For years Fox has masqueraded as a news network while acting as the Republican Party’s own version of Pravda by spreading misinformation instead of reporting the news. When a Democrat has been in the White House they have concentrated on a constant stream of dishonest attacks. In contrast, when George Bush was president, they shifted away from such criticism and participated in spreading the lies coming from his administration.
The White House is no longer playing along with Fox’s pretense of being a fair and balanced news organization. Earlier in the month when Obama pulled off the “full Ginsburg” he substituted Univision for Fox when doing five interviews the same day. Now the White House is willing to use the L-word. Today The White House Blog posted a Reality Check which began by debunking some of the latest false claims made by Glenn Beck and one of his guests. They began:
Last night Fox News continued its disregard for the facts in an attempt to smear the Administration’s efforts to win the Olympics for the United States. In the past, hosting the Olympics has been a source of pride and unity for the country, but once again Fox News’ Glenn Beck program has shown that nothing is worthy of respect if it can be used as part of a partisan attack to boost ratings.RHETORIC: BECK SAID VANCOUVER LOST $1 BILLION WHEN IT “HAD THE OLYMPICS.” Glenn Beck said, “Vancouver lost, how much was it? they lost a billion dollars when they had the Olympics.” [Transcript, Glenn Beck Show, 9/29/09]REALITY: VANCOUVER’S OLYMPICS WILL NOT TAKE PLACE UNTIL 2010. Vancouver will host the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games from February 12 – 28, 2010 and March 12-21, 2010, respectively. [Vancouver2010.com, accessed 9/29/09]RHETORIC: VALERIE JARRETT “WAS LAST SEEN WITH THE NEA.” Beck’s guest, FOX News contributor Pat Caddell, said, “[Obama] is going to go [to Copenhagen] with Valerie Jarrett who was last seen with the NEA pumping up their use of, you know, money.” [Transcript, Glenn Beck Show, 9/29/09]REALITY: VALERIE JARRETT WAS NOT ON THE NEA CONFERENCE CALL. Valerie Jarrett was not a participant in the August 10, 2009 United We Serve/NEA conference call.
This is just the latest public declaration in the barely-subsurface battle that has been going on for months between Fox News and the White House–which Fox is winning at least in terms of ratings. We are in new terrain here. The White House is using its official blog to go after a network. The network long ago demonstrated that its raison d’etre for the moment is organizing, chaneling and profiting from the opposition to basically anything the White House does.Since both the White House and Fox are largely trying to rally different audiences, they can both benefit by keeping this fight going. In other words, there is a lot more “Calling ‘Em Out” to come.
At least it was a two way battle. For years Fox has engaged in misinformation campaigns with too little response from the other side.
I think it would be wonderful for Rio to get the Olympics.
If the President would go on FOX NEWS and answer their question pertaining to Health Care maybe this B.S. wouyld end and the american people can try to figure out who is telling LIES.
It was Fox who, despite putting out a constant stream of lies, had decided not to cover Obama when he did address the country on health care reform. Fox doesn’t have any questions they want answered. They want to spread their misinformation.
You are right about Glen Beck being wrong about Vancouver. He led his show off admitting he was wrong. He stated that he mixed up Vancouver with Calgary. It was Calgary that lost billions.
It is good to see that Beck has corrected one of his errors. Unfortunately that leaves a tremendous number of other false statements which he not only hasn’t corrected but repeats.
I have watched Obama address the country on
Health Care Reform many time on all the news networks . I know C. Wallace and S. Hannity have questions to ask him, Surely you have heard them say this when you were watching them tell Lies.
I am beginning to fell like there is no transparency in this Administration, all they want to do is hurry and pass this bill before lettin the American People whats in it. NOT A GOOD WAY TO BUSINESS.
They might phrase it as having questions, but the Fox commentators are only interested in distorting what is being proposed and distributing the misinformation fed to them by the insurance industry. The administration has displayed considerable transparency in this. The information is out there if you pay attention to valid sources rather than the liars at Fox and on conservative talk radio. And yes, the American people do want this. Before they were confused by the misinformation spread by the insurance industry and their lackeys at Fox the polls were strongly in favor. Americans do support what is actually being proposed.
Fox does lie a lot. But we should not abandon reading fox news, simply because we have to expose such lies, and not let fox news get away with further lies.
This is in reply to R Stout.
Accusing Mr. Obama, and the White House, is not going to convince me.
If you have specifics to write do so, and I will meet your challenge with rebuttals.
I will even show you how currupt and evil the conservatives are.