Fox News paints White House criticism of Fox as diversion to distract from health care reform debate
Fox News hosts and contributors are now asserting that the White House's criticism of Fox News is a diversion or a trick to direct attention away from the administration's policies, particularly health care reform. Glenn Beck has referred to the criticism as a "gold coin" used in a magic trick, while Newt Gingrich claimed the White House is trying to keep the media "focused on trivia."
Fox News: Criticism of Fox is a "distraction," a "shiny penny," "trivia," and a "magic" trick
Glenn Beck says Obama "is absolutely a magician," uses "gold coin" tricks to distract. On his Fox News show, Beck said, "You know, I have told you a million times, the guy is David Copperfield. He just keep falling for it over and over again. ... The guy is a magician." Then, pulling out a gold coin and purporting to do a magic trick, Beck said: "They need to distract us long enough. Use that misdirection, because, see, once they pull up and you turn on the lights and you're like, wow, that was amazing with that coin, you see, what has changed here? What has -- oh, my gosh! Oh, yeah. Health care has magically appeared. All while you were watching the stupid little coin. You know what? They believe if they can get you to watch the coin, if they can get you to have you watch me and Fox, well, then, they can slip this by and get it passed." [Glenn Beck, 10/21/09]
Karl Rove: Beck's gold coin trick was a "pretty good way to illustrate an important point." On his Twitter account, Rove responded to musician Joelon Wilson's assertion that Beck's coin trick was "right on" by writing that "[i]t was pretty good way to illustrate an important point." From Rove's Twitter feed: "Re: Coin trick on Beck. @futureicon It was pretty good way to illustrate an important point."
After Hannity guest says Fox fight is a "shiny penny," Hannity agrees that it's a "distraction." On Hannity, after Jeri Thompson, wife of former Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson, compared "the distraction on what they are doing exactly right now with this intimidation and the Fox tour," to a "shiny penny," Hannity said: "Let me see if I can sum this up. Is it that they want to distract from the debates that they're losing, the American public overwhelmingly, according to every credible poll is against Obamacare. Are they trying to distract, and are they trying to intimidate? You know, what's the strategy?" [Hannity, 10/21/09]
Newt Gingrich: White House trying to keep media "focused on trivia." On The O'Reilly Factor, Fox News contributor Newt Gingrich said the Obama administration is trying to "distract the country" from problems by having a "fight" with Fox News. Gingrich said: "If your choice is -- imagine you're Rahm Emanuel. And he's like, OK, now tomorrow I can have unemployment rising or a fight with Fox News. And next week, I can have health care too expensive or a fight with Rush Limbaugh. And I think they have a deliberate policy of trying to find a way to keep the news media focused on trivia in order to not deal with the real issues because the real issues are all going bad for them right now." [The O'Reilly Factor, 10/21/09]
Fox News previously presented itself as victim of relentless White House attack
Beck compared Fox News to Jews during the Holocaust, other news organizations to silent bystanders. On his October 13 radio show, Beck said: "When they're done with Fox, and you decide to speak out on something. The old, 'First they came for the Jews, and I wasn't Jewish.' When you have a question, and you believe that something should be asked, they're a -- totally fine with you right now; they have no problem with you. When they're done with Fox and talk radio, do you really think they're going to leave you alone if you want to ask a tough question? Do you really think that a man who has never had to stand against tough questions and has as much power as he does -- do you really believe after he takes out the number one news network, do you really think that this man is then not going to turn on you? That you and your little organization is going to cause him any hesitation at all not to take you out?" [Premiere Radio Networks' The Glenn Beck Program, 10/13/09]
Rove: "[T]hey're going to come hard at you, and they're going to cut your legs off." On the October 18 edition of Fox News Sunday, Fox News contributor Karl Rove said: "[T]his is an administration that's getting very arrogant and slippery in its dealings with people. And if you dare to oppose them, they're going to come hard at you, and they're going to cut your legs off. ... Fox is asking tough questions. Fox has got on the opinion side of it some very tough critics of the administration. They're conflating the news side and the opinion side in order to -- in order to attack a media outlet. Again, it's undignified for the president of the United States to be doing." Later, Rove said that "it is demeaning the office of the president by taking the president and moving him from a person who ought to be talking to everybody and communicating through every available channel to saying, 'If you oppose me, if you question me, if you're too tough on me, by gosh, me and my people are not going to -- are not going to come on. We're going to penalize you.' And that just is wrong, fundamentally wrong." [Fox News Sunday, 10/18/09]
Fox News hosts suggest they're on an "enemies list." Fox News personalities joined other conservative media figures in fearmongering that the White House has an "enemies list" and that Fox News is -- in Beck's words -- "another enemy" that "warmongers" in the Obama administration would fight with "missiles pointed right at Fox." Hannity claimed the White House is "promising retribution." Media figures previously baselessly suggested that people who reportedly claimed to have received unsolicited email from Obama adviser David Axelrod may have been added to a White House "enemies list" after emails they sent that were critical of the Obama administration were purportedly forwarded to flag@whitehouse.gov.
Wow, It sounds like the White-House is finally starting to turn the Screws.
Could it be because "Fox" is really just "Opinion Journalism" in its Views?
Poor News Corp, It seems its finally time for these Evil Doers to pay their Dues.
Speak truth to power.
Mr. News
Man, i thought i was a Perv but it's obvious you stand atop that Tree.
Andrea Mackris? Oh Bill, on this one i'm going to need the help of your Cracker Jack Reaserch Team.
Oh, i'm gonna use a Proctiscope on this one, i strongly suggest Bill-O that you get out that Preparation H Cream.
Speak truth to power.
Mr. News
The official White House position is that the rest of the media should join Team Obama in ostracizing a news outlet that the White House doesn’t like. This raises several obvious questions:
Since when does the federal government get to make programming decisions, much less decide what is and what is not a legitimate news organization?
Where did political consultants—people who spend their lives lying to reporters—get the moral standing to make pronouncements about journalistic ethics?
When did liberals agree it was OK to use government power to muzzle opinions they don’t agree with?
And, most of all, when did the press decide to go along with all of this?
Let's put it this way. If you had a product that a 24/7 news channel kept saying was bad, but you know it to be good and are trying to get the product to the marketplace, wouldn't you be a little angry at that 24/7 channel?
Look at it logically, man. No one is going to make Fox go away, they just need to stop lying.
Look back to what was called the 'Yellow Press'. That was a much more vitriolic.
No one has come close to saying that opposition is bad, nor has anyone come close to saying that opposition should be silenced.
But he started out his post correctly by saying "I don't know".
It wouldn't surprise me in the least if next week Beckie Boy accuses the White House of obsessing over health care reform to the detriment of other issues.
Again, conservative logic fails.
Then it was the White House saying that no one should give FoxNews credibility it doesn't deserve.
No liberals are suddenly crying 'foul'.
And, just a reminder, this story is about FoxNews crying 'foul', and that nonsensical argument from them being pointed out. They aren't a victim here, but they're trying to pretend to be a victim.
But RightON, famous derailer that he is, wants to turn that on its head. He wants to pretend that the discussion should be about how MMFA is whining, when they aren't whining at all. Pointing out facts is not whining. Calling someone out after it's shown they are giving their own motives to their opponent's argument is not whining. FoxNews is the group that trying to distract us, not vice versa. You're one of the troll posters here who tries to derail threads to distract us.
Whining about being caught trying to derail a thread is child-like. It would appear that you're the one who needs to grow up.
People here sometimes do need to have troll posts pointed out to them at times. They get wrapped up in the argument without realizing what's really going on. If they see it themselves, having it pointed out by another person doesn't hurt. If they don't see it, then it helps.
The only thing it hurts is your effort to derail a thread. I understand why you protest.
I don't care.
Republicans mastered the emotional argument and started winning elections. If you think the culture wars and fierce identity politics the right has been waging for the last three decades is anything but emotional manipulation, you have no idea what the right has been doing.
Meanwhile, it was the Democrats who stuck to dry policy speak and boring lists and stats and numbers to try and persuade voters what is in the best interest of the country. They got their butts handed to them for it in election after election because people aren't viscerally attached to poverty stats the way they are moved by, "welfare queens," or "killing unborn babies."
And in case you didn't know political strategy is all about winning elections whether it's election season or not.
You certainly weren't talking about policy or governing either. You were talking about strategy and you tried to worm out of it when you got nailed for implying liberals are politically emotional animals when, in fact, it's the right that relies on emotional manipulation to win hearts and minds.
I guess the administration is supposed to just roll over dead as soon as Fox and friends make their pronouncements.
Actually if the administration is doing any kind of slight of hand, it is that its reform plan is a distraction from any serious discussion of a single payer option. Why can't we even give it consideration? Of course, the fact that the administration is not even considering a single payer option makes all the right wing whining even more of shiny magic trick.
This leads to the ultimate distracting spin of cold currency, the right wing disruption of any kind of government intervention in social policy. See, unless it is military, pro corporate welfare or law enforcement, its socialism, its death to grandma, its spit on the flag. This distraction helps us forget that at one time the government built interstate highways, sent GI’s to school and created social security. Such proposals nowadays would die in the vine, accused of being evil socialist plots.
I guess the administration is supposed to just roll over dead as soon as Fox and friends make their pronouncements.
Actually if the administration is doing any kind of slight of hand, it is that its reform plan is a distraction from any serious discussion of a single payer option. Why can't we even give it consideration? Of course, the fact that the administration is not even considering a single payer option makes all the right wing whining even more of shiny magic trick.
This leads to the ultimate distracting spin of cold currency, the right wing disruption of any kind of government intervention in social policy. See, unless it is military, pro corporate welfare or law enforcement, its socialism, its death to grandma, its spit on the flag. This distraction helps us forget that at one time the government built interstate highways, sent GI’s to school and created social security. Such proposals nowadays would die in the vine, accused of being evil socialist plots.
Just keep writing my friend.
Mr. News
They'll delete it if someone clicks on "report abuse" and selects "duplicate post". It doesn't happen automatically.
I would think that the person who ends up creating a duplicate post should be the one who reports it to MMFA.
Most Democrats silently go along with the far left in their party. While Republicans are becoming more divided. With a special consideration for the Christian far right. The republicans tapped this voter base in the 90s and now its coming back to bite them in the ass.
HAHAHAHAHA!
When the White House succeeds in making the Fox News maniacs the same as the Republican impediment to progress in government their poll numbers will continue to go up. Check the latest polls if you don't believe me. As Fox News has gotten more and more rabid with the healthcare debate, the numbers have all moved toward the left. More and more people want the public option the more Fox News tells them it will spell impending doom.
Debate had to be in quotes, because the public option was never fully considered, just thrown out at the beginning as a concession to a minority party that will never cooperate on anything this administration attempts. The opposition to health reform has had, literally, months to present it's case, and the very people who are accusing the White House of a diversion are the ones who spent the last several months lying about what was in the bill rather than debating policy.
FOX Propaganda, if you intended to show the FauxCon hypocrisy in stark relief, you could hardly have chosen a better way to do it.
Having the White House come out and say Fox news is slanted is like coming out and saying the sun rises in the east. Its just a waste of time on a commonly known fact. Bad White House, BAD!
*slaps White House with rolled up newspaper*
Focus on the important things.
If you think that they can't inform the public about FoxNews, and chastise other news organizations about how they treat FoxNews as a credible news source, AND do all kinds of other things at the same time, then you need to rethink that position.
It is true that if this effort stretched them too thin, then they shouldn't do it. But there's no evidence that's true.
Thanks for your concern trolling, but no thanks.
This is far from trolling. I am making a legitmate point. For the White House to take time complaining about a clearly slanted and biased "news" source is taking away from the things they should be focusing on (healthcare, Afghanistan, the economy, etc.) and is giving too much credit and attention to Fox. Fox caters to the far right and opposition of Fox by the Obama administration just gives them more fuel to the fire to fight with and gain more support against Obama's White House.
The best thing the White House can do is stay on point to what they want to get across. Don't get drawn into petty conflicts and control the flow of information coming out of the White House so it can't be slanted by Fox (but they will find a way to do it anyway).
I know a little something about PR and journalism. I did it on a national and international level in the military. What are your qualifications Dell?
It's a warning to someone that your advice would be for them to stop doing what they're doing. Only because you're looking out for their best interests, and you can see what they have overlooked.
But your false premise was that the Obama Administration can't concentrate on this and other things too, and that's demonstrably false.
The suggestion that FoxNews should be ignored is an experiment that was tried and failed. Ask John Kerry, or Al Gore how well it worked for them to ignore their opponent's false accusations. They thought that giving those false attacks attention would give them added weight and power. It was a stupid strategy.
That's why it's clear that you're a concern troll.
It seems to me you are the one using troll tacticts. You are making assumptions on my post of things I never said. You are putting words into my mouth. Point out to me where I said the White House should "stop what they're doing?"
Where did I say Fox news should be "ignored?"
Where did I say the Obama Administration "can't concentrate on this and other things too?"
I said they were dumb to single out and talk about a blame game with Fox when there are other things they SHOULD focus on.
Show me where I said "stop and ignore?" Those are your words not mine. I never said the White House should be an ostrich and stick its head in the sand. There are other tactics that are more effective in dealing with Fox than the, "They are big meanies that lie" tactic.
Yes the Dems have shown little backbone in the past from the Right's attacks. That is good they want to stand up and do something about it, but name-calling in the press towards Fox "News" is not the way to go about it. But I wouldn't expect you to understand that. There are greater strategies in the field of media and public relations. Look up Edward Bernays and Ivy Lee.
Again, what are your qualifications in PR and journalism and politics? I already stated mine.
Great job...
This is a long view strategy and it will prove an effective step in the direction of further exposing the Republican party for the corporate authoritarians they are and reveal Fox to be their propaganda wing. You're just mad that the left is taking this opportunity to hammer the nails in the coffin of the GOP.
Damn revealing.
I made my point and I stand by it. The Dems are marginalizing the GOP as they should because you can't change policy if you can't win election. This politics not pat-a-cake.
Hello, newsflash. The Democrats just pummeled the Republicans on every level in the most recent elections, so have at it. Change policy, do what you want. Stop complaining about a GOP that got their a$$ handed to them and has no power. Stop electioneering and start governing, if you are able.
It was a bogus argument the first time it was raised, complaining that Obama was taking on too much, and it's still bogus.
The previous election is not the only important election.
And no, we won't take your concern trolling advice that we ignore FoxNews, since we've already won an election and we need to concentrate on governing and ignore FoxNews.
I think you are confusing me and right ON about our stance on the White House. Again, I NEVER said to "ignore" Fox, but there are alternatives to retaliating to them that doesn't involve direct public ridicule of Fox. The White House needs to stay focused on the important issues. I NEVER said they can't handle multi-tasking, so quit putting words into my mouth, you are acting like a Fox talking head.
And are you contradicting yourself in the above comment? You say you wont take "trolling" advice to ignore Fox, but then say "we need to concentrate on governing and ignore FoxNews?" Really? Or is that just poor paraphrasing of right ON's comment? You really need to clarify your thoughts.
Things are changing brother. You need to recognize.
Lead, follow or get out of the way.
But it's not, so you don't.
We saw what ignoring long-term strategy did. It got Bush elected over Kerry, since he didn't fight back against the stories from the Swift Boat vets that should have died rapid deaths.
This isn't about ratings at all. Ratings don't matter. The truth matters. FoxNews and Rush and Karl Rove are all trying to distract us from the facts surrounding the healthcare reform debate. They, and RightON, are trying to distract us because they know that reality is against them.
Ratings don't matter. Only people trying to ignore reality think that it's all a popularity contest.
You do realize that Fox didn't turn a profit for their first few years in service of corporate America? Murdoch spent a half a billion dollars of his own personal money propping up his propaganda machine before Hannity turned the first dollar in profit for Fox? Right? So don't try to tell us about ratings or short term goals.
Give Ed Shultz, Rachel Maddow and Keith Olberman four or five years on tv and they will beat all your con liars to a pulp in the ratings game.
There are no names big enough in the Republican party to point out to the American people and say "There's our problem". Those of us paying attention all the time know that the Republican party is offering nothing but obstruction - no new ideas, no policies, no nothing. Well, the American people do know who Limbaugh and Fox News are - and they do not have high opinions of either. So, when you use them as your antagonist the people can easily understand the issue. Of course the Republican party is offering nothing but turning the crazy up a notch, look at Beck or listen to Limbaugh any day of the week. They are willing to cheer against their own country for the sake of party.
I think it is a wonderful piece of political maneuvering by the White House. Now, the Republicans who have used Fox News and Limbaugh as their attack dogs will have to explain to the American people why they are not like Limbaugh and Fox News without angering the rabid right Frankenstein that they have created. And there is no downside for Obama. What's the worst thing that happens, Fox News gets crazier after Obama? That card is already being played, and while it spells good things for Fox's Nielsen ratings, it does not win elections. This has already been proven.
Now I certainly think Fox has taken that to a new level, or a new low depending on how you see it, but isn't Obama just feeding the beast here and bringing Fox to his level by trading potshots with them? Isn't that best left to those who don't tarnish themselves nearly as much if they get soiled along with Fox in their slugfests?
In other words, nothing has really changed in Washington or with the election of Obama, has it, as we were promised. Same old slash and burn politics of the old guard. And Fox gets bigger and more outlandish at the end. And we are more divided and bitter at the end. If that satisfies you because Democrats can stay in power, so be it. I guess I am not that invested in one political party destroying another because none of us is better off when that happens. Vibrant opposition is good for all of our interests.
You are partially right when you say Repbulicans have to explain they aren't like those people. I notice most Repbulicans are trying to distance themselves from people like Beck and Limbaugh. But they are still tied in with Fox and that ilk because of people like Rove and Cheney always on there speaking on behalf of Republicans.
But if Fox doesn't have the credibility some are claiming, why has Beck's attacks affected staffing on the Obama administration? That seems like influence to me.
Again, from a PR standpoint, directly and publicly coming out against Fox by White House staff, while on the surface seems good, is not the best way to attack Fox. A frontal and public attack is actually not the best method. Staying on point with their messages, giving factual and positive messages while quietly supporting other resources to discredit and attack Fox is a better route. I know this from experience, I would think the White House would know this too.
I am just as sick of Fox as anybody else, but there are better ways to deal with them and their smears. But people go to find news from places that have the same view as themselves. And this attack on Fox by the White House is just giving more fuel at Fox to spread their message of hate and fear to the largest audience of any 24 hour news channel out there. Sad but true.
Keep on talking about fact-checking, maybe some day your viewers will actually do it themselves.