Obama v. Fox News, a long American tradition
In an interview with Rolling Stone, President Obama was asked a question about the impact and role of Fox News. He responded as follows:
“Look, as president, I swore to uphold the Constitution, and part of that Constitution is a free press. We’ve got a tradition in this country of a press that oftentimes is opinionated. The golden age of an objective press was a pretty narrow span of time in our history. Before that, you had folks like Hearst who used their newspapers very intentionally to promote their viewpoints. I think Fox is part of that tradition — it is part of the tradition that has a very clear, undeniable point of view. It’s a point of view that I disagree with. It’s a point of view that I think is ultimately destructive for the long-term growth of a country that has a vibrant middle class and is competitive in the world. But as an economic enterprise, it’s been wildly successful. And I suspect that if you ask Mr. Murdoch what his number-one concern is, it’s that Fox is very successful.”
Personally, I think that statement is A.) quite accurate; and B.) a natural, inevitable part of the give and take of politics. When media outlets run stories that are critical of a politician, the politician responds, sometimes with criticism of his or her own. Here in Georgia, politicians have campaigned against “those lying Atlanta newspapers” for generations, and they continue to do so to this very day. It comes with the territory.
And yeah, Obama’s the president, which means that his words carry a lot of weight. But Rupert Murdoch and Fox News are big boys too — somehow I think they can handle it. If you can’t withstand a little pushback from politicians, you better go find another line of work, because you’re too much of a wimp for this one.
However, some of my media colleagues disagree with me. For example, David Zurawik, a TV critic for the Baltimore Sun, claims to see Obama’s running feud with Fox as some sort of threat to “a press independent from the reaches and power of any of the branches of government” and further suggests that the president doesn’t respect the role of a free press.
I wonder what Zurawik and others would make of Thomas Jefferson, who wrote eloquently and often about the importance of a free press, calling it our single most important bulwark in defense of liberty. But in 1805, in his second Inaugural Address, Jefferson also complained bitterly that in order to destroy his administration, “the artillery of the press has been leveled against us, charged with whatsoever its licentiousness could devise or dare.” Again, that was in his inaugural address, not in some interview with Rolling Stone. And it was just one of many examples of Jefferson complaining about press abuses, which “have been carried to a length never before known or borne by any civilized nation.”
In his Rolling Stone comments, Obama mentioned another prime example in William Randolph Hearst, who in the first half of the 20th century owned a powerful chain of newspapers and used them to conduct a bitter assault on Franklin Roosevelt. For example, in one 1936 editorial that he wrote himself and published on the front page of every newspaper he owned, Hearst charged that FDR was doing the handiwork of the Communists in Moscow and had “adopted the platform of the Karl Marx Socialists in almost every word and letter.”
The FDR White House responded to what it called “a certain notorious newspaper owner,” releasing a statement that in some ways sounds eerily modern.
“Such articles are conceived in malice and born of political spite,” the statement read. “The American people will not permit their attention to be diverted from real issues to fake issues which no patriotic, honorable decent citizen would purposely inject into American affairs.”
Roosevelt himself, in an appearance at the annual Gridiron Club dinner in Washington, took playful note of the press campaign against him. Some character by the name of Franklin Roosevelt, a true villain, kept showing up in all his newspapers, FDR said. This guy Roosevelt, he said, “combined the worst features of Ivan the Terrible, Machiavelli, Judas Iscariot, Henry VIII … and Jesse James. He was engaged in a plot to wreck the American Constitution, to poison the Supreme Court, to demolish capitalism, to wreck old-age security…. in short, to blot from the face of the Earth the United States as we have known it.”
That too sounds familiar.
Obama, in other words, is doing somewhat gently what Jefferson, FDR and others had done aggressively, and in fact what politicians everywhere do. He has every right to point out that Fox has “a very clear, undeniable point of view,” because it’s the truth and everyone knows it. That point of view shows up in myriad ways, some large, some small. And the small ways are often the most telling.
In that same Rolling Stone interview, for example, Obama was asked about his musical tastes these days. He responded:
“My iPod now has about 2,000 songs, and it is a source of great pleasure to me. I am probably still more heavily weighted toward the music of my childhood than I am the new stuff. There’s still a lot of Stevie Wonder, a lot of Bob Dylan, a lot of Rolling Stones, a lot of R&B, a lot of Miles Davis and John Coltrane. Those are the old standards.
A lot of classical music. I’m not a big opera buff in terms of going to opera, but there are days where Maria Callas is exactly what I need.
Thanks to Reggie [Love, the president's personal aide], my rap palate has greatly improved. Jay-Z used to be sort of what predominated, but now I’ve got a little Nas and a little Lil Wayne and some other stuff, but I would not claim to be an expert. Malia and Sasha are now getting old enough to where they start hipping me to things. Music is still a great source of joy and occasional solace in the midst of what can be some difficult days.”
Personally, the bit about Maria Callas gets me worried. But that’s not what caught the attention of those good folks at FoxNation.com. Here’s how they pitched it on their website:
Hearst would be so proud.
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839 comments Add your comment
Midori
September 30th, 2010
12:11 pm
dunno Godless — but I’d venture it had folks like you in mind.
Midori
September 30th, 2010
12:11 pm
FIRST!!
Matti
September 30th, 2010
12:12 pm
TaxPayer @ 12:08,
Hahaha!
Pennsylvanian
September 30th, 2010
12:12 pm
Mick: “If you don’t have a sword, buy one.” I couldn’t find a sword I like, so I settled for a ranch rifle.
Lil' Brayne
September 30th, 2010
12:13 pm
Bookie writes: Fox has “a very clear, undeniable point of view,” because it’s the truth and everyone knows it.
Not really. Some people actually seem to believe that Fox is Fair and Balanced.
RW-(the original)
September 30th, 2010
12:13 pm
The chink I find in that…
RACIST!
Del
September 30th, 2010
12:13 pm
Drifter,
I haven’t seen any posts stating that salvation is contingent on Baptism. Have I missed any?
Pennsylvanian
September 30th, 2010
12:16 pm
Del – I think Christ is authorized to waive the rules.
Drifter
September 30th, 2010
12:17 pm
Follow the logic Del…some are questioning him being a Christian because he hasn’t been baptized (or more accurately, because he hasn’t stated he was baptized). If baptism is not required for salvation, then he can be a Christian without it.
Paul
September 30th, 2010
12:19 pm
Nice Guy
You’re correct, that would be a trendsetter. And I agree – I can’t think of another network or cable station that has such a lineup.
I like listening to Mr. Williams. Problem is, he’s been attacked by many on the Left as a sell-out, as not “really” Progressive, all because he’s a Fox contributor. Some of the attacks against him have been pretty vicious.
But I’d like to see him with his own show after a non-contributing Liberal gets a slot.
Del
“You probably favor the other guys because your political views are on the liberal side of the spectrum. Wouldn’t that be a fair observation?”
Only because today’s Thursday, and according to the color-coded calendar Bosch gave me, today is Be a Conservative Day.
Seriously, I’ve been, on this blog, called a loony lib, a lib, a neocon, a con….
I like issues. Don’t much care if my position falls on the con or lib side on a particular issue.
I’ll say Fox does provide alternate voices. Some of the hosts do kind of blow past their arguments, though.
Scout
My earlier post to you? See Drifter’s response.
Drifter: and some will say, then why did Jesus get baptized and say it was necessary? Then there’s Jesus’s talk with the woman at the well, the ‘except a man be born of water and of the spirit” thing. Then there’s Jesus’s words to his apostles of go ye into all the world, and he that believes AND is baptized shall be saved”
See how it goes round and round and round?
My thought? Whatever works for you, fine. Just recognize that other stuff works for other sincere people, too.
Robin C
September 30th, 2010
12:19 pm
Jay – I love it when you link the past to the present. Jefferson and Rolling Stone in the same article; great thinking and great writing. Kudos. Count me as one who respects our President for his judicious expression of opinion on the subject of Fox. Obama is a wise man, IMHO.
Pennsylvanian
September 30th, 2010
12:19 pm
Anyone know why they are searching trucks on I20 for explosives? Is there a specific threat?
Paul
September 30th, 2010
12:20 pm
Midori
Tenth!
And ten’s higher than one!
HA!
Doggone/GA
September 30th, 2010
12:22 pm
“Baptism is not a relgious test. Being a member or not of any Religious or not would be”
Harping on it turns it into a religious test. A “religious test” is ANYTHING to do with religion.
Don't Forget
September 30th, 2010
12:22 pm
Midori
September 30th, 2010
11:35 am
what’s going to happen in November?
The Great Pumpkin will arrive?
aka John Boehner. I apologize Lord, I shouldn’t have said that.
Kamchak
September 30th, 2010
12:24 pm
Hiya Midori!
Mick
September 30th, 2010
12:26 pm
Pennsylvanian
**Mick: “If you don’t have a sword, buy one.” I couldn’t find a sword I like, so I settled for a ranch rifle.**
Actually, I still have my rambo knife under my car seat.
DeepThroat
September 30th, 2010
12:27 pm
Will any body tell me any so call news org. media , critic, editorial writer, celebrity who is more fair and balanced than Fox.
Doggone/GA
September 30th, 2010
12:28 pm
“Will any body tell me any so call news org. media , critic, editorial writer, celebrity who is more fair and balanced than Fox”
That’s already been answered. Now you can have the fun of finding the answer so you can disagree with it.
Don't Forget
September 30th, 2010
12:29 pm
DeepThroat
September 30th, 2010
12:27 pm
Will any body tell me any so call news org. media , critic, editorial writer, celebrity who is more fair and balanced than Fox.
Answer: All the above.
jm
September 30th, 2010
12:30 pm
penn – possible threat
Del
September 30th, 2010
12:30 pm
PA@12:16,
I think that maybe some might misunderstand the meaning of Baptism. Baptism is an expression of faith. Baptism, in and of itself doesn’t offer salvation. Salvation comes from going to God in prayer, confessing your sins, asking forgiveness, accepting Jesus Christ, his sacrifice, and belief in his resurrection. The moment someone does that with a true and humble heart, they immediately receive God’s gift of eternal life. Now while that person has then received God’s gift of salvation, if his or her confession was indeed sincere they would follow through with their public display of faith through Baptism. BTW…you’re correct Christ can waive any rule that he may choose to waive.
DeepThroat
September 30th, 2010
12:32 pm
dogone stupid
jm
September 30th, 2010
12:33 pm
penn – b-of-a bldg in midtown is always biggest risk in atl
Woodstock Bob
September 30th, 2010
12:33 pm
Boo freakin’ hoo…one news outlet gives a little balance to the Democrat-media complex and the Idiot Messiah starts whining like a little b i tch.
DeepThroat
September 30th, 2010
12:34 pm
Jay can not say he is more fair and balanced than Fox.
Pennsylvanian
September 30th, 2010
12:36 pm
Mick – I’m glad you have something. But, if the terrorists launch Mumbai style attacks here, I prefer the range of a ranch rifle.
TaxPayer
September 30th, 2010
12:37 pm
I thought it was pretty much confirmed that a person was about to be born of the water when the mama says something to the effect that she thinks her water just broke. Course, that don’t account for the birth of those that is hatched, I reckon.
getalife
September 30th, 2010
12:37 pm
fox’s gop talking heads have been attacked so many times, they smile and joke about it on air.
Paul
September 30th, 2010
12:38 pm
Deep Throat
“Will any body tell me any so call news org. media , critic, editorial writer, celebrity who is more fair and balanced than Fox.”
Are you saying a critic, editorial writer, or celebrity is fair and balanced? I thought they were supposed to offer their opinions? Have an ideology to promote? Classify themselves?
Fox makes the point that, overall, it does not have an axe to grind. I think that’s a bit disingenuous.
Dave R.
September 30th, 2010
12:39 pm
Wow! The least qualified person in any room he enters is complaining about Fox News COMMENTATORS.
Thank you, Captain Obvious!
What’s next Jay? A column on how cloudy the sky gets when it rains?
Midori
September 30th, 2010
12:40 pm
Hi Paul
check out this video someone just sent me about Eddie Long.
HILARIOUS!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBwlR0wrhkw
DeepThroat
September 30th, 2010
12:44 pm
Paul perhaps you would enlighten us as to who you watch and how they have a fair and balanced record. Paul
September 30th, 2010
12:38 pm
Deep Throat
“Will any body tell me any so call news org. media , critic, editorial writer, celebrity who is more fair and balanced than Fox.”
Are you saying a critic, editorial writer, or celebrity is fair and balanced? I thought they were supposed to offer their opinions? Have an ideology to promote? Classify themselves?
They are useing the media to export their veiws.
chuck
September 30th, 2010
12:44 pm
Fox News AGAIN?!?! This is becoming ludicrous Jay. It’s almost become a 2-3 times a week topic. In the words of our President, Barack HUSEIN Obama, “Let’s be clear…” Fox News is NOT THE PROBLEM. Obama’s POLICIES are the problem. Certainly, if all you watch on Fox is Hannity, not a journalist but a commentator, you may get that opinion. If however you watch their NEWS PROGRAMS, they are FAIR AND BALANCED. They give the NEWS, NOT THEIR OPINIONS.
What is so disturbing to the dems is that when Fox reports the daily NEWS, the TRUTH of their policies condemn them. It is hard for them to recognize an actual OBJECTIVE REPORT because they rarely see one on any other channel.
Jay, you of all people should avoid accusing any other organization of bias. You epitomize it. JUST LIKE ON FOX, when you step into your “commentator” role, you give your opinions and they reek of your bias in favor of all things liberal. About once or twice a week I watch one of the other news shows, (ABC, CBS, NBC, or CNN), and I am shocked by the liberal slants they add to their stories. Obama is right, there is very little left in the way of objective journalism. However, he picked the wrong target. But then, why would you kill the golden goose?
Mary Elizabeth
September 30th, 2010
12:44 pm
FOX News is a propaganda arm for that part of the Republican Party which protects big money interests in our nation. FOX News uses unseemly tactics – which the working/middle class person is not aware of – in order to gather the votes of people who, not being aware, vote against their own financial interests.
For instance, I saw the extended comments that President Obama gave regarding his reasons for choosing Christianity. The “precepts” part was only the very first line of his speech. Obama further said that what he had been doing with his life – serving others – was consistent with what Christ taught – that we are our “brother’s keeper” and “do unto others”. Those words were not shown or discussed in the Hemmings interview with the priest. And that, of course, is the heart of what Jesus taught – and what Obama believes.
Another example of the propaganda tactics of FOX News:
When the President is giving impacting speeches to our nation, FOX often cuts to commentators for their points of view rather than continuing Obama’s speech in full. I have scanned the other networks at the same time that FOX uses that tactic, and I have noticed that practically all of the other networks continue to show President Obama speaking. Even if one disagrees with Obama’s position, a creditworthy news network would let the man speak for himself without cutting him off deliberately to “analyze.”
I could give many other examples of how viewers of FOX News are being subtly manipulated to a Rightwing position – which benefits the very wealthiest and not most of the viewers of FOX News – but time/space do not allow.
Del
September 30th, 2010
12:44 pm
Well duty calls, actually my stomach first and then duty. Later…y’all play fair now.
Woodstock Bob
September 30th, 2010
12:46 pm
Jay thinks FOX News is “destructive” but he didn’t have any problem with the Democrat-media complex publishing details of President Bush’s terrorist tracking programs and tactics regarding disrupting terrorist financing.
Paul
September 30th, 2010
12:46 pm
Hi Midori!
I got to the part about “What’s the emergency? We already knew that!” and I thought about Pres Clinton’s…. peccadilloes…
It was, to anyone who’d really been following him, like, hey! You’re surprised?!!? Where’ve you been?
Del
Just a casual observation – Father Jonathan Morris was brought up earlier. Catholic. They hold, I think, baptism as an essential sacrament. Has to be done in a certain way by one duly authorized and given the proper authority, which I understand they trace back to St Peter and Jesus. Meaning a member of the Roman Catholic clergy. So isn’t it correct, strictly speaking, by that view,
ya’ll can do what you want, but you still ain’t saved?
See what I mean about whatever works for you?
a cat's paw
September 30th, 2010
12:47 pm
I am Wyld Byll. Why has Jay banned me from the blog? Even a simple post that asked, “Why am I banned from the blog” was flagged for moderation!
AmVet
September 30th, 2010
12:47 pm
Woodstock Bob are familiar with the writings of Lil Barry Bailout? LOL.
Again for you parrots and ostriches, the media in this country does nor have a liberal bias, it has a corporate bias.
The corporate conglomerates Disney, CBS Corporation, News Corporation, TimeWarner, and General Electric own the majority of mass media outlets.
That is why there is virtually NO information critical of these corporations, even though there has been an enormous corporate crime wave in America for decades now.
Wake up and quit apologizing for your favorite, failed political party…
Paul
September 30th, 2010
12:48 pm
Deep Throat
“Paul perhaps you would enlighten us as to who you watch and how they have a fair and balanced record. Paul ”
Why are you asking me to explain how whomever I watch has a fair and balanced record?
Isn’t the large question not, who do I watch, but who do I watch, read, listen to, and how do I evaluate it and assimilate it?
jm
September 30th, 2010
12:49 pm
Interesting commentary….
http://noir.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601039&sid=aEWclYj4AFhg
Woodstock Bob
September 30th, 2010
12:49 pm
Mary Elizabeth: Still blind to the manipulation she’s fallen victim to at the hands of the Democrat-media complex. I guess she didn’t watch the lamestream media from 2001-2008. Or, she may just be a liar and a tool.
Paul
September 30th, 2010
12:50 pm
Deep Throat
Just to clarify, my first response to you was to take the position that the categories you cited – critic, editorialist, etc – are by their very nature NOT balanced. Or ‘fair.’ Unless it’s a ‘fair’ representation of their views. And they were ‘fair’ in evaluating the sources that led to their position.
jm
September 30th, 2010
12:50 pm
Paul – that’s far to intelligent a rhetorical question for this blog…
WM
September 30th, 2010
12:50 pm
Maybe they’ll help Christine O’Donnell get to be a Senator.
WellPoint, AT&T, Altria Step Up Donations to Sway State Races
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-09-30/wellpoint-at-t-altria-step-up-donations-to-sway-state-races.html
Woodstock Bob
September 30th, 2010
12:51 pm
AmVet
September 30th, 2010
12:47 pm
the media in this country does nor have a liberal bias, it has a corporate bias.
—————–
Why then did they atack President Bush so vociferously? Wasn’t he a corporate President?
Kind of puts the lie to your BS.
lovelyliz
September 30th, 2010
12:51 pm
In order for Fox News to be independent, they would have to be independent of the GOP and that’s not going to happen anytime soon.
Paulo977
September 30th, 2010
12:53 pm
Midori..re: “viwers even bigger jokes” Unfortunately ,it is no joke that the US has descended into total ignorance!
DeepThroat
September 30th, 2010
12:54 pm
Paul its obvious how you assimulate it.
TaxPayer
September 30th, 2010
12:54 pm
Is it true that some people actually pay to watch Fox News.
Jefferson
September 30th, 2010
12:55 pm
Someone who would call someone a tool is a tosser. A dumb one at that.
jconservative
September 30th, 2010
12:56 pm
One can criticize Murdoch for many things but criticizing his business savvy ain’t one of them.
Murdoch learned many years ago, long before his move to the US, that the secret of making money in the news business is to entertain the customer. So he designed his newspapers to entertain. And they do. He did the same with Fox News, entertain the audience. And they do.
You will not learn a lot of hard news from either one but you will enjoy the experience. And he will make money.
Murdoch’s lesson to us all is focus, focus, focus.
DB17
September 30th, 2010
12:56 pm
The liberal drooling and frothing over Fox News is most amusing. CNN, MSNBC, ABC, CBS, NBC, (taxpayer assisted NPR), and just about every major “news” paper is run by liberals with a liberal Dem slant. In fact, as in the case of Chris Matthews during the election two years ago, they have “tingling feelings” going up their legs over Obama. When was the last time you saw ANY of the aforementioned media outlets investigate or even write one single negative story on the White House or Nanny’s Congress for that matter?
Actually when viewing commentary on Fox News, it’s way more balanced than anything I’ve ever watched on CNN or MSNBC. Both O’Reilly and Hannity will have opposing (liberal) guests that counter comments. Watch the Sunday morning talk shows like those run by Chris Matthews and see how many opposing (conservative) guests are on. But of course the socialist neo-Marxist modern liberals actually think they are the centrists and the moderates, and anyone who is to the right of them is a far right wing nut case worthy of Gitmo detaining (the only time they support that institution mind you – no radical Islamic terrorists should be going there but Americans with an opposing view should – yes, liberals have said as much on blogs).
But ultimately, to have a sitting president and even members of Congress spend so much time whining about a media outlet (that doesn’t bow to His Royal Majesty Obama) is shameful and pathetic. Even Bush didn’t do any complaining about the aforementioned liberal slanting media outlets.
Grow up, Democrats. The nation is not all about you, your views, your beliefs, your ideologies, and your dogma.
Jack
September 30th, 2010
12:57 pm
I’m guessing the viewers that dislike Fox really do watch it. Otherwise, they wouldn’t know how “bad” it is. I don’t watch the other news channels because they all support Obama and his followers.
Real American
September 30th, 2010
12:57 pm
They are not a news network, Sean Hannity 3 times college drop out, Glen Beck ex drug user, this people are bias and make 100 million between, they are for people that can not read or research for themself.
Walter Kronkite, Roger Mudd, these people were news people.
Del
September 30th, 2010
12:57 pm
Paul,
Caught your post. I’m Southern Baptist and we believe in salvation by God’s grace. We believe as its written in John 3:16. If you accept that requirement for receiving God’s gift, it doesn’t matter what you call yourself or if you’ve had baptism, you’re saved.
jm
September 30th, 2010
12:57 pm
You know, the liberals on this blog and some of the commentators complain there’s nothing specific in the Republican proposal. That’s true.
But what’s not true is the idea that Republicans don’t have a plan or ideas to fix the economy. They do, and while they’re needed, they’re not terribly popular. They all involve shrinking government and fixing entitlements.
However, since entitlements and large government are (generally) the manifestations of the liberal agenda, why should Republicans be blamed for doing the common sense thing to do: let the liberals fall on their own sword?
Big government will bankrupt this country (if not fixed). It is up to the liberals to fix the problem they created, or watch the country go bankrupt and then watch all of government crash including entitlements.
The solution is available. The Republicans will vote for the conservative fixes if the Democrats propose them. But the Democrats have to propose them, because the Democrats positioned the chess board in the Republicans favor.
DB17
September 30th, 2010
12:58 pm
And one more thing: I don’t see any liberals whining and complaining about that rich media whore for the left named George Soros.
JD
September 30th, 2010
12:58 pm
I blocked Fox News from my channel lineup years ago.
btull13
September 30th, 2010
12:59 pm
It’s almost sad to see SO many of you bash FOX for the same thing every other news network did throughout the Bush years. Why was it OK then? Is it because they were spouting the same beliefs your modest minds held to be true? Absolutely. If you’re not capable of seeing the news media, all networks, as an avenue to push their owners beliefs, you’re foolish. I personally think the fact Obama is in a “feud” with any media shows a lack of confidence and a show of thin skin. I think that’s why you see him on daytime and late night talk shows. His constant need to battle any opposing view ranks in with Palin having a verbal battle with Levi using the airwaves as a mediator. Both show a lack of leadership when their focus can be so easily swayed away from things of IMPORTANCE.
TaxPayer
September 30th, 2010
12:59 pm
Bush didn’t complain about the liberal Fox News Channel! I wonder why.
DJ
September 30th, 2010
12:59 pm
There has never been such a thing as a truly objective press, particularly when it comes to political related matters. To say that one’s worldview doesn’t shape how they view and report facts is a bunch of BS>
Even dearly departed Uncles Walt and Murrow had their reporting influenced by their worldviews. The big thing is they were more careful than most today to reveal their hand with the exception of when Cronkite famously came out against the Vietnam War.
Dave R.
September 30th, 2010
1:00 pm
Fox News coverage = Fair and balanced. Even when they have commentators on a political news report, they have people from both sides.
Fox Opinion shows – Not fair and balanced, and never claim to be.
But it is much easier for those who hate to see the mainstream media and the least qualified person in any room be questioned rather than pandered to be given a broad, sweeping “Fox News” banner under which to charge.
Doesn’t make the charge any more truthful, but it gets the liberal yahoos knickers in a bunch.
John
September 30th, 2010
1:00 pm
Obama swore to uphold the Constitution! What a bunch of BS!!!! The first thing he did was break the Constitution by ramming health care down the American people’s throats! Backdoor deals to do whatever it took to pass this disaster. If anyone disagrees with this President, they are considered stupid or racist. What a bunch of F**king BS… Almost all of his little rallies he holds while his going around campaigning are staged! People are screened before they go into these rallies. It’s a total smokescreen.
This President is only concerned with “HIS” agenda period. I’ll take Bush over Obama any day of the week. At least with Bush, I knew where he stood and I felt safer on his watch. Obama wants to hold a summit or get together a committee to discuss every little problem with all the Harvard liberal professors. Wake the He*l up America! Like MSNBC or CNN is not biased at all. PLEASE!!!! At least Fox News has both sides of the story. CNN or MSNBC is totally to the left with no right opinions.
No wonder the younger society is so messed up and has no clue what’s going on. To them, it’s all about perception and what looks cool or who seems cool! Just because Obama has Jay Z on his Ipod, they will vote for him. But yet, they couldn’t tell you who a picture of Joe Biden was or the first major accomplishment Obama has done since in office. I feel so sorry for the kids growing up now days. Because America will be not even close to the great country it is if this liberal way of thinking and depending on big government continues. Lets brainwash the younger generation is Obama and the Dems approach! Their theory is, they(younger generation) are not smart enough to figure out what we are doing to the country. Come on Novemeber!!!
Paul
September 30th, 2010
1:01 pm
Deep Throat
What can I say? It’s “Be a Conservative” Thursday.
Most outlets exhibit some bias. The bias varies with the perceptions of the viewer. Some don’t try to hide it – like editorialists. Some try to maintain objectivity – like wire services. Some try to maintain it in their news reporting – and some of those will even acknowledge they don’t always succeed. Some will say they’re fair and get scoffed at by those who disagree – witness Fox New and the New York Times.
I think what’s at least as important is, what happens when one of those outlets, or their viewers, gets confronted with information that contradicts their positions?
Mary Elizabeth
September 30th, 2010
1:01 pm
Woodstock Bob (12:49) “Mary Elizabeth a “victim” “liar” “tool”
I must have struck a cord of truth that bothers you for you to resort to such a tactic as namecalling.
FYI, I have always thought for myself and am known for doing so – even when it has not been popular. It is so easy to hold a Rightwing position in Geirgua. How many others, of my middle class white background, think as I do? Do you?
Did George Bush complain about the press?
September 30th, 2010
1:03 pm
Nope. I cannot recall Bush ever ever complaining about media treatement. Ever. It was considered beneath the dignity of the office of the presidency to complain about the press. That’s the difference between Bush and this thin skinned wimp currently in office. Obama whines about the one, single network willing to cover him fairly.
What do liberals want? Every other media outlet- ABC, NBC, CBS, MSNBC, CNN, all of them are solidly in the Obama camp. 5-1 in favor of the liberals. And so what does Obama do? Complain about the one single voice in the wilderness willing to criticize him. Speaks volumes about Obama and Democrates in general.
Paul
September 30th, 2010
1:03 pm
Del
Thanks much for the explanation. That’s what I was getting at – live your life, follow the precepts, lay out your case, let people accept it or not – and recognize that everyone’s walking their own path and good can come from it all.
Mary Elizabeth
September 30th, 2010
1:03 pm
Correction: In Georgia, not ” In Geirgua” – typo
jm
September 30th, 2010
1:04 pm
Now this is funny (George Will)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/29/AR2010092905608.html?hpid=opinionsbox1
Real American
September 30th, 2010
1:04 pm
You never heard Walter Cronkite, insulting the President of the Unites States.
MSNBC has some bias to, but at least if the Rep did something correct they would report it.
Obama pass the small business bill, Beck, Hannity never reported these people are a joke and people follow these idiots.
Paul
September 30th, 2010
1:04 pm
TaxPayer
As was noted earlier, Pres Bush didn’t complain about any of the channels.
jm
September 30th, 2010
1:05 pm
John – take a breather… whew. Don’t want to blow a heart valve or anything…
Doggone/GA
September 30th, 2010
1:06 pm
“was flagged for moderation!”
That’s an automated response. Jay had nothing to do with it…but he can release it, which he will do when he has the time and if he finds nothing objectionable in it.
AmVet
September 30th, 2010
1:06 pm
Lil Barry Bailout, oh yes, the msm that from 2000 – 2008 constantly clamored for impeachment hearings against the most serially impeachable POTUS in the nation’s long history, didn’t they?
No. They gave that deadly incompetent an almost completely free pass, as did the spineless Dems in congress, and that still wasn’t enough for you apologists.
They couldn’t slobber fast enough to air his “Crusades”. It was non stop pro-war talking heads for weeks on ALL of the MSM channels. Did you sleep through that? They barely covered his lying and corruption and they handled Bush with kid-gloves since Day One.
The free press is supposed to play a watchdog role. It’s supposed to keep an eye on our leaders and hold them accountable for their actions. Above all, the media is supposed to tell America the truth.
And vis a vis the Reign of Error, they failed their role miserably.
But by all means enlighten me as to all of these innumerable “vociferous attacks”. I’m sure you must have dozens of examples and mountains of data to bolster this claim.
(And don’t forget that Irish journalist Carol Coleman. I’m sure you are clueless on the matter but read up and learn something. Georgie was completely cornfused (SIC on purpose) by her hard-hitting questions and was actually offended that Coleman wasn’t tossing him the usual softball, fluff questions that he’d gotten used to from the U.S. press corps.)
Cue up the thin skinned, fact-free retort…
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz….
Media bias?
September 30th, 2010
1:06 pm
If you really want to see one sided media bias with a blatant agenda then listen to an ethnic radio station such as the main African American stations or a Hispanic station. There is no pretense of a 2nd point of view. Everything is decidedly pro Obama, basically nothing more than a Pravda- a speaking organ for the govt.
Real American
September 30th, 2010
1:07 pm
Hey John: Will are you idiots going to understand thi, Obama told the people when he was runing for office he was going to change Health care, so how is it raming it down your throat when he campaign for it.
TaxPayer
September 30th, 2010
1:08 pm
Why would a News channel need to tell people that they are fair and balanced. I mean, shouldn’t the reporting of news automatically be fair and balanced if that is truly what one is doing. It’s not like some news channel would get in front of the camera and do something like talk about evidence of global warming and then proclaim it all to be bogus and offer up Inhofe’s words as proof or something like that, is it.
jm
September 30th, 2010
1:08 pm
I wish Liberals would acknowledge they have the upper hand in much (or even most) of the media. You’d think they would be proud to be driving Conservatives nuts….
foxy farkas
September 30th, 2010
1:09 pm
Fox is the left’s and obama’s Skut Farkas:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nRSOvscgAs
DeepThroat
September 30th, 2010
1:10 pm
Paul how would you rate Dan Rather ? I do know he’s retired but if you bash Fox, you want mind qualifying yourself.
Dave R.
September 30th, 2010
1:10 pm
Mary Elizabeth, your examples leave a lot to be desired as far as specifics.
Was the discussion about the least qualified person in every room he enters made during a news program, or an opinion/commentary program? Big difference as to how each would have been treated.
As to showing an entire speech, Fox News Channel, IS a NEWS channel, and a speech by the least qualified person in any room is not exactly news, once you get to the usual GOP bashing. The difference is that Fox News is not going to play the part of a propagandist for the least qualified person in any room, while the other channels go out of their way to be one.
In short, there are other news stories that need to be covered, and the least qualified person in any room making yet another speech is just not all that important to swallow up other news stories
jm
September 30th, 2010
1:10 pm
Real American – all I can seem to remember from Obama’s platform is Hope, and Change. The rest was buried somewhere on an obscure Obama 2008 web page. Just kidding. But most people had no idea what they were voting for. And now that they’ve got it, they don’t like it. So they changed their mind. Now they’re going to vote for the other guys. What’s wrong with that?
chuck
September 30th, 2010
1:10 pm
Sorry Mary Elizabeth, but you totally misread what both Obama AND Jesus said. They are not compatible. Obama believes that it is the job of GOVRNMENT to be “my brother’s keeper”, Jesus taught that the job was the responsibility of His disciples. BIG DIFFERENCE. Paul wrote that it is the LOVE OF CHRIST that compels us, NOT the confiscatory, bureacratic mess that we call government. Forcing someone to give is NOT CHRISTIAN LOVE because anything done grudgingly has no profit for the Christian.
Media bias?
September 30th, 2010
1:11 pm
Amvet,
What specifically did Bush lie about? And don’t even say the Iraq war. All the Dem members of the congressional committee saw the same intelligence and they all concluded the same thing as the French, Russian, German, British, Israeli, and CIA intelligence svcs- that Saddamm still possessed weapons of mass destruction.
And btw, maybe you didn’t notice this since it was covered so lightly but we did in fact recover in Iraq a year or 2 ago about 900 pounds of yellowcake uranium which is used for enrichment for nuclear weapons. Or did you miss that story since it was on the very back page of most newspapers and only included 2 short paragraphs? Talk about media bias?
jm
September 30th, 2010
1:13 pm
A fair review of government and employee pension. If you’re a gov’t worker, you should probably read. If you’re a taxpayer, you should read. If you’re on welfare or unemployment, I guess you can go about your business.
http://reason.com/archives/2010/09/21/public-employees-vs-the-public
chuck
September 30th, 2010
1:13 pm
Media Bias? I never saw that story. Do you remember the approximate time frame…what time of year?
Real American
September 30th, 2010
1:16 pm
Jim: Thanks for the insight, but hope was he ended the war in Irag, changed was, he changed health care, wall street regulations something that Bush would not do because he was part of the American greed.
Media bias?
September 30th, 2010
1:17 pm
Chuck,
It was in the news and can be googled. It was also in the last year of Bush’s presidency. It is a fact. I’m one of those strange people that reads the whole paper on Sundays front and back. I was visiting Montgomery where my parents live and on the very back last page of the paper there it was- it was an AP story. When I got home to ATL it was roughly in the same place- the very back of the paper in 2 small paragraphs in that section that has small tidbits of what’s going on around the world.. It basically got no news play. Boortz and some other conservative talk shows talked about it because they couldn’t believe such big news could be ignored. But it was and that is a fact. Matter of fact I think I’ll google it right now.
chuck
September 30th, 2010
1:18 pm
From the Associated Press:
updated 7/5/2008 6:57:12 PM ET
Share Print Font: + – The last major remnant of Saddam Hussein’s nuclear program — a huge stockpile of concentrated natural uranium — reached a Canadian port Saturday to complete a secret U.S. operation that included a two-week airlift from Baghdad and a ship voyage crossing two oceans.
The removal of 550 metric tons of “yellowcake” — the seed material for higher-grade nuclear enrichment — was a significant step toward closing the books on Saddam’s nuclear legacy. It also brought relief to U.S. and Iraqi authorities who had worried the cache would reach insurgents or smugglers crossing to Iran to aid its nuclear ambitions.
chuck
September 30th, 2010
1:18 pm
Thanks MB, I found it.
jm
September 30th, 2010
1:19 pm
Jay, this book, and even just the book review itself, looks interesting. About re-regulation of the finance industry.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/29/AR2010092903474.html
http://www.amazon.com/Death-Capital-Creative-Stability-Executive/dp/0470466502
Lynn Westmoreland
September 30th, 2010
1:20 pm
I can recite the 10 Commandments. Well, a few of them anyway.
Media bias?
September 30th, 2010
1:21 pm
By BRIAN MURPHY | The Associated Press
July 5, 2008
The last major remnant of Saddam Hussein’s nuclear program — a huge stockpile of concentrated natural uranium — reached a Canadian port Saturday to complete a secret U.S. operation that included a two-week airlift from Baghdad and a ship voyage crossing two oceans.
The removal of 550 metric tons of “yellowcake” — the seed material for higher-grade nuclear enrichment — was a significant step toward closing the books on Saddam’s nuclear legacy. It also brought relief to U.S. and Iraqi authorities who had worried the cache would reach insurgents or smugglers crossing to Iran to aid its nuclear ambitions…
“Everyone is very happy to have this safely out of Iraq,” said a senior U.S. official who outlined the nearly three-month operation to The Associated Press. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject…
paleo-neo-Carlinist
September 30th, 2010
1:21 pm
AmVwt, you and jconservative need to go on tour together. both posts reflect the perfect storm that is our media. news outlets are businesses, not wells of information offering water to those who thirst for knowledge. it really is nothing more than supply and demand, and Murdoch/Fox. GE/NBC, Disney/ABC, et al KNOW that if you “own the information” you can actually double dip because some American want information and others simply want to be (as jcon notes) entertained. It’s no different than some face-painting UGA fan or Falcon fan thinking “football” has ANYTHING to do with the graniose productions staged in Athens and at the Georgia Dome every weekend. jcon is also right when it comes to Murdoch’s savvy as a purveyor of “news”. you can present middle of the road, dispassionate information (dare I say; fair an balanced) if you want the ratings and revenue of the McNeill-Laher Report; OR you can zero in on the base and be what Warren Buffet calls “best of breed”. And fair or unbalanced, Fox News hits the bull’s eye more than it misses. I know folks in the TV News “biz” – and not just a couple of CNN types, and they are far to cynical (and fiscally ruthless) to worry about veracity. it’s about ratings and ad revenue.
jm
September 30th, 2010
1:21 pm
chuck / MB – here’s a link for the AP and other liberals who love slamming Bush
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25546334/
TaxPayer
September 30th, 2010
1:22 pm
As was noted earlier, Pres Bush didn’t complain about any of the channels.
Well, I certainly wouldn’t know since I have never checked his every word but if that is the case then perhaps he felt like he had no need to get after them for lies, distortions or whatever one might feel a need to get after a channel for.
Real American
September 30th, 2010
1:22 pm
Media bias, Look at 3 times drop out Sean Hannity, he lies, everything conservatives does he takes up for them, he tried to smear Obama but most smart people dont watch that crap.
He has been anti Obama from day one because Obama did something he could not do”"finish college.
babs
September 30th, 2010
1:22 pm
I’d love to give Hannity a atomic wedgie….