(Michael Yost and Dick Morris)
Here's yet another example of how Fox News closely coordinates with Republican candidates.
Last Friday, October 1, Michael Yost, a Republican running for congress in Florida's 3rd congressional district, wrote on his Facebook page that “Dick Morris just called. He KNOWS this race is winnable and is working to get us the help we need. He is placing it on his 'personal project' list. Watch dickmorris.com for updates in the next few days ahead. WE CAN WIN this and send Rep. Brown to the unemployment line!"
On Monday, October 4, Morris appeared on Sean Hannity's Fox News program and then worked “to get us the help we need” by promoting Yost's candidacy, stating:
MORRIS: And my case is, that there are races all over this country, of Democrats who are supposedly invincible and unbeatable. And when you poll those districts you find they are ahead 45-41. That they can be defeated.
I just found one in Florida, a guy Mike Yost who's running against Corrinne Brown, a 22-year Democratic liberal. He could defeat her.
And I'm launching tomorrow -- you go to DickMorris.com and by the way every morning I have a blog about the campaign. But tomorrow, I'm launching a new pact which is going to concentrate on the 60th, 70th, 80th, 90th and 100th seat.
It's my case is that there are districts out there, like Barney Frank's and Steny Hoyer's and Dingle's in the House, where you can defeat him if you go in and you advertise and you do an independent expenditure.
After Morris' mention, Yost thanked him on Twitter and Facebook:
Michael “Mike” Yost Thank You @Dick Morris for your mention on Hannity's show tonight. WE are not going to let you down and will double our efforts to WIN in 2010. Corrine Brown CAN be beaten and I have the team, the effort, and the BEST Volunteers to make that happen. http://yost2010.com/
YostforCongress Michael Yost
Thank you to @dickmorristweet 4 mentioning our race on @hannityshow. He's right, we can win, with your help. Please donate www.Yost2010.com
As Media Matters has extensively noted, Morris has been a non-stop fundraising machine for Republicans on-air and off. Morris has been involved with several pro-Republican groups, and said he plans to campaign for some 40 congressional candidates this cycle. And as the Yost example clearly indicates, he's telling candidates behind the scenes that he'll get them “help” by using his Fox News position.
Still, Fox News executives like Roger Ailes, Michael Clemente and Bill Shine don't appear to have done a single thing about Morris while still claiming they're a news operation.