Two Fox News commentators used profanities while criticizing President Obama on Monday, triggering calls for disciplinary action by the network.
Ralph Peters, a Fox News “strategic analyst,” called the president a “total pu—” who “doesn’t want to hurt our enemies.”
A couple of hours later Stacey Dash, a Fox contributor, said the president “didn’t give a sh–” about Sunday night’s terrorism speech.
Dash’s profane remark was partially bleeped during “Outnumbered,” a lunchtime talk show on Fox News.
Peters’ comments were not bleeped at all. He spoke to anchor Stuart Varney on the Fox Business Network, a smaller sister of Fox News.
Varney let him speak for over a minute, then told Peters, “You can’t use language like that on the program, OK?”
Varney followed up again later and called on Peters to apologize, which he did. Then Peters continued to demand stronger military action against ISIS.
“I do apologize for giving into my anger, but… I feel like you know the American people understand where I’m coming from on this,” Peters said. “My choice of words was incorrect, but my sentiment, I think, is shared by many.”
The White House had no immediate comment.
Although Fox is a home for daily conservative criticism of Obama, vulgarities from the commentators are very rare.
Both Fox News and Fox Business are cable channels, so they’re not subject to the government regulations that police profanities broadcast over the public airwaves.
Media Matters, a liberal anti-Fox monitoring organization, almost immediately flagged the Peters profanity, which caused it to get widespread attention on the web on Monday.
On Twitter and Facebook some viewers asked whether Peters, a regular face on Fox, would be suspended or otherwise disciplined.
A Fox spokeswoman said a comment would be forthcoming later in the day.