How Fox News Is Destroying The Republican Party
January 26, 2012 12:09 pm ET by Eric Boehlert
Wannabe kingmaker Roger Ailes is facing an open revolt.
More and more despondent conservatives are expressing alarm over the unfolding Republican primary season and what they see as the party's dwindling chances of defeating President Obama in November. Spooked at the general elections prospects facing frontrunners Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich (especially Gingrich), members of the so-called Republican Establishment seem to want to reboot the election season and try their nominating luck again.
Sorry, it's too late.
If the current state of concern transforms into a larger, enveloping blame game, Fox News chairman Ailes ought be a looming target. True, conservatives in recent years have shown virtually no interest in critiquing, let alone trying to reign in, Ailes' empire. Still, it's becoming increasingly clear that Fox's programming and the radical, fear-based agenda it's setting for Republicans is now doing lasting damage to the Grand Old Party.
That's because Fox News isn't simply offering a rightward take on the day's events, or innocently providing Republican-friendly commentary, of course. It's leading an exhausting, day-in, day-out attack campaign against Obama, Democrats and all their liberal allies. (Real or imagined.) Its relentless, paranoid crusade falls well outside the mainstream of American politics, which is why the Republican primary season, so proudly sponsored by Fox News, is shaping up to be such an embarrassment.
Make no mistake, kingmaker Ailes has made sure his channel's profoundly un-serious stamp permeates this year's GOP contest. For more and more spooked Republicans though, it's a stamp of failure and looming defeat.
For Ailes and company, that slash-and-burn formula works wonders in terms of super-serving its hardcore, hard-right audience of three million viewers. But in terms of supporting a serious, national campaign and a serious, national conversation? It's not working. At all.
As Fox News has moved in and essentially replaced the RNC as the driving electoral force in Republican politics today, and with Ailes ensconced in his kingmaker role, candidates have had to bow down to Fox in search of votes and the channel's coveted free airtime. That means campaigns have been forced to become part of the channel's culture of personal destruction, as well as its signature self-pity.
The truth is, the Republican Establishment all but ceded control of the party, or at least the public face of the party, to Fox News (and Rush Limbaugh) in January, 2009. Party leaders, demoralized by John McCain's electoral landslide defeat, faded into the background and obediently followed Fox News' often-hysterical lead as Rupert Murdoch's cable channel unveiled an unprecedented effort to demonize and delegitimize the newly elected president. (In the Fox-led world, it's conventional wisdom that Obama's a foreign, race-baiting Marxist who undermines Israel and is determined to destroy the American way of life.)
With Fox News at the irresponsible helm, the conservative movement in America, including the emerging Tea Party, became first and foremost a media movement, and one that gleefully cut ties with common sense and decency. (See: Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh.)
As blogger Andrew Sullivan noted this week:
The Republican Establishment is Rush Limbaugh, Roger Ailes, Karl Rove, and their mainfold products, from Hannity to Levin. They rule on the talk radio airwaves and on the GOP's own "news" channel, Fox.
With media outlets setting the conservative agenda, as well as raising campaign funds and boosting GOP candidates, it was Fox News that quickly transformed itself into the Opposition Party. It was Roger Ailes who, officially or unofficially, began to wear two hats: Program Director at Fox News, Chairman of the RNC.
In terms of whipping up bouts of anti-Obama hysteria, the crass Fox approach enjoyed some short-term success. However, that same media movement is now three long and rhetorically repetitive years into its Obama crusade and trying to nominate a presidential candidate via an extended national campaign. According to more and more worried conservatives, the results on display are disastrous.
Of course, conservatives should have thought that through before handing over the reins to Ailes and his misinformation minions. Indeed, none of this is unexpected. It's all entirely predictable. It's what happens when a mainstream political movement embraces a radical media strategy like the one being promoted by Fox News; the movement marches itself off a cliff.
Conservative leaders themselves have freely adopted Fox News' profoundly un-unprofessional rhetoric about Obama, claiming just this week he's "pro-poverty" and his politics are "almost un-American." That's the Fox-ification of the GOP.
As Andrew Sullivan noted this week, the current GOP "purges dissidents, it vaunts total loyalty, it polices discourse for any deviation." That sounds a lot like Fox News.
Two years ago, despondent conservative and former Bush speechwriter David Frum, noting the sweeping power that Ailes was accumulating, observed that, "Republicans originally thought that Fox worked for us, and now we are discovering we work for Fox."
As the Republican primary unfolds, I wonder if more and more poll-weary conservatives would like to fire their new boss.
Fox News Is Killing The Republican Party
In some twisted way we should be thankful for what Fox has done to the GOP. When we once made fun of Fox pundits like Glenn Beck touting conspiracy theories about Saul Alinsky and Muslim Caliphates, we now hear those theories in stump speeches by the GOP frontrunners.
Welcome to the corporate States of Wall Street
Where you are free to do as you are told
Now you did define the Republican Establishment, but the RNC could still pull out a brokered convention. This would allow them to swap in a surprise candidate that the Dems haven't had a chance to vet, leaving them scrambling.
Example?
I believe that the RNC would have to come up with a candidate from another dimension that would be a surprise and have even a slim chance of winning.
- or, they could just put Diebold machines in all precincts...
In his column Thomas Sowell writes;
"The Republican candidates' circular firing squad now seems to be using machine guns. Whoever the eventual "last man standing" turns out to be, he may not be standing very tall or very steadily on his feet -- and he may be a pushover for Barack Obama in the general election, thanks to fellow Republicans."
"No names immediately spring to mind,..."
Ron Headrest?!
Ema Nymton
~@:o?
.
Be advised, in response to all the well-founded suspicion and mistrust of Diebold, they changed their name but are still in business and still hell-bent on corrupting our democracy and our electoral processes...
Premier Election Solutions
That Wikipedia link is to the part of the article that notes why they changed their name, and note also that they used "Election Solutions" as their name, in particular the word solutions, as they have to imply a problem in order for you to want their infernal machines as a solution... yeah right, the problem of casting and hand-counting paper ballots (which themselves become a permanent and re-countable record of your vote), and the solution of substituting that time-honored and virtually incorruptible method of voting (virtually incorruptible on any massive effective scale) in favor of electronics that who could ever say whether the supposed tally was right or could ever be verified.
Diebold is still out there, just under a different name, waiting for the American people to become so stupid that they'd trust a private corporation to electronically record count and report the results of an election.
As far as a Republican candidate sweeping in to take the nomination, you bet it could happen in a heartbeat, and just about anybody with a moderately clean background and with any moderate appearance and manner could do it, if they did it on a single most important issue: remove the influence of money from the making and administering of our laws, make it a criminal offense to bribe lawmakers and other officials with "campaign contributions" under the guise of "lobbying".
Not only would any serious and moderately reputable person (even if previously anonymous to the American people) sweep the nomination, they'd sweep the general election and become President on that almost universally agreed-upon issue as being most important and most destructive to our democracy...
But it will never happen, as the RNC and DNC both would stop it, and over the objections of the majority of the American people... because it's them, the RNC and DNC and their members, who are the objects of this legal bribery and who are made rich by it.
Powell/Paul 2012 would be one HARD ticket for Obama to beat. I can't think of any other combo that would pull so many votes.
It would also be the first time I voted Republican since 1980 when I learned my lesson well.
Many of the moderates that I know are under the impression that John Huntsman is a moderate, because he believes in evolution and man-made global climate change. They are completely unaware that he has the most conservative record of any of the candidates who ran this cycle. I truly believe that he could have won the general on this basis. Thank goodness the Tea Party's ODS made him an unacceptable candidate.
That would be an indoor spectacle unlike anything since Stravinsky's Paris premier of "Rite of Spring". The riot police deployed inside a convention for a change. A hall of chaos with delegates setting hair on fire and eating their young drenched in pepper spray and sweat....on commercial-free television.
Or not.
I think that would really fracture the GOP. There's NO WAY the Republican base would accept anything approaching moderate right now. Just about any candidate they could swap in would look moderate (and sane) compared to the current field. What a new candidate would do for moderates and independents it would undo for the party's rabid base.
Faux really doesn't like it when somebody uses their own BS against them.
They don't like it when anyone doesn't just swallow the sh** and ask for more.
Once past the GOP primary circus, whoever emerges will have to face a broad populace of American voters who are unlike the willingly self-deceived GOP primary voters who applauded the woman who told Rick Santorum that Obama is a "self-avowed Muslim who is not legitimately the President."
And the rest of us just advised them to settle down and take a breath.
A few recalls later, and the current meltdown of the GOP Cavalcade of Clowns... you notice there aren't many of them around here ?
Anything could happen between now and November, but I'm thinking the wingnuts should be prepared to add to their long and pathetic streak of being wrong about everything.
Bone doktur was great. His story was he had a government job, but hated government jobs, he was below the median income, but was mad that the poorest half of the country didn't pay taxes, and his taxes were too high. That's a lot of stuff to keep inside one skull.
"Yes mom, they really do think Americans are that stupid, that's why they are doing it", is what I told her...
Then we'd see what the "Oathkeepers" and other tough talkers like Sweaty Teddy were really stuffed with (my guess is: hypocritical rat mucus).
This reminds me of a while back when I posted a comment here, and one of the wingnuts replied " I could argue that [the opposite of my claim]".
I thought he was coaxing an invitation, so I obliged. I said I'd like to see him argue that, go ahead.
He was completely confused. He seemed to think that saying "I could argue that" was a substitute for arguing it.
I think they learn this defective rhetoric from the man on the radio.
Even if his claims about MSNBC were true, that in no way negates the veracity of the article we're discussing.
MM's great sin is they actually quote republicans and Fox talkers.
At least, that's how I remember it. There may be earlier uses of it, but Blimpy was the first one I heard.
I've never heard anyone challenge him with "Republic Party."
It's almost like a dumb person's adaptation of playing Devil's Advocate.
Hey, that's fun. Checkmate!!
Years ago at this site, some of the posters were goofing on the trogs' bad arguments, and there was talk of pitching a TV series called "Wingnut Law". I think it would have been a hit.
"Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury, I'd like to argue as to the innocence of my client. Nothing further" **sits down, smugly crossing arms**
FOXPAC stands alone as a relentless purveyor of misinformation. The Repubs are so desperate and have so little integrity that they have happily sold their soul to this corrupt corporation. Please spare us the false equivilencies. Those who promote honorable political ideologies no not have to lie to make their points.
He gets patted on the back, called a hero, told he was more gutsy than any of them would ever be, and gets asked about his exploits by doe-eyed wingbots who wonder what it's like here in the world of the elitist communazis.
He never comes back here to defend his original statement, but will always be able to talk about that one time....
One could say that, but it would be a lie. No question that MSNBC is a left leaning network. However, MSNBC does not engage in willful lying. On the rare occasion that someone on MSNBC reports something that is factually incorrect, they correct it. If Fox were to correct its "errors", they would have no time to report on current events. They would be spending the next decade just running retractions.
You are a liar. So sure you could say a lot of things, since you are bereft of integrity. The thing is it would be a lie. You dont care because you are a LIAR. You are also an ignorant petty PUNK. There is no such thing as a Democrat party and only morally retarded cretins like you think such a thing exists. So do the world a favor and STFU till you obtain some critical thinking skills. In other words take a vow of silence
One perfect example of many of why this is so: I challenge you to find even one Democrat running for office getting free airtime to play their Ads (and don't forget free softball interviews)on MSNBC like Fox does regularly.
Tell you what Hurryduck, for every example of this you find I will show you 5 from Fox. Good Luck.
<grin>
read a telemprompter for less $$$$$$!!!
Unfortunately, the constitution cannot prevent people from lying and require them to follow ethics. Professional oversight organizations and company management should require that Fox be honest. Fox management encourages lying, and only a few people have complained.
The republican party is in disarray caused by the disingenuous policies of the Bush Administration.
There were a number of hate groups and militias whose existence is enhanced by Bush policies (recession) and the election of a "n*****." If these organizations are emboldened by Obama's reelection they could become more openly violent.
It started with Donald Trump, and then there was Sarah Palin, Herman Cain, and Rick Perry. The best candidates decided to sit this one out, with the exception of Romney. Jeb Bush declined, as did Chris Christie, and Mitch Daniels. I wish Huntsman had waited.
Ailes has made a mockery of our democratic system. Ailes still belives he is a king maker; instead he is destroying the Republican Party by touting these idiots as being serious candidates.
One more thing - Nancy Pelosi has nothing secret about Gingrinch - it is all out there, people just need to be made aware it.
What goes around...
Any time a person, especially one of Ailes' character, attains so much power, they will inevitably be the cause of their empire's demise.
It can't happen soon enough and it couldn't happen to a more deserving fellow, but it won't do much for the people he and his bootlickers have slandered.
Then Fox and pals would jump on the 'poor us, look what these Democrats are doing!" in a complete hypocrisy to what Republican's are currently doing that they completely ignore.
you all do know that rupert the puppet master has his hand up rogers backside running his mouth.....
Thanks for your concern but I still can't wait until November 2012. If 2010 was any indication and now with better redistricting in the states, I'm thinking a great number of leftys will be looking to drown their sorrows after the next elections.
Remember that democratIC voters cast their ballots on Wednesday, whether dead or alive!
Do you seriously think this was almost entirely the work of Fox News?
The network and cable news channels sponsored no less than 30 Republican Primary Debates.
90% of their discussion day in and day out is: "How Are The Republicans Doing Today". Which One Will Beat Obama? On and on every day all day until lo and behold, it's time for yet another Media Sponsored Republican Primary debate. That starts the cycle all over again.
And what is the basis of the shift in whom they promoteat any given time?
Follow the money:
http://www.opensecrets.org/pres12/index.php
http://www.opensecrets.org/pres12/candidate.php?id=N000002
These reports are dated however because the Republicans have taken to not disclosing since last October and neither have their SuperPacs.
No candidate on the Republican side of the aisle has gone beyond the law and joined Obama in voluntarily disclosing information about his or her other bundlers.
http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2012/01/meet-the-bundlers-behind-the-money.html
And no one is asking either, especially in the Mainstream Media, despite the opportunity each and every week at the debates they sponsor.
John
Eric Boehlert - the author of the article.
John
Eric Boehlert - the author of the article.
John