White House: FOX off-limits -- strategist

Chicago Tribune (Swamp Politics) ^ | 11/6/2009 | Peter Nicolas

[markomalley]

At least one Democratic political strategist has gotten a blunt warning from the White House to never appear on Fox News Channel, an outlet that presidential aides have depicted as not so much a news-gathering operation as a political opponent bent on damaging the Obama administration.

Political consultants are a staple of cable television talk shows, analyzing current events based on their own experiences working on campaigns or in government.

One Democratic strategist said that shortly after an appearance on Fox he got a phone call from a White House official telling him not to be a guest on the show again. The call had an intimidating tone, he said.

The message was, "We better not see you on again,'' said the strategist, who spoke on condition of anonymity so as not to run afoul of the White House. An implicit suggestion, he said, was that "clients might stop using you if you continue.''

In urging Democratic consultants to spurn Fox, White House officials might be trying to isolate the network and make it appear more partisan.

A boycott by Democratic strategists could also help drive the White House narrative that Fox is a fundamentally different creature than the other TV news networks. For their part, White House officials appear on Fox News -- but sporadically and with "eyes wide open,'' as one aide put it.

[markomalley]

So this is still around, huh?

Tone deaf.

[bergmeid]

They are just not too smart in the White House..... and that’s evident on soooooo many levels.

[DontTreadOnMe2009]

“intimidating”

Gee, I wonder why?

[chuck_the_tv_out]

“bent on damaging the Obama administration”

Bush LOLs @ u.

[A. Morgan]

This is gonna backfire. Why do ya think they’re called dimocrats!

[henkster]

Then Fox needs to put on all of their shows the list of everyone they’ve invited to share an opposing viewpoint, and they all declined to appear. Beat it like a drum.

[Westbrook]

If W (bush 43) had the same approach to hostile news organizations, he would have never appeared on *ANY* network, nor would he have given interviews.

[La Lydia]

Guess Axelrod didn’t get the memo.

[gaijin]

ENEMIES LIST

[Jeff Head]

OBAMA IS A MARXIST IDEOLOGUE

[Defiant]

White House officials might be trying to isolate the network and make it appear more partisan

Obama has one playbook, and it is Alinsky's.

[Marty62]

Why hasn’t Fox mentioned this???

Caudell would tell them where to shove it..they know better than to try to intimidate him.
But on the bright side does this mean we don’t have to listen to Beckell anymore?

[bcsco]

a political opponent bent on damaging the Obama administration.

Ha! The Administration is pretty good at doing that without Fox's help.

[eak3]

Well Obama should be proud of Fox today as they, along with everyone else, dont have the cajones to call the Fort Hood attack what it is,an act of terrorism on American soil.

[Question Liberal Authority]

A boycott by Democratic strategists could also help drive the White House narrative that Fox is a fundamentally different creature than the other TV news networks.

That's true. For instance, it will be watchable.

[listenhillary]

Outstanding idea

[devistate one four]

And do the same with presidential debates.

If they don’t show have a call in or just discussion of the real issues, not the government invented ones.

[Vendome]

Wow! How come these things always come off as fairytale narratives with no names of the characters?

[easttennesseejohn]

Your poster is spot on. BO is our first Marxist President without a doubt.

[goodnesswins]

YEAH...I’m hoping it IS Beckell! Having him gone from FOX would be fantastic.

[penelopesire]

PING!

[MrB]

I wonder why the left sees themselves and 0bama being criticized by the script of “V”?...

“Do not ask any questions that would portray us in a negative light.”

[GonzoGOP]

Then Fox needs to put on all of their shows the list of everyone they’ve invited to share an opposing viewpoint, and they all declined to appear. Beat it like a drum.

Sure they need to keep the Red Phone on stage for all of their shows. When Glen Beck becomes the most reasonable voice in news, you know we are well and truly screwed.

[theDentist]

A cowardly White House run by a Weakling Thug-Wannabe.

[MestaMachine]

Fine by me. They don’t do anything but lie in our faces anyway. The irony of this, is that nobody watches them anywhere else. If all they want to do is sing to the choir, seems to me it is a peepoor strategy. But then again, I never did give this crew credit for brains, just thuggish sluggery...or vice versa.

[Night Hides Not]

Then Fox needs to put on all of their shows the list of everyone they’ve invited to share an opposing viewpoint, and they all declined to appear. Beat it like a drum.

Brilliant! Let's find out who the pu$$y is!

I'm really hoping it's Beckel, but that's a pipe dream.

[cornfedcowboy]

I like Bob Beckel-he can at least has moments of rationality.

[Brad from Tennessee]

My guess is Larry Sabato.

[MarkeyD]

I like Bob Beckel-he can at least has moments of rationality.

Since when?

[RockyMtnMan]

Let Rush anchor Fox News and watch the ratings soar and the heads spin at the WH.

[khnyny]

Then Fox needs to put on all of their shows the list of everyone they’ve invited to share an opposing viewpoint, and they all declined to appear. Beat it like a drum.

Exactly. Lol, this administration really is downright dumb.

The scary part is these people are in charge!

[Rutles4Ever]

The White House is in utter disarray. Obama has surrounded himself with a thousand daggers pointed at his presidential legacy.

[hope]

[GloriaJane]

[a fool in paradise]

The message was, "We better not see you on again,'' said the strategist, who spoke on condition of anonymity so as not to run afoul of the White House. An implicit suggestion, he said, was that "clients might stop using you if you continue.''

Positively Stalinist. And to think what they once said about Richard Nixon.

More people thrown under the bus.

[manc]

he can

I have never seen it but I have seen a man who lies, twists the truth and is always mad or angry for asking questions to him

[MamaDearest]

One Democratic strategist said that shortly after an appearance on Fox he got a phone call from a White House official telling him not to be a guest on the show again. The call had an intimidating tone, he said.

Democrats facing a decapitated donkey head on their bed if they do? Obama's White House thugs are making a mockery of his administration. He and his mob have now let themselves wide open to jokes and cartoons showing them to be the Chicago gangsters they apparently (by their own threats) truly are.

[himno hero]

If they had nothing to hide.....

....no hidden marxist agendas, no lets get whitey, no background indonesian /kenyan muslim ideologies to bring down the west... wow! What a BOBS mix!

they would not be afraid.

[ExTxMarine]

A warning here! Okay?!?

I spewed Diet DP on my laptop screen! Luckily, it was already going bad and Dell will be out next week to replace it, but still...a little warning would help!!

[heiss]

This only hurts White House as more dems watch Fox News than all other cable news combined.

Anyway, GOP should make this an issue and demand congressional investigations and use this as an campaign issue (abuse of power, intimidation, threat to free press).

Of course, given the state of clueless GOP leadership, this is not going to happen.

[texmexis best]

Most likely result of this little ploy is that there will be left wing analysts begging to be put on Fox. And they will trash Obama.

This is horrible strategy.

[rintense]

Considering the other networks stood up for FOX last week, this ‘strategy’ will backfire.

[hope]

Sorry:) Here's a warning for you!

[fujimoh]

Great cartoon!

[sheik yerbouty]

Like something out of “V”..

[Finalapproach29er]

Nixon didn't get this way for 4 years.

These guys are going to regret this truculence- It never works long term.

[Finalapproach29er]

Doug Schoen? He was on Hannity a few times recently.

Hannity is the one that pisses them off the most.

[CharlesWayneCT]

I call bull on this story:

The message was, "We better not see you on again,'' said the strategist, who spoke on condition of anonymity so as not to run afoul of the White House. An implicit suggestion, he said, was that "clients might stop using you if you continue.''

A political consultant appears on Fox, and is called by the WHITE HOUSE and told not to do so again.

And now he tells the story, but asks for anonymity, so as to "not run afoul of the white house".

Is the guy stupid? How would the white house NOT KNOW WHO HE IS. He claims the White House CALLED HIM. How many different consultants appearing on Fox does he think the white house called and threatened?

[kitchen]

Have any names to share?

[Inwoodian]

But...but...I thought the duty of the free press is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comforted.