Ailes in 2012??

Following 9-month political campaign against administration, Fox chief Ailes reportedly pushed to run for president

"The only question is whether we depict Willie Horton with a knife in his hand or without it." -- Roger Ailes

"I have known Roger Ailes for 29 years...No one knows how to win better than Roger."-- Frank Luntz

Washington, DC - In light of reports that "friends and associates" are pushing for Fox News president Roger Ailes to throw his hat in the ring for the 2012 presidential race, Media Matters for America released the following statement:  

"Though he claims to be in the business of 'fair and balanced' news, Ailes' heart clearly belongs to partisan politics," said Eric Burns, president of Media Matters. "This Bush campaign veteran and his news channel have been on a nine-month campaign to destroy the Obama administration."

BACKGROUND

The Politico reported today that "[f]riends and associates are encouraging Fox News chief Roger Ailes to jump into the political area for real by running for president in 2012." Though Ailes has said he would "decline" because "[t]his country needs fair and balanced news more now than ever before," the network chief is no stranger to the political arena.

Earlier in his career, he served as a political consultant for a number of Republican candidates, including Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan, and was credited, along with Lee Atwater, with helping George H.W. Bush come from behind to beat Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis in the 1988 presidential election. Part of that winning strategy included portraying Dukakis as "soft on crime" and connecting him with convicted felon Willie Horton. Horton committed assault, armed robbery, and rape during a weekend furlough - a program granting temporary release to prisoners that Dukakis supported but was created under the previous governor.

While the Bush campaign did not produce the Horton ad that was widely criticized as "racist," Ailes and Atwater did produce the "Revolving Door" ad that similarly attacked Dukakis for the furlough program. Ailes has been quoted as saying, "The only question is whether we depict Willie Horton with a knife in his hand or without it."

As Media Matters has noted, Fox News has been waging a partisan political war against the White House since Inauguration Day, revealing both its disdain for journalistic standards and its all-consuming political agenda -- qualities that clearly differentiate Fox News from any credible news organization.

"Voice of the opposition": Fox News openly advocates against Democratic Congress, White House

SUMMARY: Since Barack Obama's inauguration, Fox News has frequently engaged in political advocacy against the Democratic Congress and White House. Specifically, Fox News personalities have promoted and encouraged viewers to "join" tea party protestsand town hall meetings. Glenn Beck created The 9-12 Project, and Fox News aggressively promoted and covered the group's September 12 "March on Washington." Led by Beck, the network has engaged in a witch hunt seeking to "get rid of" Obama administration officials and nominees; implored viewers to call Congress and the White House to protest Democratic policies; and celebrated "victor[ies]" when Democratic legislation has been stalled.

Fox's news programs echo its "opinion" shows: Smears, doctored videos, GOP talking points

SUMMARY: Fox News has responded to White House criticisms of its network by claiming that while its "editorial" programs are filled with "vibrant opinion," its news hours are straight and objective. However, Fox News' purportedly straight news programs echo its "editorial" programs: Media Matters for America has compiled a non-exhaustive list -- from this year alone -- documenting how Fox's news programming features smears, falsehoods, doctored and deceptive editing, and GOP talking points.

Fox News on a witch hunt for Obama "czars"

SUMMARY: On September 8, Fox News host Megyn Kelly stated that "more of President Obama's special advisers are now under scrutiny after the resignation of his green jobs czar" Van Jones, and she described "criticisms" being lodged against Obama science and technology adviser John Holdren and Obama nominee Cass Sunstein. Indeed, Fox News personalities have been leading the charge against Jones, Holdren, Sunstein, and other Obama administration officials and nominees they have described as "czars" -- often by unearthing and criticizing statements the officials had made in the past rather than critiquing their job performance or credentials for those positions. Sean Hannity, for example, declared that "my job starting tomorrow night is to get rid of every other ['czar']."

Would a real news organization help GOP PACs raise money?

SUMMARY: Although Fox News rejects criticism that it is viewed as a political organization, Fox News contributor Dick Morris repeatedly used his Fox News appearances to solicit donations to an ad campaign by the League of American Voters, which asserts it is "Leading the Fight to Stop Obama Care." On Hannity, Morris bragged of his group's fundraising success, reporting that his website had "raised now $2.5 million" to run the LAV ads against Democratic health care reform proposals. Morris is not alone in using Fox News as a forum to raise money for conservative causes. Fox News host Mike Huckabee has also used Fox News shows to raise money for Republican political action committees, and Fox News' promotion of the Tea Party Express helped a Republican PAC with fundraising.

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