNews viewers are so uninformed. SAD!!— joe (@joe) 1559654788.0
@brithume @wjmcgurn Although the difference is pretty striking, I am fine with calling both "spying." It is spying.… https://t.co/j0DwvkuJ8M— Mark Collier 柯理怀 (@Mark Collier 柯理怀) 1559657616.0
@brithume @wjmcgurn I’m old enough to remember when Brit Hume had some credibility. Yes. That means I am very old.— Gerry Bannan (@Gerry Bannan) 1559657092.0
@brithume @wjmcgurn And to think you used to be a respected journalist. Seriously, if you don't know the answer to… https://t.co/V4E26WE76x— Deep healing starts with disinfectant. It'll sting (@Deep healing starts with disinfectant. It'll sting) 1559654755.0
@brithume @wjmcgurn Someone's never heard of FISA, apparently— Stephen Tignor (@Stephen Tignor) 1559658028.0
@brithume @wjmcgurn MLK was targeted through unusual/improper channels *to see what they might get on him*, whereas… https://t.co/kgSkBYLT45— Dave Baron (@Dave Baron) 1559659174.0
@brithume @wjmcgurn They had reason to surveil Carter Page before he was ever a part of the Trump campaign AND they… https://t.co/kGgEtpWl0S— Bentalope (@Bentalope) 1559654111.0
@brithume @wjmcgurn Oh, come-on Mr. Hume.— Lauri Thompson (@Lauri Thompson) 1559656922.0
@brithume @wjmcgurn Just a hunch, but I think you’re asking this in bad faith, because it’s a little hard to believ… https://t.co/hmYinZUTHq— 𝔾𝕒𝕪𝕖𝕣 𝕋𝕙𝕒𝕟 𝕋𝕙𝕠𝕦 🧚🏻 (@🏡) (@𝔾𝕒𝕪𝕖𝕣 𝕋𝕙𝕒𝕟 𝕋𝕙𝕠𝕦 🧚🏻 (@🏡)) 1559658223.0
