MSNBC anchor Brian Williams has sparked a national fury over his breaking-news announcement about the Nice, France, terrorist attacks in which he used the phrase "plowing over."
The phrase irked because a truck driver identified as a French-Tunisian, 31, named Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhel, plowed into a group of Bastille Day celebrants, killing at least 84 and injuring 100 or so.
Specifically, when turning over the newscast to "Hardball" host Chris Matthews, Williams said: "We have just plowed over the normal-hour airtime of Chris Matthews tonight because of this confluence of breaking news."
Twitter posters were quick to react.
One wrote, as Fox News found: "After huge truck crushes well over 100+ people in Nice, Brian Williams just said on air: 'we have plowed over the 9pm hour. #NiceFrance."
Another: "Brian Williams just now on MSNBC: 'We have just plowed over the scheduled air time of [the next show].'"
Another: "Brian Williams using the word plow to pass over the broadcast. #NiceAttack."
And yet one more: "Brian Williams just used the phrase 'plow over' on MSNBC are you serious right now."
And another: "Brian Williams! Inarticulate & insensitive. He should stick to embellishing."
The beleaguered former anchor of NBC's "Nightly News" has been hit by Twitter anger on previous occasions. Just a few months ago, he was targeted for ire when he compared President Obama to Richard Pryor. Just this week he referred to the present White House chief as "President Reagan," Mediaite reported. And in 2015, he was actually suspended from his NBC job without pay after he was outed for misrepresenting his coverage of the Iraq war. He ultimately lost his NBC slot and soon after, moved to MSNBC.
Even more recently, Williams has been criticized for what some viewers said was his overly harsh coverage of Donald Trump, and for his reports on the shooting of police in Dallas.
While covering the news of the shooting, Williams started referencing the death of President John F. Kennedy, which occurred just blocks from the site of the sniper-cops' killing.
He said, Mediaite reported: "As we've been saying to our live audience on MSNBC, the fog of war rules now apply."
Twitter followers weren't happy with his coverage.
"Man," tweeted one, "Brian Williams is doing a_lot_of irresponsible, declarative speculating on @MSNBC tonight. @CNN should pick this guy up!"
And another: "I never took a journalism class in my life and even i'm like wtf man."