This afternoon, CNN reported on Fox News Washington managing editor Bill Sammon's admission -- revealed today by Media Matters -- that he attempted to link Barack Obama to socialism during the 2008 campaign despite privately believing that the socialism allegation was “far-fetched.”

From the CNN report:

Is Fox News' Sammon a 'mischief' maker?

By: CNN's Rebecca Stewart

(CNN) - Washington Fox News executive Bill Sammon admitted in a newly released audio tape that in 2008 he repeatedly speculated about President Obama's support for socialism despite privately believing the idea was “far-fetched.”

He made the comments before a group on a 2009 Mediterranean cruise sponsored by conservative Hillsdale College. A recording of the audio from the event was obtained by MediaMatters.org, a well-funded, liberal media watchdog organization that says it is committed to exposing conservative bias in the media, especially from Fox News.

Discussing the 2008 campaign for the presidency, Sammon said, “I have to admit that I went on TV on Fox News and publicly engaged in what I guess was some rather mischievous speculation about whether Barack Obama really advocated socialism, a premise that privately I found rather far-fetched.”