White House risking big backlash over Fox News attacks
The White House continues to attack Fox News. How come they don’t go after MSNBC which features overtly biased guys like Keith Olberman and Chris Matthews? They are twice as pro-Democrat as Fox is pro-Republican. The answer: MSNBC is pro-Obama!
My editorial in Issue No. 119 is worth another read. The so-called “news media” has been biased “to the political left” for decades, and Fox News is merely “the political right” getting into the act. The public’s backlash against biased reporting, coupled with the availability of internet reporting, has helped lead to the destruction of the print media in this country, and someday soon it will lead the destruction of biased TV reporting, starting with CNN.
I understand Fox News is pro-conservative, but I also understand that CNN is pro-liberal. The difference is that CNN and the White House try to assert that CNN is unbiased. This is untrue and everyone knows it. There can’t help but be a backlash against the White House and Obama for this type of attack.
October 19th, 2009 at 10:59 am
Dave: I agree – attacking a free press in this country is a losing proposition, no matter where you are on the political spectrum.
Annapolis Golfer brother Hugh)
October 19th, 2009 at 1:41 pm
“The difference is that CNN and the White House try to assert that CNN is unbiased.”
And just what is Fox trying to say when they label themselves “fair and balanced” ? Aren’t they saying that they’re unbiased themselves?
I’m frankly getting tired of ALL major media, print and electronic, “left” and “right.” Witness the headline story on Fox News right now describing how Obama Communications Director Anita Dunn was “caught” recently, bragging how the White House controlled coverage of events with the media.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/10/19/white-house-official-says-obama-team-controlled-media-coverage-campaign/
Come on. A presidential administration and/or campaign, controlling their message that they feed the media, isn’t exactly news. After all, Bush did it rather well, via Carl Rove, for 8 years.
Fox really isn’t any better. In short, they’re just as juvenile as CNN et al. There’s a reason former Libertarian Harry Browne used to refer to the former as “Foxy News Network.”
October 19th, 2009 at 1:45 pm
Correction: I should have said “former Libertarian and presidential candidate” Harry Browne, not simply “former Libertarian.” As far as I know, Mr. Browne was still a Libertarian when he passed away in 2006.
October 19th, 2009 at 4:48 pm
your comment: “…coupled with the availability of internet reporting…”
Dave,
an assault on internet reporting will be next, you can be sure…at least on some internet reporting.
Take care,
Charles Sanders
October 20th, 2009 at 8:34 am
I find it richly ironic that the president, who so capably capitalized upon the media during his candidacy, is now condoning this kind of message. What will he do when, after campaigning on a platform of military disengagement abroad, the media begins to question his motives while we wage not one but 2 wars on foreign soil? How will his administration deal with the increasing backlash among members of his own party over how best to press ahead with healthcare reform?
Fox is firmly against his policies, but I feel obligated to point out that bad press is likely to increase from both sides of the geopolitical axis, especially where the major media groups are concerned. Not all of it will be directed at the Whitehouse, but this president has so inextricably linked his presidency with the democratic majority in congress and the senate, that practically any criticism of the left becomes a criticism of his presidency by default.
Pointing fingers at Fox serves only to solidify opposition among his opponents in both independents and the right. Also, by declaring Fox an enemy of the Whitehouse as it were, he gives them very little incentive to moderate their message.
This strikes me as a huge blunder, and one that will come back to haunt this administration, particularly as the 2010 and 2012 elections draw ever closer.
October 20th, 2009 at 1:34 pm
You mentioned that, “the public’s backlash against biased reporting, coupled with the availability of internet reporting, has helped lead to the destruction of the print media”. That is true but have you heard the latest from the Obama White House on this? Yes, you guessed right… Just this weekend it was reported that Obama is now seriously considering the bail-out of the failing newspapers!! Unbelievable.
Also, when CNN seriously analyzes a recent Saturday Night Live skit that satirizes the lack of accomplishments of Obama, then you know for sure that they can’t be relied upon for accurate and unbiased reporting or analyzing. Once again… Unbelievable.