Fox News Rolls Out Its Marketing Push For Romney's General-Election Campaign

Mitt Romney won the Texas Republican primary last night, clinching the GOP's nomination for president. In response, Fox News has engaged its function as the Republican Party's communications arm and mounted an all-out push to promote Romney and attack President Obama.

This morning, Fox & Friends aired a four-minute anti-Obama attack ad. Not from any campaign or super PAC, but from Fox itself -- the video opens with the text "Fox & Friends Presents":

The ad was loaded with dishonest and misleading claims.

Later, America's Newsroom, which is one of Fox's “straight news” shows, aired a portion of host Bill Hemmer's softball interview with Mitt and Ann Romney in San Diego. Hemmer said of the interview, “If you're looking for policy, that's really not the intention for why we went to California. This is really trying to get to know this man, because he's going to be in your living rooms now for at least the next six months and possibly a lot longer after that.”

Hemmer's co-host, Martha MacCallum, then suggested that the purpose of the interview had been to increase Romney's poll numbers.

MacCALLUM: And you look at the likability numbers, which he's had a tough time with, to a certain extent, this gives people a window to sort of decide what they think for themselves based on a little bit more understanding of who he is, and it's fascinating. So we're looking forward to the next part.

This is not how real news outlets approach the coverage of a presidential election.