"Palin-Africa Story Implodes Right Wing Media Cabal"
November 06, 2008 11:10 am ET by Eric Boehlert
Gawker surveys the right-wing media rubble in the wake of the GOP's big loss. And specifically, the mini-civil war that's broken out in the wake of Carl Cameron's report on Fox News where Cameron aired every conceivable attack/smear that anonymous McCain aides could conjure up against Sarah Palin.
Not only that she allegedly didn't know that Africa was a continent, but she threw "tantrums," was a "shop-aholic," and that she once answered her hotel room door in a "bathrobe," which GOP aides dubbed "rather uncommon." (Hmm, sexist much?)
Anyway, right-wing bloggers thought the Fox News report was "bullshit" (part of a liberal media conspiracy?) and now there's pretty much a circular firing squad forming within the right-wing media.
Enjoy!
I anticipate rupert murdoch's News Corporation, and Fox News Channel and the WSJ too, to adjust their appearance in accordance with the national election results.
Just like the Republican Party nationally, Fox's brand is at an all-time low with the American People.
This is a no-brainer, as the two go hand in hand: the same American People who turned down John McCain and turned out so many Republican Senators and Representatives, just naturally would also tune out and turn off Fox News Channel too, right?
Expect the appearance of a somewhat new and more "moderate" Fox editorial tone.
This Palin blame game stuff (I take your word for it that FNC is turning on Palin as a scapegoat) is a good sign of a more "moderate" FNC.
Expect also the signs of Bush-bashing, maybe even Cheney-bashing... expect Fox News Channel to take a critical view of Bush's "midnight" Presidential pardons when they happen (sometime around Christmas is the usual timing)... all easy targets.
It's sort of like a form of "media evolution": If you are ridiculed and even hated for your appearance, then you evolve into another, more "moderate" appearance.
Expect also the same thing from the Republican Party nationally, because as I said, the two go hand in hand... expect them to both dance this same "moderate" tango together, at the same time (and on the same old channel), but without Sarah Palin of course (or George W. Bush or Dick Cheney: they now become scapegoats too, after eight years of being Sacred Cows to rupert murdoch and his Fox News Channel)
I read on Newsweek.com that the "bathrobe" story was actually her coming into the hotel room in just a towel. That, I believe, is uncommon when people are in mixed gender, non-intimate company, even in a hectic and claustrophobic environment like a campaign. Here's the exact quote: