UPDATED: How will Rupert Murdoch justify not covering Obama's address to Congress next week?
September 04, 2009 9:24 pm ET by Eric Boehlert
Fox TV makes it official: It's refusing to air president Obama's address to a joint-session of Congress next week. Since Murdoch's media outlet has effectively transformed itself into the Opposition Party of the Obama White House, this move fits into their political attack machine.
Of course, placed in proper context, the idea that a media company has decided to so blatantly play a hardball brand of partisan politics is nothing less than shocking. But don't look for reporters to make much of Murdoch's snub. Look for it to reported as an "expected" move. Like it's normal for the fourth largest television outlet in the country to uniformly refuse to air any presidential appearances scheduled in primetime. (If NBC, for instance, had ever snubbed Bush when he addressed Congress would the news have been reported with a shoulder shrug? Riiiight.)
Two questions. Did Fox TV ever refuse to air one of president Bush's joint-session speeches? Indeed, has any U.S. TV network ever refused to air presidential speech before Congress?
1. It is not news
2. The Obama White House has shut out Fox reporters for most of the administration.
3. The dems refused to debate on Fox.
4. Olberman will be slobbering enough over Obama to make up for the rest of them.
The fact is that when they do have the courage to appear on Fox they are treated with respect as long as they actually discuss the issues they were there to talk about. Obama and Clinton for example did nothing but enhance their images by their Fox appearances. John Kerry on the other hand acknowledged that it was a mistake not to appear on Fox when he ran for pres.
What, specifically, was it "revenge" for?
It's not about whether they have eggs thrown at them or not or something. The point is that FOX actively pursues conservative goals. That is not what legitimate news organizations do. I have yet to see an argument as to why they should be given any legitimacy.
Hey, that makes a weird kind of sense!
Fox should of course have the full right to decline to air this, IMO. But it shows a complete lack of respect for the office of the president of the United States. Not just the man, but the office. They are despicable. And I hope that they are called on this, and that it is never forgotten.
Why does Fox undermine capitalism? In Adam Smith's "The Wealth of Nations" he posits that capitalism depends upon the ability of the people to add value, and continued productivity requires them to be in good health. A nation cannot survive if the nation's people are sick and malnourished.
MAKES PERFECT SENSE! Airing Obama's Address would refute all the hysteria and hyperbolic tirades on parade under the banner of "Fair and Balanced"
What in the world would the Fox Mouths talk About then? "Oh Gee, looks like we got it wrong"?
What would happen to those sorry, ill-informed Fox Followers who believe whole-hog what Fox News feeds them? Would they realize they'd been duped and used to advance causes for Special Interests?
NAH, "Fair and Balanced" is Code for: Don't Look at It, Don't Acknowledge It...So Ya Can Go On Denying It!
THANK YOU.
njguy93@yahoo.com
And perhaps you could enlighten us about the reasons for your belief that Major Garret should not be in the pressroom. Why, because he may ask a tough question?
Major Garret is a buffoon. You're a hardwired sycophant so there's no expectation whatsoever that you would realize it.
I'm sure Jeff Ganon would be so proud of you.
Look at what is happening with Obama's speech to the school kids. There are whole districts that are headed by a right wing crackpot, that has decided to suppress any ideas that don't conform to their ideas. Or maybe they decided that letting parents make a decision to keep their kid home from school, may have resulted in such a minuscule number doing that, it would embarrass the right wing.
Second thought on that... They can't be embarrassed, after all El Rushbo is their leader.
Not surprising tho, as carrying Obama's address wouldn't fit the alternate universe Fox is creating--the world where Obama is an illegitimate, Socialist-Marxist-Fascist dictator/terrorist, bent on destroying America. For Fox' bigoted, in-denial viewers, who can't accept reality or change, Fox is feel-good TV.
Its Fox Noise so... is it really all that shocking?
But hold on a minute. I thought over the weeks of recess, we saw a "groundswell" of opposition to OBama's health care plans right? If it was so important, we had to see every single video of a screaming looney bird on TV, how is it NOT important when Obama addresses Congress, and the NATION about said health care?
We keep hearing from the right how important it is (and it is), and yet, they refuse to show the address. Interesting indeed.
We keep hearing about this "liberal media", but the question is right there:"Indeed, has any U.S. TV network ever refused to air presidential speech before Congress?" If they're so liberal, how come none of them ever came to the conclusion of "FOX network has it covered, so we're going to show some reruns"?
You seem very much bothered by the presence of Spanish-speaking people on your television.
You've also agreed that all republican politicians are forbidden from ever using a teleprompter. We'll be able to put that into practice right away. I expect to see you on the front lines pushing for it.
Seriously, what's the difference between reading the speech yourself and having someone else read it to you over a radio? Except it proves that one actually has the ability to read?
Yeah, I't kinda funny the peaceful tolerant and all encompassing Left takes a turn when they come across someone who disagrees with them. :The New Tolerant"Do as I say & not as I do-it;s for the cause, man...
Just another bogus gripe by the lefties. Wah Wah , Fox is picking on our golden boy. They are not fair. And this after we were so good and respectful to the Bush administration. Wah Wah, Whine Whine.
You've indentified two cable stations above, "fairliberal"
Please look up the difference
Who cares, there isn't a person in the country who will be unable to see the speech if they want to. It is a bogus whine just like I stated.
I guess then it is inexcusable. Shame on you Fox for skipping a state of the union speech.
I'm sure Brent Bozell wouldn't make a peep over that.
Of course I am sure you did not realize that I was mocking the other poster's use of the SOTU reference when that was not the type of speech Obama will be making.
I understood what you were doing. I just wanted you to answer the question, since that difference didn't nullify it.
Because, quite obviously, THEY ONLY DO IT TO THE OPPOSITION PARTY. Were you unaware of that??? And the fact that Fox considers the Democrats to be the opposition party ought to give you pause as well.