By Rosie Ngure
Mike Synan – the Fox journalist who reported via twitter that crowds in Dayton, Florida, yesterday were chanting ‘Hail Obama’ – has defended his reports on the social networking site.
His report from the event sparked a massive twitter row that saw #HailObama trending today.
Widespread doubt emerged over the accuracy of Synan’s report, with no video footage to prove that it was in fact ‘Hail Obama’ being shouted.
Counter-claims say the crowd were cheering ‘Michelle Obama’ prior to First Lady’s appearance at the event.
Synan, however, maintains that his report was accurate.
The journalist’s initial tweet read:
Crowd for #FLOTUS event in Daytona now chanting “Hail Obama”. Wow, just wow #fox35
— Mike Synan (@msynan) November 1, 2012
An immediate and widespread twitter response followed.
A number of the tweets put forward that in fact the crowd were chanting ‘Michelle Obama.’ Synan insisted he had not misheard.
Among the backlash that followed, particular scepticism arises from the fact that Synan is a journalist for the right-leaning Fox news network.
One such critic tweeted in response:
Leave it to Fox to make up a “Hail Obama” story, they are famous for comparing him to Hitler and the Nazis so no surprise
— Moreno (@Moreno) November 2, 2012
Synan has spent the most-part of today defending what he claims to have heard at the campaign rally.
On twitter today, Synan has said: “I did not mishear. Was not the full crowd. Someone would yell “hail Obama” and hundreds that could hear that person would repeat.”
In response to one disbeliever on the social networking, he said: “ I am the reporter, and not the only one who heard it. Would never ruin 15 years of cred.”