The Obama administration may not want to escalate the war in Afghanistan, but it certainly wants to escalate its war against Fox News. In recent weeks, the President has excluded Fox News from interviews and refuses to recognize the network’s reporters at press conferences. Now key administration officials are claiming that the network is not a bona fide news gathering organization.
According to White House Senior Adviser David Axelrod, Fox News is just a TV version of talk radio and other news networks “ought not to treat them that way.” Yesterday, the administration tried to exclude Fox News from an interview with “pay czar” Kenneth Feinberg. All of the other networks, except Fox News, were given access to Feinberg. Fortunately, the other networks rebelled and refused to interview Feinberg if Fox News was excluded. The White House eventually relented and made the “pay czar” available to everyone. This gambit could have violated the Constitution in the view of legal analyst Peter Johnson, Jr. "What was averted was a very serious constitutional violation by the White House. There cannot be selective and arbitrary access to the White House based on some subjective determination," he said.
However, this incident is just the latest in a long line of attacks against the one network that is fair and balanced. Fox News has plenty of liberal commentators on the air. While it features high profile conservatives, most of the most prominent personalities are not Republicans. The other networks are solidly liberal and provide few outlets for conservatives.
It is amusing that the White House is so concerned with Fox News, which is the only balanced news network. Of course, Team Obama has no problem with the liberal slant on the major broadcast networks, CNN or MSNBC. Just this week, President Obama held a meeting with media liberals at the White House. Maureen Dowd from the New York Times, as well as Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow from MSNBC joined other liberal hacks at the gathering. I guess the purpose was to celebrate liberalism and bash Fox News, but it exposed the true philosophy of this White House. America is not witnessing some sort of moderate Democrat trying to forge a centrist path, but, instead, the most radically liberal President in our nation’s history.
If Fox News is not a reputable news outlet, then no one should consider MSNBC, CNN or the New York Times as reputable. The hypocrisy is astounding, but what is even worse is that the administration is working on an enemies list. It is clear that President Obama and his cronies want to silence and eliminate all media opposition. According to U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Obama is following in the dangerous footsteps of former President Richard Nixon. He is also following the example of Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez, who has silenced opposition media in his country.
One of the next moves for the administration will be a major push to pass the Fairness Doctrine to silence talk radio and shut down another source of opposition to the Obama agenda. Taken together, all of these moves are disturbing, according to David Zurawik of the Baltimore Sun. "What it's really about to me is the Executive Branch of the government trying to tell the press how it should behave. I mean, this democracy -- we know this -- only works with a free and unfettered press to provide information," he said.
These attacks on Fox News and talk radio are quite scary and should send a chill down the spine of every American. The people should not take these actions lightly. For our system of government to operate, the people need to hold their political leaders accountable and get real information about what is happening in WashingtonD.C. An independent media is essential for our democracy to function properly, which is why the war against Fox News is one that this White House can never be allowed to win.
Jeff Crouere is the Host of “Ringside Politics,” which airs at 7:30 p.m. Fri. and 10:00 p.m. Sun. on WLAE-TV 32, a PBS station, and 7 till 11 a.m. weekdays on WGSO 990 AM in New Orleans and the Northshore. He is the Political Analyst for WGNO-TV ABC26 and a Columnist for selected publications. For more information, visit his web site at RingsidePolitics.com. E-mail him at jeff@ringsidepolitics.com.
Louis must have been reading my mind (as if that is possible, ahh, but the happenstance, circumstance, and the what it is of the subject, now that's an interesting muse to consider... Hmmmmm, possiblities, probabilities) while I was entering the post below... Yeah Louis, you are pretty shallow now aren't you? Ahhhh,,, I got it!!!!!! Fricken mole state worker with spy ware!!! Excellent you pain in the arse!!!! Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!!! Written by
on 10/26/2009
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Yes Jeffy, tell it like it is, I would hate to see FOX news reduced down to an entity that has to get their news from other news stations much in the fashion that the Bayou Buzz (that doesn't know if it is a news website, a gossip website, or simply another vehicle that is dependent upon advertisement so their staffys can make an additional side paycheck) is that will simply spoon feed the masses the same old crap (much like the Bayou Buzz does) instead of going out there and finding something newsworthy that has the public's interests and implications at the heart of it.... Yeah I love the hypocricy of it all... Enjoy your new reality, it is close at hand and you among others worked hard for it... You deserve every dime you make in advertisement dollars..... Love the new one for little Mary - Mary - quite contrary Landreau.... Written by STRONGCONCRETE
on 10/26/2009
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Tell it like it is Jeff. This Administration is determined to "shut up" any and all disagreement with its policies. Perhaps this week the other networks realized that. Good for them to stand up and say that FOX is part of the "pool" and if they were not included, then none would participate. There may be hope for some of the press yet. Written by Sharon
on 10/24/2009
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The Obama administration may not want to escalate the war in Afghanistan??? I don't blame the president for that.... In fact, even though lot's of folks are joining the National Guard because of the unbelievable pay a pvt. or a pfc (E-1 and E-2) make, as well as the implied benefits that in the long run have more equity than any Vietnam era or W.W.-II era, or Korean War era veteran recieved, I am pretty sure the Prez doesn't want to see their lives snuffed needlessly... This Afghanistan thing is a tricky topic, and their are more dark hallways than there are doors to success in the offering if we do this wrong... I have faith in the Generals estimation of the situation at hand, but I do not think this is a war, it is merely another Police action because we are not at war with the Afghans, we are supposed to be looking for some crazy named, oh hell, I forget his name, let me think for a second, Oh yeah! The Ayatollah Khomeini... no, that's not it, uh, Mohmar Ghadafi, no that's not it, uhhhh, Sadamm Hussein, nah, he's been takin' care of, uhhh, Kim Jong-il - nah, we are giving that some time, uhh, what was that guys name? Ohhhh, Jesus Christ!! No, we ain't looking for him, it was sum one else, now let me see...... Oh I remember!!! Sammy Davis Junior!!! Nahhh, that's not it either.... I remember he was some kind of Homo that was attatched to some radical homo group called El-Queeraida that beleived in bombing for human rights or the right to be gay or something like or like that, hmmmmm,,, let me see..... OH, I REMEMBER NOW!!! OSAMA BIN LINDBURG!!!! That's who we are looking for!!! Oh yeah, and the Gay Tallywacker Brigade!!!! No wonder the 'Don't Ask/Don't Tell' policy is being scrutinized lately, we are afraid of a large number of defectors over to the other side... Written by
on 10/24/2009
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"Jeff Crouere is a former executive director of the Louisiana Republican Party."..... who was Seminary-bred and groomed to become a Catholic priest. Written by KjunLady
on 10/24/2009
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It is being reported that it was a lie that Fox News was debnied access. Fox was the one that did not set up a vedio interview. Major Garrett admitted that Fox did not request to be on the list. Please stop spread lies on the White House. President Obama is a constitution lawyer and he would not be so stupid as to violate the constitution. When are we going to have investigative journalist like those of old who invested the news before reporting it and no just report what another news media report as news without checking out the facts? Written by John Brown
on 10/23/2009
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Jeff, your own bias is showing. I bet you think that you are fair and balanced. Your right wing leanings show right through your article. Written by concerned!!!
on 10/23/2009
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For the record, David Quidd is a failed political candidate who was approved of by 7% of the voters. Written by
on 10/23/2009
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Obama, Axelrod and Rob "dead fish" Emmanuel have to have somebody to last out at. They have NBC, MSNBC, CBS, ABC and to a slightly lesser extent CNN eating out of their lap and supporting them right down the line. If you don't like answering the tough questions in a free speech and freedom of the press country like the United States(and they would like to change that---it's part of that "change" we can believe in), just attack the questioner rather than answer the questions. The president can go on Fox News anytime he would like to tell his side but he would rather hide under his desk so to speak and let his lap dogs, Emmanuel and Axelrod, shoot the messenger because they don't like the message. Written by Randall
on 10/23/2009
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Fox News is run by Roger Ailes, a longtime GOP political consultant. I am not aware of any other "news network" run by a former political consultant. If you are truly fair and balanced, you don't have to say it. For the record, Jeff Crouere is a former executive director of the Louisiana Republican Party. Written by David Quidd
on 10/23/2009
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What is all this "off the record" stuff? This was a White House pool event. FOX News has been a member of the pool for years. To exclude them is not acceptable and I for one am happy to see that for once the rest of the press did not allow it. Written by Sharon
on 10/23/2009
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""""What is or is not bias in the reporting of news is in the hands of the citizens of this nation.........""""??????? Yeah, that's probably why the 'news' is reporting on an overpriced "2 mile" long project the SHAW GROUP has completed and not mentioning anything about the cost savings STRONGCONCRETE could provide..... It all depends on who the citizens are that makes sure the news is in their hands and what their bias happens to be I would suppose. Written by
on 10/23/2009
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Who is being denied access again? It was an "off the record" event, meaning that nothing that would be discussed at that meeting would be reported on. Do you think that President Obama should trust Fox News to keep things "off the record"? I wouldn't... just as if I was President Bush I wouldn't trust liberal media outlets to keep things "off the record" and he didn't (which is why he only invited conservatives to HIS events). Now, if Fox News is ever denied a press pass to attend a press conference or any other official act that is on the record then I will by all means defend their right to be there as a member of the media, even as biased as they are. Written by Daniel Z
on 10/23/2009
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What is or is not bias in the reporting of news is in the hands of the citizens of this nation and the Constitution of the United States. Is the press being denied access because of what it says in reports to the citizens? Then the citizens are being denied their rights. Now who is gong to represent the plaintiffs and what plaintiffs wish their names to be used? Written by RhettsWife
on 10/23/2009
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Obama already escalated the war in Afghanistan. He increased troops, as he promissed to do in his campaign. The administration invited liberal talk show hosts (like Rachel Maddow) to an off the record meeting on Monday. This happened once. President Bush held many Conservative only meetings. Obama, on the other hand, also held a conservative only dinner at George Will's house a week before he took office. Did Bush ever extend a hand to liberal talk show hosts? I think not. George Bush made it very difficult to get press passes to media events and even blocked some liberal hosts from getting media passes. President Obama has streamlined the process for the media to get access and has not denied press passes to conservatives. Fox News still has access. And the idea that Fox News is balanced is really laughable. When you say "For our system of government to operate, the people need to hold their political leaders accountable and get real information about what is happening in Washington D.C. An independent media is essential for our democracy to function properly" you are correct. However, I would say that Fox News declared war on Obama and his administration first and it is only reasonable for Obama and the administration to defend themselves against their clear bias and lies. Maybe Fox is just jealous because apparently the salmon at the off the record meeting with those in the liberal media was really good.
Written by Daniel Z
on 10/23/2009
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The Obama administration may not want to escalate the war in 
