Posted on 09/26/2011 7:30:40 AM PDT by kristinn
It was...a pure Roger Ailes productionand the latest sign that the Fox News chairman is quietly repositioning Americas dominant cable-news channel.
Hours before last weeks presidential debate in Orlando, Ailess anchors sat in a cavernous back room, hunched over laptops, and plotted how to trap the candidates. Chris Wallace said he would aim squarely at Rick Perrys weakness: How do you feel about being criticized by some of your rivals as being too soft on illegal immigration? Then I go to Rick Santorum: is Perry too soft?
Thats going to get some fireworks going, said managing editor Bill Sammon, grinning.
SNIP
But the real eye-opener was the sight of his anchors grilling the Republican contenders, which pleases the White House but cuts sharply against the networks conservative imageand risks alienating its most rabid right-wing fans.
SNIP
Democrats have noticed the change. Says former Obama aide Anita Dunn: You have the sense that theyre trying to at least appear less of the hyper-partisan political network they had been.
On the day that Obama is to deliver his jobs speech to Congress, Bret Baier attends a secret White House meeting. Over Dover sole in the Red Room, the president tries to sell his $450 billion plan to a handful of anchors. The earnest, square-jawed Baier is animated upon returning, briefing two news executives in the hallway.
Obama painted a picture of a double-dip recession and said if the bill does not get through, I will blame Republicans for their irresponsible position, Baier says, reading from his scribbled notes. Although the two men clashed during an interview last year in which Baier repeatedly interrupted the president, Obama made a point of praising the previous Fox debate, telling Baier: By the way, you guys did a great job in Iowa.
(Excerpt) Read more at thedailybeast.com ...
Thats going to get some fireworks going, said managing editor Bill Sammon, grinning.
Their instincts were spot-on. It was THE pivotal moment of the debate. It led to Perry's infamous "heartless" remark, which opened the door for Cain's straw poll victory.
Roger Ailes and his fairhaired boy....Mittens Romney...
what BS.
So, from the Daily Beast comes an article on howFox is going left because Ailes woke up one morning and said, “Hey, I know how to boost our ratings further - let’s get the Pubbie candidates to eat each other up and suck up to O’bummer - yea, that’s the ticket...and I’ll get more invites to those cocktail parties everyone else gets to go to.”
Yeah, right...
Do not go to the Dark Side, Fox - don’t do it.
This isn’t anything new. I’m sure this happens every time there is to be a debate (unless the moderator is a namby pamby and doesn’t want to ask any really hard questions).
Some years back I didn’t much care for Greta. Now, she has the only program I will watch on Fox. BORe, Sean, are a waste of time. Too bad Ailes doesn’t wake up and offer Dennis Miller a show. Following Greta would be a great time slot.
Three weeks after dropping out of the race, Tim Pawlenty showed up to ask for a gig at Fox. But there was a complication: Pawlenty was on the verge of endorsing Romney. Im not sure I want to sign you as a paid spokesman for Romney, Ailes said.
Ailes has a blunt rejoinder to those who say he runs a biased outfit: Every other network has given all their shows to liberals. We are the balance.
Ailes seems to relish the feuding among his stars, saying, OReilly hates Sean and he hates Rush because they did better in radio than he did.
Ailes keeps a wary eye on anchor Shepard Smith, who occasionally backs aspects of the Obama record: Every once in a while Shep Smith gets out there where the buses dont run and we have a friendly talk. And Ailes likes to tease OReilly: You gonna suck up to Obama so you can get another interview at the next football game?
I like Bloomberg, hes a friend. But f--- him and the salt. I like salt. Its not his business.
Unless one subscribes to GBRTV, FoxNews is all we’ve got. Pitifully.
yes, fox is disappointing.
but fox is all we have. hannity is the nearest to our views.
o’reilly’s ego show is #1. why i don’t understand.
the left got rid of many of beck’s advertisers.
This is a great example of why businesses come and go. As Fox swings left to pick up market share more of the right will pick up on it and begin looking for alternatives. Eventually, someone in the cellar or breaking into the business will pick up on it and swing right. They will pick up that segment of the Fox viewers and Fox will decline. The left they are trying to pick up will never be supporters like the right were because the left really doesn't want to delve into issues. They just want sound bites and to emote.
Same here and for the exact same reason.
Rather silly of them. Conservatives made Fox a success, and it can all be just as easily undone. With so many liberal networks, who needs yet another one? Sometimes I find myself watching CNN lately—at times, it’s less liberal than Fox. But mostly, I confess, I’m just watching news less, and reading FR more. Still, sad to see Fox turn into a pumpkin.
Those are great quotes. Ailes has said at some point he’s going to write another book (it’s been 20-something years since the last one.) I hope he does it soon. The man is very smart, blunt, and always interesting.
Your candidate has already been chosen for us, they just want us to shut up and swallow hard and vote for Mitt. Although they have a back up in Christie just in case....
I'm still waiting for Romney's turn in the box.
Given the on-air support he enjoys among the Fox talent, I won't hold my breath.
Fox News is not immune to dial turning. The best lay of the land can be found on talk radio. And one can drive while listening!
Give your cable the boot and switch to GBTV. Glenn has only gotten stronger. Well worth the money and he is covering things you won’t see on TV at all, even Fox and Hannity. I’m starting to think there was much more going on at Fox that led Glenn to leave. They have definitely gotten softer on important issues-it is disgusting.
Head’s up on what is happening to Ailes and Fox, with respect to Sarah Palin and her wisdom in avoiding those awful “debates.”
In the MSNBC debate, Williams and Co tried to get the GOP wannabes fighting amongst themselves. MSNBC failed.
CNN had better luck and got them firing shots. FoxNews got them to continue sniping at each other.
So far, the Media have been winning the GOP debates, as the GOP contenders shoot each other in the foot.
I think the headline is misleading. Because they were tough in their debate means they are tacking to the left? Hardly. If Perry is soft on immigration, Fox is doing the conservative cause a favor by bringing it out. I think the debate was really good. I have been supporting Perry because he is the conservative with the best chance of winning. I am now re-thinking my position. In light of the straw poles, I would love to see Herman Cain rise in the polls. I think he’s the best candidate in the race, period! I can’t find any difference in my position with Cains. He’s a great speaker for the conservative cause and he would tear Obama up in a debate.
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