Media Matters for America

Fox's "fair & balanced" coverage features "Republican spin" from contribution-soliciting Rove

November 03, 2009 10:08 am ET - by Eric Hananoki

Here's a "fair and balanced" promo Fox News has been airing all week for its Tuesday election coverage: 

On his Twitter account, former Bush adviser Karl Rove writes: "I'll be on Fox & Friends tomorrow at 8 AM and most of the day for election coverage" and "Live Desk, Your World, Hannity, O'Reilly, FBN w/ Cavuto, and Fox Election Special at 10 PM."

While promoting his Fox News appearances, Rove also pushed people to contribute to candidates, writing:  "Visit www.doughoffmanforcongress.com to contribute"; "Corzine spending more than $20 mm attacking Christie. RGA is fighting back. Give now so they can stay on air http://tinyurl.com/ylruh22"; "GOP Comeback begins in NJ and VA with RGA. Give now to help them stay on air. http://tinyurl.com/ylruh22."

So let's get this straight:  Fox News' top "Fox News political analyst" is actively encouraging people to defeat Democrats.  And that top "Fox News political analyst" will participate "most of the day" for Fox's "fair & balanced" coverage.  Rove, by the way, routinely appears by himself, unchallenged, in his role as election analyst - as he's already done on today's Fox & Friends and yesterday's On the Record

No active follower of politics should see Bush's Brain as anything other than a partisan Republican hack.  Then-Fox News executive John Moody said of Rove:  "Are we getting a Republican spin? Of course. But that's what he's there for. There's no attempt to conceal that."

So there it is. Fox News' "fair and balanced" political coverage will feature self-described "Republican spin" - again, often by himself and unchallenged - from its top political analyst who also happens to be actively soliciting for Republicans and conservatives.  We report, you decide.

Copyright © 2012 Media Matters for America. All rights reserved.