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- iHaveNet.com: Politics
by Bill Press
At War with Fox News (© Drew Sheneman)
No matter how many more troops he sends into battle, President Obama must understand that this is one war he can't win.
No, I'm not talking about the war between American troops and the Taliban. I'm talking about the war between the
War with Fox was declared by Gen. Barack Obama himself on Sept. 20, when he appeared on five Sunday morning political shows but deliberately shunned "Fox News Sunday" and showed up on Univision, instead. Which caused Fox anchor Chris Wallace to sound like a crybaby in calling
The war escalated a couple of weeks later when Obama's Communications Director Anita Dunn took the gloves off. Appearing on "Reliable Sources," she told
Joining forces, Moveon.org then issued a call for all Democrats in
Taking on the biggest of the cable news networks is a risky strategy for the
Why? It's not because Anita Dunn's wrong. She and Obama are absolutely correct about Fox. It's not a news operation, it's a pure, 24/7, right-wing propaganda network. Its political shows -- Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity and Bill O'Reilly -- all plan their broadcasts based on that day's
But Obama also has to accept reality. That's what Fox is. It's been the conservative news network from day one. Rupert Murdoch and Roger Ailes designed it that way. Its slogan should be: "We distort, you decide." It amounts to little more than right-wing talk radio, with pictures added. And, here's the important part: they're not going to change.
And why should they? For years, Fox has been the highest-rated of the three cable news networks. Now, as a result of increased
Look at the numbers. Rather than hurt Fox, all this attention from the
There's one other piece of reality in this equation that the
My advice to the
As for all "respectable" journalists boycotting Fox? Chalk me up as a disrespectable journalist, I guess. I've appeared many times on Fox, and I'd do the same again tomorrow.
After all, it's no fun always preaching to the choir. At any time of day, there are more eyeballs watching Fox than any other cable channel. As long as I'm invited, I won't give up the sadistic pleasure of taking my liberal, pro-Obama message right into the enemy camp -- and spitting right in their eye.
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