Inside the Obama Media War Room

big journalism ^ | 5/10/10 | Steve Grammatico

[Nachum]

OBAMA: Unbelievable. Even with a huge government jobs surge last month, we’re still hearing about rising unemployment. And why isn’t Thursday’s stock market blip gone from the news cycle by now?

ROBERT GIBBS: We took our eye off the ball in the media wars, sir. That Neil Cavuto dustup the other day was a wake-up call. The attempted car bombing in New York distracted us from the real threat—Fox News.

DAVID AXELROD: Bob’s right, sir. We must recommit to “preserve, protect and defend” your administration from criticism and constitutional checks on its powers. Ailes’s network tips a growing media breakout from our preferred narrative.

OBAMA: True. Even the usually docile anchors are taking shots at me. Well, let’s start pushing back. Chris, you’re our go-to media lackey–how would you neutralize Fox and squelch the alphabets’ nascent insurgency?

MATTHEWS: Ignore Fox, sir; their ratings go up whenever you mention them. And don’t attack the alphabets—cultivate them. I recommend a soft, tactile approach: a hug for Katie, say; an arm around the shoulder for Brian; maybe a pat on the bum for me . . .

[screaminsunshine]

Should be called the Obama War Against America Room.