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Now will the press admit that Fox News is the Opposition Party?

November 23, 2009 12:43 pm ET by Eric Boehlert

We've been pointing out the obvious for months now, that Fox News has stepped well beyond the norms of traditional journalism and has transformed itself into a purely political--and partisan--entity in 2009. That Fox News has basically supplanted the RNC as the center of the Republican Party.

But boy, when the White House tried to point that out in September, the Beltway press rushed to defend Fox News. The Beltway press played dumb on a massive scale, pretending it couldn't tell the difference between Fox News, and say ABC News. The White House was way off base in its attempt to fact-check Fox News and its attempt to point out the obvious partisan path its taken this year, the pundits sang in unison, as they refused to cover Fox News as the political entity it has become.

So how does Fox News thank the Beltway press for attacking the White House and defending Fox News? It thanks the Beltway press by making them look like fools. It thanks the Beltway press by proving Media Matters' point.

From the New York Times:

Glenn Beck, the popular and outspoken Fox News host, says he wants to go beyond broadcasting his opinions and start rallying his political base — formerly known as his audience — to take action.

To do so, Mr. Beck is styling himself as a political organizer. In an interview, he said he would promote voter registration drives and sponsor a series of seven conventions across the country featuring what he described as libertarian speakers.

In light of these revelations, I can't wait to hear from all those very serious, important pundits who defended Fox News, and who belittled the White House in recent weeks. I can't wait to hear as they step forward again and explain how, by semi-endorsing specific candidates, registering voters, and holding conventions, Fox News is still just a regular news org. How it's just like MSNBC.

Good luck with that.

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    • Author by achorn316 (November 23, 2009 12:59 pm ET)
      14  
      Beck's 9/12 rally was a failure, his candidate failed in NY-23 (he helped elect a Democrat there for the first time since the civil war), and this will be a failure as well.

      Beck's hate will do nothing but tear apart his party, and I couldnt be happier if he does.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by magnolialover (November 23, 2009 1:09 pm ET)
        10  
        How about Beck's re-education camps? Oops, I mean, education camps.
        Report Abuse
        • Author by MickD (November 23, 2009 1:49 pm ET)
          12  
          And that's the thing, Mags, the Beckenstein Monster and his ilk will accuse the administration of indoctrination and then turn around and do it themselves. They are g*ddam hypocrites but the rich pantywaists at the other nets just quake and bow before them.
          Report Abuse
    • Author by John T. (November 23, 2009 1:18 pm ET)
      1 4
      Keith Olbermannn held a rally on health care last week. Bill Clinton himself decided not to attend because he thought it was too politicized. Now will the MMFA admit that MSNBC is the propaganda arm of the White House?
      Report Abuse
      • Author by Old_Benjamin (November 23, 2009 4:35 pm ET)
        2  
        Really? Could you post a link to this story? I tried the internets and couldn't find anything about it...
        Report Abuse
        • Author by dbtexas (November 23, 2009 5:21 pm ET)
          3  
          Actually, this is a true statement. Interesting that John T can find one story - one assisting with health care, no less - to further his skewed debate. Don't believe Keith Olberman was advocating an overthrow of the government.
          Report Abuse
        • Author by T.M. Finney (November 23, 2009 10:52 pm ET)
             
          Here's an article on that:
          http://news.firedoglake.com/2009/11/20/president-clinton-chides-olbermann-for-making-arkansas-free-clinic-political/

          And here is a critical line from the story:
          Clinton replied that the event was becoming political, and that it was clear what was happening: a primary of Blanche Lincoln.

          The 11th Commandment: Thou shalt not speak ill of other Arkansas Democrats.
          Report Abuse
      • Author by skatscan5624 (November 23, 2009 9:01 pm ET)
        2  
        How so, When MSNBC is more critical of Obama than the rest of the media was on Bush his whole term.
        Report Abuse
      • Author by Ruby (November 23, 2009 10:56 pm ET)
        3  
        Keith promoted a free clinic run by volunteers and set up for one day in New Orleans for people without insurance to have the opportunity to see a physician, many of them for the first time in years. Keith got the word out about the clinic and urged his viewers to donate and/or volunteer in the event.

        If this is the event you are referring to, I hardly consider that a political rally.
        Report Abuse
    • Author by latichever (November 23, 2009 1:23 pm ET)
      9  
      They will go from saying Beck is the opinion part of the network to saying he's the insurrectionist part of the network, while still claiming the rest is news.

      But as the late, great George Carlin might have said, "with fox there is no new news."
      Report Abuse
    • Author by News Corpse (November 23, 2009 1:58 pm ET)
      7  
      Pray For Fox News

      [http://www.newscorpse.com/Pix/Misc/pray-for-fox.jpg]
      Report Abuse
      • Author by bintx (November 23, 2009 2:17 pm ET)
        5  
        Good one.
        Report Abuse
      • Author by political_left-religious_right (November 24, 2009 10:44 am ET)
           
        Not trying to be picky, NC, but when you refer to the entire book, or to multiple chapters, it's "Psalms," and when you refer to one chapter, or a verse or set of verses from one chapter, it's "Psalm."

        Great verse, by the way!
        Report Abuse
    • Author by k1dork (November 23, 2009 2:59 pm ET)
        5
      Glenn Beck is NOT Fox News, so HIS actions do not neccesarily represent Fox News.

      Since we're all being objective and technical, of course.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by marco21 (November 23, 2009 4:04 pm ET)
        6  
        Right, k1. He also never uses the airwaves of Fox News to rally protesters.

        How thick can one be?
        Report Abuse
        • Author by k1dork (November 23, 2009 4:15 pm ET)
          1 6
          But so what? A person can't use their OWN SHOW to do what they want?

          It's HIS show, dude.
          Report Abuse
        • Author by k1dork (November 23, 2009 4:16 pm ET)
          1 6
          But so what? A person can't use their OWN SHOW to do what they want?

          It's HIS show, dude.
          Report Abuse
          • Author by marco21 (November 23, 2009 6:35 pm ET)
            3  
            You can't be serious. So if I had a show on CBS and promoted shooting people, CBS would have no responsibility?

            No network was ever responsible for its programming?
            Report Abuse
            • Author by k1dork (November 23, 2009 6:55 pm ET)
                4
              Are you serious? Who did Beck say should be shot?
              Report Abuse
              • Author by marco21 (November 23, 2009 7:05 pm ET)
                3  
                Stop goofing around. You know I never said that. Is a network responsible for what they air or not?
                Report Abuse
                • Author by marco21 (November 23, 2009 8:29 pm ET)
                  4  
                  Well, I guess it all boils down to the party of personal responsibility never taking any responsibility for anything.
                  Report Abuse
              • Author by bluestate69 (November 23, 2009 11:19 pm ET)
                3  
                there was a shooting in pennsylvania last april. the man shot and killed three police officers. he said he feared obama was going to take his guns. that man got his information from glenn beck (about guns being seized by obama). beck's rhetoric is moving ever closer to that line. you couple comments about guns being seized with other comments that the enemy(of america) is "inside the gates", and you get really close to screaming fire in a crowded theater.
                Report Abuse
    • Author by paul8616 (November 23, 2009 7:24 pm ET)
      2  
      Glenn Beck: ACORN for white people.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by bluestate69 (November 23, 2009 11:09 pm ET)
      2  
      it sounds like beck is becoming, well, of all things, a .............COMMUNITY ORGANIZER!!!!! what's the difference here?? when its acorn or union's organizing, its communism, but when it's glenn beck and fox news, its patriotism.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by emma quigley (November 24, 2009 6:50 am ET)
        1
      Amazing how slanted you can be. May I bring to mind that ACORN receiving tax payer dollars was run by Barack Obama in Illinois as a community organizer. Oh, excuse me, has it not been shown that ACORN with taxpayer dollars has corrupted voter registrations to elect their President and need I bring to mind the recent expose of ACORN's support to fund a child prostitution ring. Do you know that ACORN received millions of dollars in the stimulas package? How soon we forget, or is it that disgraceful conduct and corruption has no impact on your hearts or minds?

      Glenn Beck is taking nothing from no one. He loves America and is speaking to the population who love America and want to see it become what it once was and not what Obama is making it to be - a welfare state.

      Martha Steward called Palin "boring and dangerous" - You can't even see that the White House excluding FOX news is an affront to the freedom of the press. Please, I urge you as a fellow American to stop the attacks and look at what is happening to our country. www.csa-1776.org
      Report Abuse
      • Author by bluestate69 (November 24, 2009 10:24 pm ET)
           
        the white house didn't exclude fox news from any press events. that's a lie. there was no voter fraud committed by acorn, it was forms that were filled out fraudulently. those forms were discarded, and there is no evidence that any fraud occurred. so, you are 0 for 2 so far. what was your point on martha stewart's comments?? yes, she said palin was dangerous. glenn beck is taking a lot from everyone. he, and fox news, and am radio, is destroying real debate in this country. you can't accept that a democrat was elected president, and that there are other view points in this country, besides your own and fox news. beck loves america?? from where i stand, he hates america. he hates a president that was overwhelmingly elected. beck believes is "his" america. it isn't beck's america alone. it's everyone's america. that includes acorn workers, immigrants, muslims, gays and lesbians, and yes, democrats. being a patriot isn't just waving a flag.
        Report Abuse
    • Author by Nobodyputsbabyinacorner (November 24, 2009 8:06 am ET)
         
      Now will MMFA admit that MSNBC is the liberal version of Fox News?
      Report Abuse

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  • County Fair is a media blog featuring links to progressive media criticism from around the Web as well as original commentary, breaking news and rapid response updates to major media events from Media Matters senior fellows and other staff.
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