A squabble broke out among Fox News Channel personalities Greta van Susteren and Juan Williams on Thursday at the Newseum at the close of a panel discussion on how the media has covered the Obama administration.
As the conversation turned to whether news shows were investing in graphics and other technological tricks instead of investigative reporting, Williams leveled his fire at his Fox colleague. “People watch Greta and they think they’re watching a news show,” he said.
“They’re not.”
“At least people watch,” retorted Van Susteren, which won her some audible gasps and “ooohs” from the audience.
For the record, “On the Record with Greta Van Susteren” averages nearly 2 million viewers per night, slightly less than “Special Report with Bret Baier,” on which Williams is a regular panelist. “Fox News Sunday,” on which Williams also appears regularly, lags its Sunday talk competitors by a healthy margin.
Unfortunately, those were the last words of the panel, as moderator Gideon Yago of the IFC Media Project (and, formerly, MTV), wrapped up the event.
After the panel broke up, Van Susteren went next door to the D.C. Superior Court for a nostalgia trip. “I used to practice here,” she said, before telling her entourage, “Let’s go see what Judge Canan’s up to,” she said, referring to 16-year court veteran Russell Canan.
