Posted on 10/20/2009 4:04:00 PM PDT by Free ThinkerNY
This seems so obviously correct that I feel embarrassed for not having figured it out sooner.
The rationale of the White House offensive against Fox News has been a topic of much puzzlement lately. Is this just the White House lashing out? Are they trying to rally the base?
But I think Mike Allen and Josh Gerstein nail the real explanation in their story today: The White House is working to prevent stories born on Fox from crossing over into more widely-viewed media. Most Americans still haven’t heard of Van Jones, for instance; and the strategy is now all about containment…
Allen and Gerstein:
“We’re doing what we think is important to make sure news is covered as fairly as possible,” a White House official told POLITICO, noting how the recent ACORN scandal story started because Fox covered it “breathlessly for weeks on end.”
“And then you had a couple days of breast-beating from The Washington Post and The New York Times about whether or not they were fast enough on the ACORN story,” the official said. “And it’s like: Wait a second, guys. Let’s make sure that we keep perspective on what are the most important stories, and what’s being driven by a network that has a perspective. Being able to make that point has been important.”…
“They’re not really a news station,” Axelrod told ABC’s “This Week.” “It’s not just their commentators, but a lot of their news programming if you watch, it’s really not news….The bigger thing is that other news organizations like yours ought not to treat them that way, and we’re not going to treat them that way. We’re going to appear on their shows. We’re going to participate, but understanding that they represent a point of view.”
(Excerpt) Read more at hotair.com ...
If they manage to silence Fox, it will be a Venezuelan moment. We will see more million person marches which, like in Venezuela, will not do anyone any good as it will not be reported. I was gonig to say demonstratiosn like in VZ< but we’re having them and nobody knows.
If you combine Rush, Fox, Beck and lets say all of the local conservative talkers like Mark (cant think of his last name) and Mike Gallagher etc. We have a good number.
Well, containment and maybe even shut them down entirely. I think both are correct.
I see no virtue in softpeddling the enemy.
I read Axelrod’s comment: ““They’re not really a news station,” Axelrod told ABC’s “This Week.” “It’s not just their commentators, but a lot of their news programming if you watch, it’s really not news….”
This is exactly what I thought the few times lately I’ve been exposed to abc, cbs or nbc “news”. I’ve wondered where the news was and why their common-tators were they covering such fluff stories as well as hawking vitriol of common sense & decency.
The teleprompter isn’t correctly programmed.
You wrote: “Why havent more News “people” come out against what the WH is doing? Its scary.”
My answer: Group Think. They can’t think outside the group.
Obama’s control over the media during his campaign pretty much mirrors what he is attempting now. During the election he snubbed and took cheap shots at FOX News at every oportunity with amazing (albeit sickening) results.
Same approach now . . . just more obvious.
Then the drive-bys will have to find a new Lib. darling....wonder who it will be?
I hope you’re right. A couple months ago, Brit Hume said similar, just wait until he ticks off the MSM.
Headline....”Obama’s Fatwa on Fox”... I like it
Oh yes sure that is a wonderful stradegy for a news organizaton! Ignore all of the real news and only report what the government wants you to report while watching your ratings plument into the toilet and your audience abandon you in favor of the one who actually breaks the big news.No wonder they need bought off err I mean bailed out.
Why havent more News “people” come out against what the WH is doing? Its scary.
It's simple - the Associated Press is a monopolistic organization (according to this site, found by SCOTUS to be in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act in 1945). It promotes the idea that journalism is objective, and it promotes the idea that journalism ("the press" as they style it) defines the public interest. It does not. The preservation, protection, and defense of the Constitution is the public interest.AP monopoly journalism works to promote the censorship of any opposition to its own priorities. And its own priority is to promote itself by cheap criticism and second guessing of the businessmen, policemen, and soldiers upon whose ability to work to a bottom line we all depend. In thus promoting itself, it promotes anyone who promotes that same cheap second guessing. And calls them "liberals" or "progressives," even tho they are neither.
Constitutional principles, vital to the liberty of all Americans, are being violated. No news organization holds the power of a branch of government, for that branch of government can use coercive measures to enforce its power in stifling free expression.
Fight the battle on principles, not issues. Articulate those principles to an American public who may not have been taught about them in the schools and colleges.
This is a wonderful opportunity for a history and civics lesson in the ideas of liberty!
Watch ABCCNNNBCMSNBCCBS for the same old drivel, or turn to FOXNEWS for news that will stimulate your intelligence.
May I suggest Al Franken...
I think this pundit is partially right, and so is Dick Morris....Fox has a huge audience. About 17% are Democrats.
They are Quislings, pure and simple.
I do see that they are stretching themselves too thin...They used to polarize and eliminate one at a time. Now there is a whole plethora of enemies, and the list grows daily. They can’t keep this up for long.
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