Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Jake Tapper of ABC asked White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs this question:
It hasn’t escaped our notice that in the last few weeks the White House has decided to declare war on one of our sister organizations saying it’s not a news organization and tell the rest of the news media to not treat them like a news organization. Can you explain why it’s appropriate for the White House to say one of them is not a news organization and the rest of the media should not treat them like one?
Peter Wehner at Commentary:
The term “sister organizations” is important because it shows solidarity with a news organization under fierce attack by the White House. This is the kind of question one would hope to see when a president and his top aides target a news organization and then, for good measure, try to dictate to other news organizations what they should do, how they should act, and which stories they should follow. But so far, stunningly, the media — including the White House press corps — have mostly been quiescent. One might have expected more in the face of these extraordinary efforts at media intimidation and media control. If the situation were reversed, and a Republican White House were targeting an entire network in a similar fashion, criticisms, condemnations, and thundering editorials would be pouring forth; terms like “abuse of power” and “chilling effect” would be on the lips of virtually every reporter in America. Instead, the reaction has been, for the most part, uncomfortable silence (with a few, like Jacob Weisberg, siding with the White House).
According to Jim Vanderhei and Mike Allen at Politico:
President Obama is working systematically to marginalize the most powerful forces behind the Republican Party, setting loose top White House officials to undermine conservatives in the media, business and lobbying worlds.
With a series of private meetings and public taunts, the White House has targeted the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the biggest-spending pro-business lobbying group in the country; Rush Limbaugh, the country’s most-listened-to conservative commentator; and now, with a new volley of combative rhetoric in recent days, the insurance industry, Wall Street executives and Fox News.
Obama aides are using their powerful White House platform, combined with techniques honed in the 2008 campaign, to cast some of the most powerful adversaries as out of the mainstream and their criticism as unworthy of serious discussion.
I’m no fan of the Rupert Murdoch/Roger Ailes operation. In fact, I’m on record telling people to turn off FOX News. But I’m a lowly member of the Order of Liberal Basement Bloggers, not the President of the United States or one of his henchmen.
I think the White House War on FOX is both politically stupid and a bad precedent. First of all it’s a bad idea because as Mark Twain said:
“Never pick a fight with someone who buys their ink by the barrel.”
When Mr. Twain said that newspapers were the dominant media, but if he were alive today he would probably say:
“Never pick a fight with someone who owns their own television network.”
Whether Teh Precious likes it or not, FOX News is the top rated cable news network, and their ratings are up 20% this year. Their gleeful attitude towards the war against them is best described by the old adage, “Never wrestle with a pig – you both get dirty and the pig enjoys it.”
Does FOX put a right-wing spin on their stories? Oh you betcha! They got their start during the Big Dawg’s administration (October 7, 1996) and have been a key part of the GOP Noise Machine ever since. Their commentary programs (Glenn Beck, The O’Reilly Factor, etc.) range from hardcore conservative to lunatic fringe wingnut. You can also count on their “news” programs to spin and distort whatever they report.
But guess what? CNN and MSNBC are no better, nor are the news divisions of the major broadcast networks (NBC, CBS and ABC) any different. Every media outlet spins and distorts what they report. They also have a bad habit of ignoring certain stories. They are all owned by major corporations and/or filthy rich individuals, and they serve their masters, not the public.
Now personally I don’t give a shit if the Obamacrats take careful aim and shoot their toes off. I expected them to fuck up royally once he was in office and they have. But I have a big problem with the WATB White House declaring who is and is not a member of the press. If they are granted that power it will be a major infringement of the First Amendment.
As Larry Flynt said:
“If the First Amendment will protect a scumbag like me, it will protect all of you.”
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The Confluence 
And speaking of communications policy, if you thought the “Kumar” appointment was a fluke, I give you Yul Kwon, “Survivor” winner and new deputy chief of consumer and governmental affairs at the FCC: http://www.realityblurred.com/realitytv/archives/survivor_cook_islands/2009_Oct_21_yul_kwon_fcc.
Ugh.
celebrity white house: the new surreality show
D-list! At least Reagan had the likes of Audrey Hepburn, Jimmy Stewart, and Cary Grant visiting the White House…
Where ARE my manners? Great post, myiq!!!! How do these folks not realize that a politician Just Cannot Win when s/he picks a fight with the media? Duh.
This entire “war on Faux” is extremely disturbing. Mr Postpartisan is extending the witch hunts from the primaries. MoveOn already rallies the B0b0ts to write Congress to boycott Faux. Should that happen, I’ll really turn my TV on that channel – even if I go walk the dog while it’s on.
This is the same chill effect that W and Ashcroft were putting on opposition right after 9.11
Maybe it’s as faux as the O’Reilly/Olberman pie fight was.
Remember that Axelrod met with Ailes recently.
And war was declared soon after.
G-Dubya’s little black dress was terrorism.
for those of the male persuasion, “little black dress” = favorite go-to outfit for all occasions
No…Dubya’s “Little Black Dress” was 9-11. You could play a drinking game on that little tag. (Al Franken coined that in his book Lying Liars)
I guess Dubya shared a dress with Rudy then.
Makes you go hmmmm.
So maybe the meeting didn’t go so well?
Or maybe it did. . . .
I think this is an oddly amusing plan. Turn it on before you go out for the evening!
They must not have taken my “mooning an idiot” post to heart. I’m devastated.
Rahm started this administration off by mooning Limbaugh.
Rushbo’s ratings are up too.
Oy
David Corn:
Why the White House Shouldn’t Play Chicken With Fox
Mickey Kaus thinks it’s all about fund-raising for 2010.
http://slate.com/blogs/blogs/kausfiles/archive/2009/10/21/why-the-war-with-fox-is-it-all-about-money.aspx
Great post, myiq!
Hmm… Interesting. I was listening to a political station this morning and they were saying that Democratic fundraising was down for the year.
OTOH, I think that the BO Admin cannot bear for anyone to disagree with them.
Nailed it in that 2nd paragraph.
I agree birdgal – part (probably a big part) is his ego – he can’t stand that Fox can continue to put him and his minions down and still get viewers – poor baby 😦
I tend to agree.
The cheeto-men will just love dipping into their mommies’ checkbooks to fight FOX, Rush and the Chamber.
They won’t do so to support local Dems, that’s for sure. In actuality… few of them could give a flying fu** about local Dems.
And Obama, himself, is wearing out his backstabber’s welcome with this group in terms of the issues they thought they supported him for.
But… if he can rally them against a REAL enemy (not like, uh, er, any enemy in Iraq or Iran or wherever) they will give, and give BIG.
Cheetos and red herrings are, after all, the favorite menu at Kos. Are they not?
It seems like an odd fight. You can’t make something go away by pointing your finger at it. The more they try to suppress it, the bigger the backlash.
Is this another watch the magician’s other hand moment?
They suppressed our votes successfully. Perhaps that has given them a false sense of confidence.
ding ding ding. winner winner winner.
Now, you know you’re not supposed to see what’s right in front of you purplefinn! stop it!
Do you really think they are that competent?
I dunno, how many presidents do you know talk incessantly about mops in their speech? he musta stayed at a holiday inn express last night
Um, SoD, you’ve taught me well!
Media Matters sides with the WATBWH and calls FOX a 24/7 political operation:
http://mediamatters.org/press/releases/200910200009
It would impress me a lot more if MM wasn’t a Democratic political operation.
good point
Very much so, myiq.
What they don’t realize, is that demonizing Fox News doesn’t necessarily make Obama suck less.
The off-the-record “briefing” with Obama at the White House Monday with Olbermann and Maddow also included Eugene Robinson, Maureen Dowd, Gwen Ifill, and Gloria Borger.
You can bet your bottom dollar that the talking points have been spread to Media Matters and more.
First they came for Fox News……. thanks for going there. You don’t have to like or watch Fox News to be deeply offended by what the Obama administration is doing.
This is gonna backfire, big time.
Greg Sargent raises the “they did it first” defense.
This would be funnier if there was some way to watch it without having to hear even snippets of The One’s speechifying. That man is starting to grate as hard a Dubya ever did.
To me Dubya seems kinda bearable now that I’ve had to live with the Arrrogant One.
Now THAT’S depressing!
That’s only because W is gone.
No, he’s really annoying, but I find Obama even more grating.
Thank goodness I’m not the only one!
Its a scary day when Dubya is missed
“at least they’ve got a point of view”
what a burn on Obama! Anyone else believe that it strange that Obama having a hard time with the mop analogy just shows he’s never ever picked one up …
OMG! Contessa Brewer at MSNBC interviewed Jesse Jackson and called him “Al Sharpton!”
Isn’t that racist? She can’t tell black people apart?
http://gawker.com/5386893/they-all-look-alike-msnbc-mistakes-jesse-jackson-for-al-sharpton
It was probably just a brain fart but if a FOX anchor had done it you know what would happen.
(playing the r___ c___.)
she did not even seem to know that she made a mistake untill JJ said they he was JJ …
lol
people in the TV media are just plain stupid and uninformed.
Does anyone remember the Movie “Broadcast News”? I saw it when it came out and I said “the news will never be that shallow with the emphasis on looks and chemistry”…… oh boy was I wrong.
I know, it is sooo depressing now. I’m completely skeptical now of all sources including NYT, WashPo, Atlantic Monthly.
Eating the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge didn’t work out so well for Adam and Eve either.
Given that he grew up in Jakarta with dictators as his male leadership role models, this is the main reason I didn’t support him.
I understand that President Axelrahm, when they are feeling down, periodically launch attacks as a way of trying to boost their own appeal… but they do so at the risk of boosting the right wing noise machine.
i.e. boosting it more than their intended goal of using them as their go-to villians
ROFLOL!
IMO it’s all theatre, cooked up by Axelrove and Ailes during their meeting: Obama gets to pretend he really is the leftie Fox is pretending he is, while Fox ratings skyrocket.
I disagree. They really are being hurt by Fox because Fox populism is beating Fauxgressive populism, especially in this economy. You see it in the ratings and the pollings. The biggest thing BO can do to help his polling right now is to go after the bankers.
Yep. Obama’s polls are starting to go pretty far south now.
Theater and politics…
The one thing O gave to Sarah Palin was this:
When asked back in fall 08 what he thought of Ms Palin…
He said she was a superb politician.
and I say…
It takes one to know one.
Politics is all Obama is.
He has no passion, no record, no center.
He is a political figment. A product.
An almost perfect…product.
A political poster and poser.
It’s almost perfect.
But is in not.
Speaking of Sarah:
I am SO buying her damn book for my Kindle, and mostly had planned to do it anyway bc I figured something like THAT would happen.
She really scares them doesn’t she? Otherwise, why bother?
Interesting – I wonder how many of the buying public they will tic off when folks realize they didn’t buy what they thought they were buying.
Could turn out to be a real bummer for OR
Going rouge, a new twist on the lipstick on a pig theme.
clearing fuzz…
last line…
But it is not.
“But is in not” sounds like something Mrs. Yoda might say.
Actually, Obama is pretty much as bad at politics as he is at everything else. He’s not that likeable, has a tendency towards pissiness, and everytime he goes off TOTUS, the chances of him saying something stupid and/or insulting are pretty high. He is pretty far from being a political natural. In fact, his entire team tends to make a lot of bizarre and foolish moves, despite the fact that politics is the only thing they can supposedly do well.
Here, here and other raucus cheers for this truth.
OMG, that is so spot on! Everything they say about him is so far from the truth. Like his brilliance. Have you ever heard him do or say anything that is even remotely above average? And there is his supposed speaking ability. Boring and cliche ridden. And he is so lazy. He never does a lick of work. All flash. And when you see him, he is giddy. Giddy with being president. Giddy with pretending and posing. He has no concept of reality. He just loves the limelight. Reminds me of the baloon boy’s father or Octomom or some such fool.
I almost never watch political speeches because I don’t like being manipulated. I can get information from a transcript.
The first time I sat and listened to an Obama speech I expected to be blown away but I was underwhelmed.
The best campaign speech last year was Sarah Palin’s acceptance speech.
Best by far.
BTW – Hillary is awesome in debates, but she’s not a great speechifier.
The best campaign speech in 08 was Bill at the DNC.
myiq2xu – could not agree more…sat thru one of O’s speeches and almost fell asleep….but thought SP’s one was much better. Although mentioning this to some people (despite them having seen neither one) you get almost crucified – well, kool aid…
Agree that Palin’s was the most hard hitting entertaining speech. I don’t think I heard Bill’s.
“He has no concept of reality.” This is a theme I’m particularly interested in, because my Republican brother mentioned it as a reason he would have preferred Hillary to Obama. And he’s had CDS for years!
Bill’s speech
I was only counting the candidates – Bill could give a great speech reading names from a phone book.
Thanks Wonk!
As for Hillary… Hillary Rodham first made it into the news for giving a speech, before she met Bill.
Through her presidential campaign, she became a very compelling campaign speaker and “found her own voice”… I think she tapped into her own political talent and became better and better for the challenge, but she was already a good speaker outside of the campaign context before that. Her woman’s rights are human rights speech is a very fine speech that needs no razzle dazzle.
Palin’s speeches in the early days showed a lot of raw political talent. That’s why the smears were so over-the-top. The Dems clearly saw her as a threat.
They are all a bunch of neophytes – and I think he really scares them when he goes off script because as you point out – he’s not a natural like Hill, who can speak off the cuff about anything and be on point.
Hillary is like a laser. Which is why she wins at debating.
problem with BO is that his sentences get really convoluted – very hard to follow….probably because there is no msg anyway!
How stupid do they think people are? Yeah, fine, don’t answer that. They seem to spend an inordinate amount of time trying to placate their dip—- base, despite the fact that they’re equally drool happy with a kick to the head as a nice slab of red meat. This seems like poor allocation of resources. Everyone else can probably figure out that MSNBC and CNN are equally biased and again muse on what a thin skinned, unaccomplished narcissist Obama is.
They have to keep the base distracted from the fact that Obama isn’t going to give them anything real. It’s very similar to the way Bush treated the fundamentalist wingnuts.
Bingo. It re-directs the base’s venom towards Obama’s failures to a different object. Gives the Obama-lovin pundits something ELSE to talk about.
Easy to see, for anyone who has raised children.
Great post, myiq! And great comments. You folks are TFF. And let me tell you, I needed the laughs.
I know I sound like the proverbial broken record, but it’s all part of the Jeb 2012 game plan. Obama is going to make a world class mess. And America is going to vote for anyone but the Dem ticket, just like they voted for anyone but the Repub ticket in 2008.
We are royally fkt.
WH is now communicating. Don’t listen to Fox, get out of your pj’s and quit your disgusting blogging, trust us to deal with the bankers. Thanks for the directive, but the WH doesn’t pay me, and I can think for myself. Please watch your directives, WH, you could be sending orders that only morons could follow, unless of course, those are the ones you wish to lead.
I don’t understand why they’d mess with Fox, it’s not like any of their base would listen to Fox any way … who do they think is listening to fox that could bother them any way?
They mess with Fox to distract the left.
I can’t imagine that works very well, but it must because they keep doing it. There’s been a war on Rush since about day two.
yup… I said the same upthread about Rahm mooning Rush since the beginning and how this strategy risks backfiring… Peter Daou wrote a good piece about it back in March
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/peter-daou/why-on-earth-are-democrat_b_171321.html
Maybe they want to drive the Fox watchers to say something scary stupid. Oh, no, that can’t be it. I think their speech on the health care has helped. My advice, just leave them alone. Fox watchers will eventually bury themselves.
Given Fox’s ridiculously high ratings right now, they are getting to some of the independents. People who watch Greta are not necessarily Rush fanatics.
Independents!
I believe they have demographics showing independents tuning to Fox, possibly simply out of curiousity.
Nonetheless it scares the hell out of them. If I am not mistaken his greatest populqity drops are coming from independents.
50% of Fox News viewers are Independents and moderate Democrats , most of whom , like our BB, find MSNBC’s Olbermann and Maddow and Matthews disgustingly sycophantic to those currently in power, or who, like many here, were deeply offended by the Obama campaign’s treatment of Hillary & Bill Clinton, and Sarah Palin, a la Chicago thuggery.
FIFTY percent, folks.
Fox pull in 20% who identify themselves as liberal Dems; they also have a significant “independent voter” audience. But then the question is, why isn’t the WH on Fox directly confronting what they call misinformation and bias? If they did they would be reaching the very voters they are losing.
Because Fox is calling Obama out on a lot of very inconvenient truths. ACORN, Czars’ backgrounds and lack of vetting, etc – it’s not misinformation. So the best the Obama admin can do is to mischaracterize it from afar – they don’t dare go on Fox shows to “defend” themselves.
I’ve been following this story and to me it is extremely reminiscent of their methods during the primaries. I even heard a commentator today using the phrase, “the end justifies the means” and I used that phrase repeatedly last year to point out the anti-democratic tactics of Obama and his advisers. If principles doesn’t apply in all situations, then inevitably, it will be used against you or a cause you support. They are spoiled bullies.
Their lack of principles is what turned me against Obama and his followers.
Principles are meaningless if you only adhere to them when it’s convenient.
Excellent post. Obama’s insecurities must be managed by war on unfavorable press. How pathetic.
I can only see President Hillary laughing off comments from FOX, going toe to toe with O’Reilly, and being too busy actually governing to fret.
Of, I forgot. Obama is The One (Who Cannot Be Criticized).
Actually I do watch FOX. Hillary was right – much of their coverage was way fairer during the campaign than the Obama-slavish media fan clubs.
Fox coverage was fairer, they hated both democrats, so the coverage was more even. LOL!
This coverage pisses me off because it detracts from the bank regulations being considered and the health care reform being debated.
That’s part of their plan.
as far a FOX the are preety much the only one that go against BO
That doesn’t make them our friends.
Myiq, as has been multiply stated, this is certainly a thought provoking piece. It brings back wide ranges of memory re political attacks, and their success or failure, psrticularly re WJC.
In retrospect, I must ask could you ever entertain the idea that while attacking Clinton, Fox,snd others, may have inadvertenly helped him more than hurt him?
I ask based on a possibly very far fethed thought, prompted by your post, that the sheer viciousness, constancy, and trivialiity of the attacks may have actually turned the strongest, and most powerful politician in the world, into an under-dog.
Which leads to ter fact that I still believe that a big.big, segment of the American population, as well as that of the world, eill still rally around, dupport, and side with a perceived under-gog. I believe that was the unexpected result with WJCSaid attacks also showcased him to be a gutsy, fighting, unbreakable under-dog, actuallyy. Increasing his world stature.
In my wiew he became the under-dog who beat the hell out of his adversaries, ala Rockie.
I interject the thought and question because I somehow feel that Obama is doing just the opposite. I believe that he is in the process of reversing the Clinton scenario, snd actually making Fox the under-dog.. Something that I I would have thought totally impossible.
.He wanted to be the non-Clinton, and he proves every day that he is succeeding at that goal, while failing in all others,
I would appreciate your take on such, if you have the time and feel the subject warrants it. Thanks.
During the Lewinsky scandal and impeachment, the Big Dawg’s approval ratings went up.
just enemies that make me chuckle 😉
i agree
War on Fox meeting between WH and FOX: You get to rile up your idiots, we get to rile up our idiots. No one notices the Insurance Company bailouts. It’s a win-win!
And side benefit: it keeps all the other faux news organizations in check. Win-win-win!
Well, it doesn’t keep Dylan Ratigan on MSNBC’s Morning Meeting in check. He rants every morning about the banks and the health care bills being considered. I for one am happy to see a show that is totally devoted to the things I consider important. Go Ratigan!
Well, I’m not quite ready to forget Dylan’s market cheerleading on CNBC, but bully for him if he’s on this crusade now. And separately, I could swear Joe Scarborough was positioning for a moderate GOP run.
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/10/21/al-franken-grills-hudson/
Do you think the comedian is in despair over how corrupt, unprincipled and uninformed most of his colleagues are? It must be a rude awakening.
No, I think that is the exact reason why he came to the Senate.
Franken is actually kind of scary smart. I hope he will continue to operate like this for his whole term.
I, too, saw that exchange , and Al did a superb job!
I was a little skeptical of ol’ Al, but he sure seems like he’s on fire lately.
Al is my hero. Simple as that.
okay, I will go first. Al for vice prez on hillary’s ticket.
wow. We’d be in good hands for sure.
can we please get Dennis Kucinich on this ticket…somehow?
He is the bravest american I know.
Done. Steny’s out…Dennis is in.
Go Al!
I LOVE AL ! Did you ever hear him on AAR debating his friend, Mark, over Rush’s inaccuracies?? Pure gold — he was funny and laser smart and did it with congenial aplomb.
Obama forgets or doesn’t realize that Axelface used CNN and MSNBC to get him elected. These networks and most of the newspapers in the country targeted those they perceived as the financially desirable demographic in part because they were under intense financial pressure. The election is over, no more contest, and today these same outlets are collapsing. What a surprise. CNN and MSNBC have been and still are as rabid as Fox, they just don’t realize it.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/10/21/cbsnews_investigates/main5404829.shtml?tag=stack
im more afraid of the plain jane version of the flu that i am in the pig flu .
BB,
I am one degree of separation from an H1N1 victim who is fighting for her life as we speak. I discovered this today as I spoke with someone who was with her 11 days ago.
She was feeling out of sorts, yesterday morning. At present, she is comatose and on life support.
The second wave has arrived. Get your shot, if you can.
p
As a health-care provider, I think the CDC made a bad call to recommend not testing. But I also understand why most of the tests that were done had results negative for H1N1 flu. Many, many people think they have a “flu” of some sort when they have a viral upper respiratory illness, aka “cold.” The common cold can be a very miserable experience indeed.
In my area, testing facilities are overwhelmed. And the tests themselves are not very accurate, and they take so long to come back, that in mild cases, the patient is already well and back on their feet. Choices are being made on the local level about testing–but the docs are not being notified ahead of time.
I had a patient who was very ill, just squeaked by without going to the intensive care unit. Yesterday I received a lab report on the H1N1 test saying it had not been done and that testing was only happening if the patient was in the ICU, if the patient had died, or if the test was sent by a surveillance physician.
I hope your friend gets well, Pseudonym.
bb (and others saying the same general thing): They have to keep the base distracted from the fact that Obama isn’t going to give them anything real. It’s very similar to the way Bush treated the fundamentalist wingnuts.
My first reaction to the whole Faux brouhaha was “What ARE they playing at?” I wasn’t smart enough to put 2 + 2 together. But the more I see of this circus, the more sure I am that distraction is the only explanation.
The thing is, Obama could tell his base flat out that he despises them and will never give him anything, and they wouldn’t care. Many of them are beyond rational help, the rest know he’s horrendous but have too much invested in him to ever admit it. And no matter what he does or doesn’t do, they will always support him. Bush had to use distraction because his supporters demanded results. Obama’s don’t ask for anything and will always have excuses. It seems like a waste of time to expend energy shoring up beyond a sure thing.
Bush’s supporters were not really that invested in him, which is why they so readily abandoned the republican brand this past election. He barely won in 2004 and that was mostly on the stay the course war meme. They were as fed up with the republicans as everyone else. Obama’s supporters on the other hand voted for Obama, the man the myth the legend and so are much more psychologically invested that Bushites ever were
Oh, and Mr. Klown? Will you kindly stop posting pictures of that smarmy con man? I keep getting tea on my keyboard from the nasty shock of being confronted with that mug too suddenly. Too cruel. Even for Capt. Spaulding.
Try this one:
http://nancyks.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/flasher-small.jpg?w=500&h=358
I just laugh at flashers. Makes them shrink away.
But “smarmy con man” is the right description. If you keep posting pics of him I’m gonna reflexively slap my computer across the screen one of these days.
No kidding.
What IS that?
A dirty banana
You know what’s been hitting me lately, is the eerie similarity of what’s going on with a president who’s supposed to be on the people’s side and the extreme corruption on the part of him, the WH, congress, media, and greedy institutions now and what now seems very similar from the late 60’s with Johnson, then Nixon, and all the corruption and war. Either that or I’m having some wild flashbacks.
Yeah, but not the good kind.
And of course you know what that means, 60’s/70’s music time. 🙂
On that note. Deep Purple rules:
Oooh, Jon Lord can play that Hammond Organ. That’s what’s wrong with music today, not enough Hammond Organs.
Man, Ian from DP is just the best rock screamer. Here he is as the original jeebus in superstar:
Jeebus…I’m getting wasted just off the memories! Stop! Oh the glorious 70s
What a strange bunch, and boy do I have stories… 😯
Oh nice.
I think that this “war” against FOX is a dry run to see the response of the WH trying to take over the media like they have the banks and car industry. Obama may be thin-skinned but he isn’t stupid and he wouldn’t be making this move if his backers weren’t for it. If Fox folds the Administration will go after the other ones on some trumped up tidbit. If Fox doesn’t fold the movers and shakers will just regroup until a more opportune time.
I have to say that FOX was the only think I could watch during the primary – they treated Hillary fairly. Even Hillary said that she appreciated the coverage on FOX news during the primary.
It was the only network that didn’t bow before the One.
I seem to be liking Ian’s voice tonight. This is the best showcase for it:
Yea, I have strange tastes. 🙂
Believe that’s Ritchie Blackmore with the solo at around 4:00 in.
That’s a young Sammy Hagar on the far right.
Did you know Led Zepplin stole the riffs for almost all of the major hits?
http://www.warr.org/zep.html
That’s like saying Popeye’s Chicken stole their secret recipe from Colonel Sanders.
Who cares?
Colonel Sanders?
in some circles that’s a major no-no. Some of the songs were dead on the whole way through.
While we’re on the subject (and senselessly diverting the thread), Glenn Greenwald has been tweeting hard this week about legalizing all organic drugs. Joe Scarborough’s invited him to come on his show to talk about it next week. Serious issue apparently, from what he sees happening in South America. I’m ready to listen.
It’s STRUTTING time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GO PHILLIES
WOMEN WITH INTELLIGENCE AND EXPERIENCE,MEN WHO SUPPORT THEM AND COUNTRY BEFORE PARTY ALWAYS
PUMAS,BUBBAS,EQUALISTS AND THOSE PEOPLE RULE
Oy…Phila will be a drunken mess again. Yikes.
Wait until we play kick ass on the Yankees.
MYIQ
Please go to the Mummers Parade. I can not think of anyone who would enjoy it more.
WOMEN WITH INTELLIGENCE AND EXPERIENCE,MEN WHO SUPPORT THEM AND COUNTRY BEFORE PARTY ALWAYS
PUMAS,BUBBAS,EQUALISTS AND THOSE PEOPLE RULE
http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/fnc/maddowolbermann_invited_to_white_house_chat_with_obama_but_fox_isnt_a_news_organization_140839.asp
So juvenile. Like choosing sides at the playground. What journalism?
It’s like the high school cafeteria, where the “kool kids” carefully controlled who got to sit at their lunchtable.
So juvenile, indeed.
They (B0 and crew) are so incredibly petty and immature in their actions. They’re just amplifying the fight in a juvenile way. It drives me mad that he’s in charge of this country.
WE WANTED A GROWN UP!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/oct/21/executive-pay-bonuses-goldmansachs
Then pay back the TARP money.
Wow. That’s just…wow. At least thank us for allowing you to pick our pockets before you start lecturing us.
Amazing, isn’t it? A stunning display of arrogance and entitlement by people who f up a company, get bailed out by us, and then tell us to get used to being screwed.
Actually companies that have profit sharing across the board – at all levels – perform better in the market place
Glass of milk, and goodnight!
http://www.popbitch.com/home/2009/10/08/wtf/
UK’s Daily Telegraph is not very impressed by the war on fox
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/nilegardiner/100014310/why-the-white-house-will-lose-its-war-against-fox-news/
Those Anita Dunn quotes are seriously creepy, we’re going to treat them like an opponent, they’re waging war on Barack Obama and the White House, really? Time to have a little ceremony in the Rose Garden, give the Republicans back their playbook and make damn sure no one’s made a copy, this is getting really old. (And gosh, we can’t have that, because old is yucky! Elder cooties!)
Excellent Post. Like an arrow, straight to the point, and right on target.
Never a truer line written than your…. “But guess what? CNN and MSNBC are no better, nor are the news divisions of the major broadcast networks (NBC, CBS and ABC) any different. Every media outlet spins and distorts what they report. They also have a bad habit of ignoring certain stories. They are all owned by major corporations and/or filthy rich individuals, and they serve their masters, not the public.”
All of us that frequent this blog, (either lurking or commenting), have seen the vileness of all you mentioned, first hand. They confirmed your commentary by their ravaging of the Clintons, while unabashedly hyping Obama, during the primaries.
They promoted misogyny, racism, and vapidness, in tandem. I am not aware of Fox ever stooping to such a trifecta.
I am no longer a Democrat, but I am still a die-hard liberal. I do not watch Fox, nor do I support the bulk of their positions, that I hear or read about. However, I damn sure support their right to exist, state their positions, and compete sor audiences.
The Obama administration needs and has earned opposition, as have foregone administrations, particularly the previous..
If Obama can stifle Fox, he basically owns the media outright. That is not Democracy.
As your very appropiate title alludes, we have seen, and still see today, what happens in countries where the government controls all voices.
Anyone who objected when G-Dubya and his minions tried to control the media should be objecting now.
It’s the same principle.
I totally agree. and, would add….anyone who objected to W”sgovernance, which I did vehemently and viscerally, should now be objecting to Obama’s.
If and when I ever see true change, I will gladly soften that stance. Until such time, O = W = us screwed, and I retain the same disdain for Obama that I had for W.
Must add, would be totally remiss if I did not: thanks, as usual, Myiq, RD, and all contributors for making, and keeping, this excellent blog, truly “fair and balanced”
Also, pick a fight you can win. Alinsky tactics at work. How immature.
I always thought that FOX was terrible…but then I went on vacation in the US in the run up to the elections….I was truly shocked by what I saw…not by Fox but the other stations….it had nothing to do with journalism, but rather propaganda. I ended up watching more Fox then any other station.
Dont get me wrong, there are some crazy people on Fox (seems everything in Europe is a representative for socialism) and I surely dont agree with everything what they say, but having a healthy criticism towards the ONE is sooo refreshing, even if it seems that they are most of the time just stating the obvious (how could you not poke fun at greek columns?)
I am still shocked that O could actually – as a sitting president – give interviews to 5 stations on the same day and leave Fox out. Hard to imagine that Brown, Merkel, & Co could get away with this…nevermind that it looks absolutely ridiculous and petty.
Let’s not forget, they started a new studio at the White House some months ago, producing the appropriate news.
And here are today’s tabloids
http://edgeoforever.wordpress.com/2009/10/22/tabloids-tell-a-story/
Thanks, Myiq – super job.