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October 20, 2009
Posted: 07:28 PM ET

You gotta admit: these guys pulled off a pretty elaborate prank!

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce called a news conference Monday at the National Press Club. It was attended by several newspaper reporters and television camera crews. What they announced sent shock waves through those attending.

The man who stood behind the podium announced that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, long opposed to ANY action on climate change, had changed its stance, and would now drop opposition to the Boxer-Kerry climate change bill.

Some news networks interrupted regular programming, and breathlessly treated the announcement as BREAKING NEWS.

But it was a fake. Read a CNN blog about it here.

Fake news conference. Actors pretending to be newsmakers. Real reporters. Real embarrassing.

In this clip you'll see these pranksters busted by an ACTUAL member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Also, Rick interviews the man who pulled off a major GOTCHA.

Why did he do it? What statement was he trying to make? Watch.

Filed under: Clips From The Show


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Dr. Sam Snyder   October 20th, 2009 8:32 pm ET

Dear Mr. Sanchez,

I heard your interview with Sheriff Arpiao and to use the comparison of Bull Conners to the Sheriff of Maricopa County was not only absurd, but demeaning to all the black people that were persecuted by Southern Racism! The Sheriff is doing an amazing job and should be given the Medal of Freedom, not your small minded diatribes. These indiviuals are illegals, criminals and if you didn't know 1/3 of all jailed prisoners are illegals!!! Sheriff Arpaio has been attacked by the American criminal liberties Union to their chagrin and now the Hussein Obama administration to their chagrin! If it is too much for your sensibilities to arrest law breakers perhaps you might return to homland of Cuba and Fidel and his brother will set you free!

D C   October 21st, 2009 12:21 am ET

I'd like to inject some sanity into the Feeding Frenzy against the poor Balloon Boy's family.

For all those idiots who are demanding taking their kids away, I say: Go consult with Dr Phil about your Anger Management Disorder, take an Enema and CHILL-OUT !!!

This may be the Greatest Media Spoof since Orson Welles' "War of the Worlds" caper on the radio some 80 years age. (I missed that one)

This saga was great! Kept everyone on the edge of their seats for 2+ hours, with its ups and downs and eventual "Happy Ending". (?)

If the principals involved here had names like, "Spielberg, or Harrison Ford, or cute little 6 year old Drew Barrymore", people will be lined up at the Box Offices all across the country with $10.00 in hand, clammering for a seat to see this saga play out.

O.K., maybe he should reimburse the cost of the rescuers. Hopely, he can get some help from Ace Hardware, the mylar fabric manufacturer and the Colorado chamber of commerce for the national advertisement.

Ambition was never a sin in this country. Ambition is what this country is built on; and sometimes one has to take far-out measures to accomplish it. Just ask Columbus, or the Wright brothers or Henry Ford. And recently, I remember hearing someone saying, "Yes We Can".

jim vicalvi   October 21st, 2009 8:10 am ET

Anyone who listens to rick sanchez [and there are less and less each day] shouldn't be surprised at hearing "fake news". That's about all sanchez deals with.

AL   October 21st, 2009 11:48 am ET

HEY RICK LOVE YOUR SHOW WATCH EVERY CHANCE I GET. I AM AN AMERICAN THATS BEEN WORKING FOR OVER 40 YEARS. I HAVE ALWAYS PAID MY TAXES AND I HAVE ALWAYS VOTED TO DO MY PART AS AN AMERICAN. MY COMENT IS ABOUT THE POLES I HERE ABOUT ALL THE TIME. WHAT POLES ? I HAVE BEEN VOTING FOR OVER 35 YEARS AND NEVER BEEN POLED. I AM JUST A ONE OF THOSE REGULAR AMERICAN THAT OUR GOVERMENT DOSENT GIVE A DARN ABOUT.

John in Tahoe   October 21st, 2009 2:08 pm ET

This was so great – it forced the US Chamber of Commerce to publicly deny that they had changed their ultra-conservative and backwards positions regarding climate change and clean energy.

Sailor Emi   October 21st, 2009 2:52 pm ET

Sometimes talking does not work.

It makes me happy to know that there are still a few good people out there fighting for the more important things in life.

David In Alabama(A.K.A. Snekie1)   October 21st, 2009 3:01 pm ET

I don`t even pretend to know what the Chamber of Commerce stands for, but I think some kind of charges should be brought against the people who impersonated them.

robert szukhent   October 21st, 2009 3:23 pm ET

rick, please investigate why there is a cap on social security. this is the most unfair tax allowing people earning over $102,000.00 to pay zero above the cap. if caps were removed the revenue would make social security solvent forever. those "CEO's' with $400,000,000.00 bonuses,stock options,or any "creative pay" would pay $60,000,000.00 into social security each. do the arithmatic 7.5% from their employer and 7.5% fro their own "wages". ever since FDR started social security in the 1930's the "rich" people have avoided paying their fair share. thank you............

Informed Arizona   October 21st, 2009 3:23 pm ET

Where is the CNN coverage of the ACORN and Media Matters lies?

gail kelly   October 21st, 2009 3:32 pm ET

so they were punked!!! I never felt like the CC was much anyway...so lets get back to some real news Rick...what has happened to you???

Andrew   October 21st, 2009 3:33 pm ET

No rapist should get out of prison earlier than the maximum sentence. Sexual violence is a horrible crime that needs to be more severely discouraged by stiffer penalties.

Patrick McGrory   October 21st, 2009 3:34 pm ET

Love your show dude.

Comment on videos: sometimes the lettering at the bottom of the feed really detracts from the image. Maybe sometimes drop the boxes when the bottom of the picture is a good part of the focus.

Informed Arizona   October 21st, 2009 3:36 pm ET

You trash Joe for doing his job, give this liar a platform, but can't find time to cover ACORN or any criticism of the administration?

T. Edwards   October 21st, 2009 3:37 pm ET

Hi Rick, Love your show, I have no problem with different races in this country. The only thing that makes me so angry is when non-speaking immigrants come to the United States to live know that English is our "Official Language" and is a requirement to learn for citizenship.. Many immigrants live here for years and don't learn it. Where is the enforcement for THAT requirement??

Andrew   October 21st, 2009 3:38 pm ET

Regardless of race I approach every individual human openly and wait for their individual character to define them. If I have any bias' I am aware of them, and I hope that the next generation can be more open and less divided by race.

lone oak   October 21st, 2009 3:44 pm ET

There is no statistical difference between 69% and 73% when the margin of error is or minus 4.5%.
Therefore the association with blacks has NOT changed from 1990 to now;
it remains at about 70% according to the + or – 4.5% margin of error

lone oak

D. Schara   October 21st, 2009 3:48 pm ET

Rick Sanchez, get over the "latino in america" and move on to subjects that matter. Do a story on illeagel latinos in america, and the tax dollars it cost all americans for them being here illeagaly and that our govt. needs to start inforcing our imagration laws. Whats right is right, if your here illeagely, your breaking the law !! iT'S TIME TO CLOSE OUR BORDERS !

Edgar Guess MD   October 21st, 2009 3:55 pm ET

My grandmother,Mexican, mother Mexican and black, Grandfather,Cherokee, and white, his wife creek Indian, my father, mostly Native American. I am perceived as ? black, Middle eastern,
in Mexico, Mexican, not sure. I am an American for sure. Always thought of myself as American first, last few years, found out I'm "mixed"
What do you think about that?

Wilfredo   October 21st, 2009 3:59 pm ET

for me there's good Latinos and bad latinos. Good latinos come here to work and to help America and the bad latinos you know who they are. Yo soy cubano y por supuesto un buen latino como usted.

saludos

Jacq   October 21st, 2009 4:00 pm ET

As a retired police officer from Edmonton, I fought with WCB for assistance. They spent countless dollars trying to discount my claim, a claim that left me permanently injured. Generally speaking they are a repugnant group of individuals devoid of conscious or humanity and what is happening now, while tragic for many, is merely a reflection of the desperation to which they push the injured.

cole   October 21st, 2009 5:04 pm ET

Yall know the 'fringe' media will just run with anything, especially stories that knock any conservative or republican.. Sanchez's apology to Rush L. for running a story full of lies was WEAK.. but not surprising since CNN has gone down so far its becoming a Joke.. Lou Dobbs is the only good thing they have going right now..

jcm memphis tn

Raymond Racine   October 21st, 2009 5:39 pm ET

Rick,
I would like to comment on another subject , concerning Fox News.
Every action made by the actual U.S. President is criticized by Fox News.Why do the military salute the President? It's because he symbolizes the American flag and they owe him respect. The U.S. President is trying to get the country out of the hole he found it and Fox News's constant critics are impairing his ability to do so. This can affect the stock market, can contribute to lower the us currency and encouraging unemployment. I think they abuse their freedom of speech in every reporting they make on TV.
Raymond

William Smalley   October 21st, 2009 6:11 pm ET

I blame the news media why Latino's are in question if they are legalize in America. When watching CNN or FOX a person see border guards haven a gun battle with drug traffickers and it also shows Mexican's crossing the border illegally. The government in both side of the border could put a end from Mexicans crossing the border illegally by making it mandatory that the government of Mexico give out passes to those who want a work in America by issuing working PASS VISA. It would make it a lot easier for the U.S. government to do a back ground check for those carrying a working pass VISA from Mexico. It would save many lives of Mexicans crossing the border illegally. There are hundreds of Mexican who have died by starvation and from a lack of haven drinking water from wandering around the desert lost. After 200 hundred years going by, anyone would think that a strategy between both United States and Mexican government would have been work out by now on legally given out a work passing VISA.

Militiaman   October 21st, 2009 8:34 pm ET

I noticed when Sanchez was interviewing Sheriff Arapaio he said Arapaio was trying to please the "nativists."

"Nativists?" He's hoping to get that word up to the status of intimidation so everybody will be defensive and intimidated if they are called that. Amazing childish psychology.

The entire population of the world are nativists. Why? Because everybody wants their country for their own people, their traditions, their culture, their heroes, etc. The biggest nativists in the world are Mexicans and those from South America.

I would suggest that Sanchez go to Mexico on t.v. and tell them they should open the country up to everybody else in the world and see what the response will be. In fact, I'd like to see him escape being deluged with hate threats by almost every country in the world for calling them nativists and denigrating them for it.

It's human nature to protect your own turf and culture. To expect to intimidate sane people into dropping their desire to be among their own by calling them names is using a kind of psychological warfare that belongs in a cartoon.

We're headed for mass secession in the very near future. Some of it is underway right now and is in the beginning stage as state legislatures are passing resolutions. That's always the tact taken before civil war begins.

It won't be much longer Mr. Sanchez will have to worry about "nativists."

robyncaffrey keyser west virgina   October 22nd, 2009 10:53 am ET

( your lucky rick ""

just some floods

J. Spencer   October 22nd, 2009 2:33 pm ET

Rick i think its funny how some ppl like critizing ur show or the news you report. i just like to say that i find what you report to be accurate and informing. If ppl want to talk in negative ways regarding ur show take it as a compliment. lol if they feel that way then why r they watching anyway :) love the show! (response to a earlier post)

LuAnn Campagna   October 22nd, 2009 3:13 pm ET

Rick Sanchez –
I am instructing my accountant taht I wish to deduct EVERY single home mortgage that I as a taxpayer have been made to bailout through the government this year! SInce the IRS allows for home mortgage deductions, I plans on taking ALL OF THEM! I wonder how long before that is stopped.........

Donald Starwalt   October 22nd, 2009 3:28 pm ET

The way to solve the excessive pay for Wall Street is to TAX THEM! And make sure to use the tax rates in effect during the Eisehower administration when effective rates for the wealthy exceeded 50 percent. It will help pay down the national debt!

matthew   October 22nd, 2009 3:33 pm ET

i would like to say about the illegal imigrants not getting paid if they arent going to follow the rules they have it coming when they get burned my grandmother was born in sicily and i have no problem with imigrants of any race but if you are going to come to our great country illegaly you should expect to be punished as any other criminal i say go to where the unpaid workers are protested round them up and send them home. and protect the much needed american jobs

Joe Zerba   October 22nd, 2009 4:03 pm ET

I recall an interview at a news brief, shortly after the U.C. invaded Iraq;The question was"Why did we invade Iraq?" and Pres.Bush stated
"Wouldn't you go after someone that tried to assinate your Daddy?" I never saw that interview again. Did you see it?

Joe Zerba   October 22nd, 2009 4:04 pm ET

I recall an interview at a news brief, shortly after the U.S. invaded Iraq;The question was"Why did we invade Iraq?" and Pres.Bush stated
"Wouldn't you go after someone that tried to assinate your Daddy?" I never saw that interview again. Did you see it?

Tom Woolbright   October 22nd, 2009 4:40 pm ET

Rick, I and a number of Americans agree that CEO
compensation is way inflated. I agree with the pay cuts as do my fellow Americans. We often wonder Rick, on CEO's compensation....how much is enough? For some Americans greed sets in and
there is never enough to meet their lifestyle.
Hooray for the feds, they made a stand that was right for the American people at a time we are facing the worst economic crisis since the 1930's.........

William Smalley   October 23rd, 2009 1:13 am ET

CEO's compensation
When President Bush deregulated the mortgage financial institution on lending practice, it open up the Pandora box to mortgage lender's to mortgage borrowers. There were borrowers wasn't capable to meet the down payment on a $150,000.00 home without the use of a credit card for a down payment. And there were those who gave out misinformation on there personal income to mortgage Lenders. Mortgage Lenders did not do any background check on borrowers that were questionable. Those CEO's that were managing the financial institution who Ok unscrupulous loans and caused their firms to file for Federal assistance bail out fund, have no right to approximately million dollar salary or bonuses. When should anyone be rewarded for not doing their job properly. President Obama use the correct method by haven those CEO's that receive approximately thousands to millions in salary and bonuses are being cut 90% that were involve with the government bailout..
The U.S. Treasury Department on Thursday ordered seven companies that received billions of dollars in government bailouts to halve total compensation for their top executives. But the big reductions will not apply to pay earned before November. Kenneth Feinberg, the Treasury official leading the pay review, told reporters that average salaries for the top 25 executives are being cut 90 percent starting next month.

Also on Thursday, the Federal Reserve unveiled a proposal Thursday that would police banks' pay policies to ensure they don't encourage employees to take reckless gambles like those that contributed to the financial crisis.

William Smalley   October 26th, 2009 1:21 am ET

Myself I enjoy watching commentary Rick Sanchez on CNN Monday through Fridays. Rick Sanchez does his research before it time to start his broadcast on CNN. Rick Sanchez manages to have professional people on his show that gives out their personal opinion and ideas on a incident that occur. For instance the commercial airline that drifted off course for approximately 1 1/2 hours week of 10/18/09. Rick wanted to know why did it take the FAA so long to realize the commercial airline was missing?

William Smalley   October 26th, 2009 2:22 pm ET

Experts see rebounding economy shedding jobs
PRESIDENT OBAMA WANTS TO CREATE JOBS, REINSTATE SHOP TRADE PROGRAMS INTO HIGH SCHOOL TO HELP STUDENTS THAT WANT TO BECOME BLUE COLLAR WORKERS TO FIND EMPLOYMENT.
The education system let High School students down who wanted to learn a trade instead going to 4 years of college. Federal Government discontinued funding programs that would have taught a trade to high school students who wasn't college material. There are jobs out there for specialist in welding, machine shop, sheet medal shop etc. THERE IS A SHORTAGE IN AMERICA FOR SPECIALIST IN BLUE COLLAR FIELD.

William Smalley   October 27th, 2009 1:27 pm ET

Health care: How the U.S. system is designed to waste your money
The system on Health care has to change on where the proceeds are going. Just alone $60 billion in fraud alone that was shown on 60 minutes Sunday 10/ 25/09. Medicare and Medicaid fraudsters are beating U.S. taxpayers out of an estimated $90 billion a year using a billing scam that is surprisingly easy to execute. Steve Kroft investigates. Employees working for the government become complacent on the job they are doing. "The attitude is, it's government money who cares". THE ATTITUDE WHO CARES HAS TO CHANGE. MANAGEMENT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SUBORDINATE ATTITUDE.
On Monday, Thomson Reuters released "Where Can $700 Billion in Waste Be Cut Annually from the U.S. Healthcare System," a white paper exploring American health-care costs. The report identified six factors - administrative inefficiency, provider inefficiency, lack of care coordination, unwarranted use, preventable conditions, and fraud - that cost the U.S. health-care system roughly $700 billion a year.

Mariannne   October 29th, 2009 4:18 pm ET

Best prank ever....and of course the news media fell for it hook , line and sinker...as they always do. Balloon Boy coverage was just a hoot too. I took one look at that balloon and knew it was a total hoax but you and all the other media fools just kept yapping away.

Speaking of yapping, I wonder if you would have found the story today about the congressman who shed tears over people dying because they couldn't get health care without insurance so "interesting" and would have used the tone of voice you used about the man if you or your family members were dying right now due to lack of insurance. Last week we had to go get my seriously ill 30 year old daughter to an ER because she couldn't breathe. She had been trying to fight H1N1 at home alone because she has no health insurance at her part time job. She pulled through after having to be put on a ventilator but is still seriously ill. And we will be paying her bills for her because we are not willing to let her go without the treatment she needs. We will be taking out a loan to do so because we are retired and do not have a lot of money. I am glad there is someone in this country who gives a damn about people suffering without health insurance. It sure as hell is not the fat cats like you sitting in your studio with your fancy suit and haircut and it certainly isn't the Republican self-serving money grubbers who are fighting universal health care with every sleazy trick in the book....and YOU and the likes of you in the media are helping them. I hope you all have to watch your child suffer someday like I have just watched mine. Shame on every last one of you .

And shame on everyone who is castigating Obama for showing up at Dover to honor the dead of war. That is one of his jobs as Commander in Chief. Too bad the previous war monger always chose to do it in private and sweep the dead under the rug. Thank God Obama has a soul and a brain and is willing to face reality and allow us to face it too. Grow the hell up.

William Smalley   October 30th, 2009 1:20 am ET

Pressident Obama health care plan might not be perfect, but it's better than no health care plan at all. As time passes on, President Obama health care plan will be revise for the better with less flaws.

nick   November 3rd, 2009 4:22 pm ET

You said all cop care. I grew up in NYC in Washington Heights in the 70's and when our apartment was being robbed when I came home from school we called in robbery in progress. 7 blocks and 6 hours later they showed up and when asked should we touch anything don't you want to dust for prints? the response was "what do you think this is Kojak?" and when asked do you think we will get any of our stuff back the answer was "why do you live in this neighborhood anyway?". There is good and bad in all groups.

sarah thomas   November 4th, 2009 4:31 pm ET

Another Yale sophomore found dead sunday? What is going on?

Regina Cohen   November 4th, 2009 5:04 pm ET

Mr. Sanchez,
I consider myself a moderate democrat. I am very concerned with the problem of illegal immigration. I just saw your segment with the sister of Fidel and Raul Castro. I enjoyed the back and forth in Spanish although I do not speak the language. I realized how much it would strengthen our nation if we could come together. We need a situation where there is compromise. We need to allow a path for citizenship for latinos who are here illegally,, but we need to stop the flow of illegal immigrants.. This can happen if we all band together and make it known that both of these components are necessary. I guess I am starting to see the wisdom of compromise.

michael berry   November 4th, 2009 5:15 pm ET

I was just watching your show and i heard you say that did the police miss signs? "What if these 10 girls were white"? I didnt know the police had acknowleged if the bodies found in Cleveland were male/female, black/white/hispanic. Am i to guess that you assume they are all black??I f the police investigated the strange smell coming from this mans house then we, as in the general public would have heard, "the police are picking on this man because hes an ex-convict or because the color of his skin and then thats all we would have heard about!! Damned if you do and damned inf you dont.Let the police do there job.........is all im saying

William Smalley   November 5th, 2009 3:27 am ET

There nothing stronger than a dead person odor from a decompose body, who have been dead for a long period of time. In a hot humid place where the temperature is over a 100 degrees a body starts to decompose within days to weeks. Within a month the decompose odor of the body will carry through the air within a half a mile to a mile. The authorities that first check out the house in Cleveland either ignored the odor of the victims slaughtered or they didn't want to involve themselves into the investigation. The color of a dead person skin is immaterial when decomposing, it all smell the same. What is hard to comprehend why the neighbors didn't call the health department explaining there is a foul odor coming from my neighbor house would you please investigate it and let us know for health reason.

William Smalley   November 5th, 2009 2:12 pm ET

Back in the mid sixties when Fidel Castro became a dictator of Cuba, Fidel Castro was a communist, who became a powerful ally of Russia. Fidel Castro and Russia form some sort of a pack to have Russian missals install on Cuban soil to point toward the United States. At that time John F. Kennedy was President Of the United States. There was confrontation between the U.S. Cuba, and Russia to have all the missals remove from Cuba or else war would be immanent. United States war ships and aircraft carriers were on the outskirts of Russia and Cuba. Russia back down and remove all the missals from Cuban soil. At that time there were a group of U.S. military soldiers in Cuba who were on the attack to eliminate Fidel Castro from power. The U.S. military COO was name THE BAY OF PIGS which fail to assassinate Fidel Castro. U.S. government has had a embargo against Cuba ever since that started approximately 46 years ago. It's time to lift that embargo against Cuba, Since Cuba is no more threat to America. IT'S ALSO TIME FOR THE UNITED STATES TO HAVE CUBA AS A TRADING PARTNER. CUBA ALREADY PAID A HEAVY PRICE FOR HAVEN DICTATORIAL FIDEL CASTRO AS THEIR LEADER OF CUBA. MISMANGING CUBA, CAUSING CUBA TO HAVE A 46 YEAR LONG RECESSION.

William Smalley   November 5th, 2009 2:57 pm ET

There is no shortage of communication in America. There are TV news media, there also are movie rental. Between the news media and movie rental has put ideas into the heads of psychopath, putting students from grammar school up to University students in arms-way. There no way anyone to diagnose psychopath. The way technology has change America life style for the good or bad, something has to be done on how to protect students from being in arms- way of psychopath. There is one solution on how to protect students is by have haven surveillance cameras install within a one mile to a two mile radios around grammar schools up to Universities. those surveillance cameras will spot a stalker a like quicker than a human being can.

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Open & Standing

These people have all been asked to come on Rick's newscast and talk to him live. In person, on the phone, by morse code, WE DON'T CARE! They've all either declined our invitation or simply chosen to not respond.

C'mon...what are you afraid of? We'd love to scratch your name off this list!

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Rush Limbaugh
Homeland Sec. Secy. Janet Napolitano
President Evo Morales
Michael Goldfarb
Sarah Palin
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RNC Chairman Michael Steele
Karl Rove
Sean Hannity

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