Barack Obama is more than happy to let his advisers do the dirty work. His team has been leveling a steady stream of criticism against Fox News, claiming the organization is not "real." However, when Obama was asked about the White House offensive directly, he bailed out. At one point during a recent interview, Obama said, "I think that what our advisers simply said is, is that we are going to take media as it comes." Take the media as it comes? What does that even mean?
Obama's team continued the Fox News battle this week, as questions popped up during the White House press briefing. That brings White House Spokesman Robert Gibbs into the mix along with Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, Senior Adviser David Axelrod, and Communications Director Anita Dunn. That's quite a collection of high level staff, and Obama doesn't have the fortitude to even back up their claims.
First, let's go back to Tuesday's White House press briefing. During the question and answer session, Jake Tapper of ABC News asked Gibbs about the ongoing war the White House is having with Fox News:
Jake Tapper, ABC News: It hasn't escaped our notice that in the last few weeks the White House has decided to declare war on one of our sister organizations saying it's not a news organization and tell the rest of the news media to not treat them like a news organization. Can you explain why it's appropriate for the White House to say one of them is not a news organization and the rest of the media should not treat them like one.
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs: We render opinion based on some of their coverage and the fairness of that coverage.
Tapper: That's a pretty sweeping declaration that they're not a news organization. How are they different from, say another, say ABC, MSNBC, Univision?
Gibbs: You and I should watch sometime around 9 o'clock tonight or five this afternoon.
Tapper: I'm not talking about their opinion programs. Or issues you have with certain reports. I'm talking about saying that thousands of individuals who work for a media organization do not work for a news organization. Why is that appropriate for the White House to say?
Gibbs: That is our opinion.
Carol E. Lee, Politico: Does that mean the White House doesn't believe they should be part of the press pool?
Gibbs: The press pool is decide by the White House Correspondents Association.
Lee: So you have no opinion on whether they should be ...
Gibbs: I'm not going to delineate for the White House Correspondents Association how the pool is conducted. That's not my job.
So... In his criticism of Fox News as not a "real" news organization, Gibbs points to opinion programs featuring Glen Beck and Sean Hannity. That sure does make a lot of sense, doesn't it?
Here's what Joe Scarborough had to say about the exchange:
Scarborough makes an excellent point. By trying to diminish the entire news organization, the White House is trying to achieve its real goal of having other media outlets ignore the Fox News stories.
As noted in a story on FOXNews.com, when asked about the White House strategy to attack Fox News, Obama first said, "[T]he American people are a lot more interested in what we're doing to create jobs or how we're handling the situation in Afghanistan."
** Aside: If Obama actually were doing something about the situation in Afghanistan, I WOULD be interested.
When pressed further in the NBC interview, Obama said, "I think that what our advisers simply said is, is that we are going to take media as it comes. ... And if media is operating, basically, as a talk radio format, then that's one thing. And if it's operating as a news outlet than that's another. But it's not something I'm losing a lot of sleep over."
What a weak answer! His White House and his team are leading the charge against a media outlet. They are trying to tell the American people what is news and what is not. This is unprecedented and scary. And that is Obama's reply? How weak and pathetic.
Hopefully, more reporters will see through this effort by Obama and his minions. If Obama is surrounding himself with crooks and radicals, then America should know about it, and reporters should do their jobs. There are plenty of news stories out there involving Obama's policies and his personnel. All they have to do is ask the right questions.
The other reporters and news agency's are either afraid repercussion from their superiors or they them self's are trying to shape the news instead of asking real questions and reporting the real news. As for the white house crooks, they are afraid that too many will here the truth and believe it. They can not stand the fact that FOX will ask hard question and will fact check and then call them out on it.
Comment by MrT October 22, 2009 @ 10:19 am
What a breath of fresh air is this Jake Tapper. I don't mind when someone has a different point of view, just as long as they get to express it factually and apparently he is the same kind of person. Kudos to Tapper for standing up for what is right....I guess he realizes this could happen to him in the future with this ganster type politics from the Obama/Emanuel Administration. Bully pulpits to the max!
I guess they are so thin skinned that any criticism has them crying foul or it was someone else's fault-big cry baby....I thought he was the President! One big empty suit!
Comment by PowerInTruth October 22, 2009 @ 10:42 am
Who is the President? Vice President? The cabinet members? Their policies and beliefs? What presidential appointments were made by the president? What happened in my hometown this past year? In my state? If FOX isn't a news agency, then I guess I don't really know the answers to any of these questions because that's where I get my news from!!!!
Comment by Econ_101 October 22, 2009 @ 10:47 am
In Germany, they came first for the Communists,
And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist;
Then they came for the trade unionists,
And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist;
Then they came for the Jews,
And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew;
Then... they came for me...
And by that time there was no one left to speak up."
-----Martin Niemöller
Comment by tonykphoto9 October 22, 2009 @ 10:55 am
"Take the Media as it comes." It means get rid of Fox news and conservative talk shows like Rush. Pelosi will try to restart that Freedom Act again. Be prepared!
Comment by VikingGoneWild October 22, 2009 @ 11:03 am
PRESENT!!!!
Comment by Tucker Scofield October 22, 2009 @ 11:10 am
I feel as though we are now living in some sort of alternative universe, a world in which common sense and logic have been replaced by a blind submission to ideology. I was forwarded a column written by David Corn on this very subject (see the link below). Corn is a liberal who used to make regular contributions to Fox News and although he calls the White House’s attacks on Fox unwise, he only does so based upon HOW they attack Fox. In Corn’s mind, Fox News SHOULD BE demeaned, but with the “clever use of derision” instead of outright bashing. To quote further:
“Rather than react in a huffy manner to Fox -- which provides an alternative reality to outraged conservatives who feel lost in Obama's America -- the White House ought to opt for what I'd call strategic derision. Good-natured belittling -- but belittling, all the same -- would go further than indignation, even if the indignation can be justified. That is, don't demolish Fox, demean it. Gibbs should chuckle when a Fox correspondent asks a Foxian question. After all, if Fox is not to be taken seriously, don't take it seriously. And by all means, don't send Obama officials on Fox shows. But if a White House official is asked about this, he or she should reply with dismissive humor, not anger. ("We'd rather be reading the Senate Finance Committee's health care reform bill.") Obama is well-skilled when it comes to deploying a light-but-cutting touch. That ought to be terms of engagement for his aides involved in the Fox skirmish. Fox is not important enough to be treated as Public Enemy No. 1.”
So here is another example of a liberal “journalist” who wishes to see a dissenting opinion squashed. Freedom of speech and freedom of the press, indeed. I would ask you this, David Corn: How long before ABC’s Jake Tapper is cut off?? How long before the ONLY “journalist” left is Keith Olbermann – who, by the way, happens to be so far up Obama’s rump he can tell you what Obama had for dinner the night previous??
I’ve said this before on this post and I’ll say it again: This country is being seduced by its own elitist education. Higher Education = enlightenment, conservatism = ignorance, and you can see that on this very post (watch the next time someone from a liberal position chimes in…they will almost always attack another’s perceived lack of education). Is that a perception? Yes. But that perception has gained prominence in the media and the media behaves as though it’s fact. And by using their elevated exposure to push their perception, they bring others who are easily influenced into the fold and the movement grows. And as the movement grows, we find ourselves increasingly in a world that doesn’t make sense.
Comment by Tucker Scofield October 22, 2009 @ 11:11 am
Fox is being used as a whipping boy to scare everyone else into being subservient to the White House. It is Stalinism. When we elected a leftist loon to be our president, we should have expected this sort of stuff.
Comment by thinker October 22, 2009 @ 11:24 am
"" Take the media as it comes? What does that even mean?'"
Two answers:
1. taking over media - as in all socialist/communist countries - to be able to brainwash people 24/7/365(366)
2. He does not fully understand all his own statements - another proof that liberals are educated beyond their intellingence.
Poor cretins.
Comment by alraden October 22, 2009 @ 12:07 pm
I don't worry about anything Obama says. It's becoming increasingly apparent that he doesn't control any of the strings - he's a puppet whose thoughts and opinions are pre-determined and loaded into the teleprompter.
This is clearly the first volley in a complete takeover of the media. First the financial sector, then the automotive sector, then destroy small businesses, ... Can't continue on that path without completely controlling what ideas the common folk get exposed to.
Be afraid, be very afraid. Your cup of kool-aid is being poured.
Comment by eklock October 22, 2009 @ 12:08 pm
We all sure didn't get the "REAL MAN OF INTEGRITY", combat Vet, and strong individual John McCain.
Over 60 million voted for this tax and spend, weak on defense
and homeland security, impostor clown. I hope they get what he is spewing out. The sad part is rest of we "Americans" have to put up with him and the other "jelly-spine pukes", Pelosi, Reed, Barney Fife/Frank, Schumer, crook Dodds, crook Rangle, Barbra Boxhead, at least to Nov. 2010
Comment by Trisha313 October 22, 2009 @ 12:31 pm
Obama is a graduate of Chicago's "Mayor Bilandic School of Politics" which teaches that you simply declare what you want the people to believe, as though it is fact. So, Bilandic, in spite of the snow-clogged side streets one winter, declared the city to be in good shape. One problem though- we Chicagoans- who were fighting the mess- knew differently so we voted his butt out of office next election.
Nanc, Harry, Barry- we're on to you. This "jobless recovery" doesn't fly. We are watching the White House parties and the attempt to manipulate the news and the radicals that have invaded our Republic and we don't like it. Not one bit.
Comment by dabneytaggert October 22, 2009 @ 1:27 pm
Hugo Chavez is now taking notes from this thug. After all, it took hugo a while to take over as much of his country as he has. Here, we have a thug, bought and owned by God knows who, and look at all he has accomplished. I am afraid, very afraid, not so much for myself but for my kids, grandkids, and great-grandchildren. I fear they will never, ever know just how great this country was.
Comment by Dave October 22, 2009 @ 1:56 pm
And the beat goes on. This Gibbs guy is definitely in over his head and it shows badly when he reacts to these very public questions as weakly as he does. The Whitehouse is being run by Chicago politicians who are used to intimidation and other backroom methods to forward their agendas, except, they are now at the national level and we are all learning how they operate, and we do not like it. It is a sad day in the history of America for us to see this happening with the first African American President. If he were more experienced and less radical, and knew how to work the politics in a real bipartisan way, he could have been a really good President and someone that the Blacks in this country could ultimately be proud of, but, unfortunately, it is not going to turn out that way. Based on what is happening, over and over, he is leading this country down a path that is going to set back much of the gains made in the last 40 years on almost all levels. He is leading the destruction of the best country this world has ever seen.
I hope America wakes up and starts to revert back to what this country stands for in this world, and it is not Obama America! We know what we have to do to turn this around. Let's start the recovery in the upcoming election cycles.
Comment by Tucker Scofield October 22, 2009 @ 2:20 pm
Trisha313: Very good point about “Mayor Bilandic School of Politics”. And this is EXACTLY where our “free press” is supposed to act as the watchdog for the We, The People, factually reporting the way things ARE instead of how they are spun to be. But instead, our “free press” has become nothing more than a propaganda arm for this administration. And what’s crazy is that it’s voluntary…no one’s forcing them down this path as would be the case in, say, Venezuela. I don’t get it…what’s in it for THEM?? What do THEY get out of this?? They are all-in for this administration and will do anything to curry his favor. Maybe that’s enough for them…maybe just to be this guy’s lapdog is all they want. I have yet to figure that out, though.
Dabneytaggert: “I am afraid, very afraid, not so much for myself but for my kids, grandkids, and great-grandchildren. I fear they will never, ever know just how great this country was.” I generally don’t like messages that are aimed at our fears because there’s plenty of that occurring on both sides of the aisle. Although often fact-based, there are just as many talk radio personalities and Republican legislators that market to our fears as there are Democrats. I am convinced that’s part of the reason why BHO was elected…there was so much fear-mongering going on that the general electorate just tuned it out and didn’t actually HEAR the warnings about Obama. Now, given all this guy has managed to shove down our collective throats already, I too am very concerned for my kid’s future. And without being alarmist, I can easily see a couple scenarios in which the 2010 elections, although close, may be too late. No exaggeration…it makes me sick to my stomach to consider, in any depth, what is happening to our country and HOW MANY STILL DON’T SEE IT.
Comment by dorsaiian October 22, 2009 @ 3:31 pm
George Orwell was right...he just had the timing a little off.
Newspeak has arrived.
Comment by Soapbox Jill October 22, 2009 @ 3:40 pm
"Barack Obama is more than happy to let his advisers do the dirty work."
The Fox-y attack and now the Pay Czar setting limits on executive income for companies that accepted bailouts, and Obama's denial of even knowing what some of these advisors are doing points to one thing: Americans beware for the time down the road when these unelected czars do horrible horrible things to Americans, and the President just shrugs.
Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold questioned the power of the non-elected czars recently, but seems to have piped down after a nonconsequential hearing on the issue, which the White House refused to attend. Obama's free-roaming attack dogs are dangerous, and the President refuses to reign them in. It does not bode well.
Comment by jerrag October 22, 2009 @ 3:56 pm
All that as it is, the thing that I fear the most is the up-comming burning of the capital building, after all isn't it about this place in the rise of A Hitler when the burned the Richstad and took over as dictator? It could come easily as a "terrorist" attack and cause the implementation of marshall law, leading to a dictatership in our once great nation!
(did you hear that BHO will be going to a halloween party next week, his custom a potato on his di_k going as his dream a dick-tatter)
Comment by voxoreason October 22, 2009 @ 5:10 pm
Tucker: I feel as though we are now living in some sort of alternative universe, a world in which common sense and logic have been replaced by a blind submission to ideology.
Just so. One might compare it to reading a work of fiction (say, Atlas Shrugged, the plot of which has been the foundation of many op-ed pieces I've read, eg, the wealthy and productive simply removing themselves from an intolerable situation; BTW, I wonder if dabneytaggert ever has to explain her username), but fiction has to make sense. Obama doesn't, while Gibbs can't!
One can only hope that the GOP's tendency to shoot themselves in their collective foot does not hinder their success in the mid-terms next year, traditionally an election that the party in the White House loses a significant number of same party senators and representatives.
Comment by Arklon October 22, 2009 @ 5:18 pm
I love how I had to remake my account... Nice Censorship there for people who are right thinking but dont agree with GOPUSA's slant on stuff.
Now on to the article.
When Bush was in office, His people frequently went on Fox and bashed on the other news channels yet no one said a word. Now that someone on the other side of the isle is doing it, suddenly its a concern?
How hypocritical can you get. I mean really. Its A-ok if a Republican does it but if a Democrat does it, raise hell?
Hell, I bet most of you here watch Faux news 24/7 and think they are telling the gods honest truth, yet they've been caught several times recently distorting the facts to make them fit their bias. Every time I read stories here and then read the comments, I swear I see people croweded in their basement, tinfoil hats atop their heads and quaking in fear because for the next 3+ years we have to live under a Democrat... The same people who chastised Democrats and called them all traitors just a year and a half ago.
Grow up people. Its life, live with it.
Comment by DC127 October 22, 2009 @ 5:55 pm
A weak and pathetic reply by a weak and pathetic would be domestic terrorist. I would be very interested to hear Obama's input, on Afghanistan, and the creation of jobs, but he doesn't seem to have any.
Judging by the comments here that I have read, I think more of us lnow more than he does.
We needed a leader, we got a cheerleader. A bitter little chearleader who actacts anyone that doesn't kiss his a$$.
Kudos to Jake Tapper.
Comment by CavesWoman October 22, 2009 @ 6:03 pm
Tapper and Scarborough are waking up...hoping the rest of the country aren't far behind.
Comment by DC127 October 22, 2009 @ 6:55 pm
A weak and pathetic response by a week and pathetic man. Obama's comment about our interests in Afghanistan and Employment is ridiculous, he has said nothing about either. His Fox smokescreen has been vaporized and his intent so obvious even NBC saw through it. Kudos to Jake Tapper.
For a president to use his office to attack anyone who dares to question his self proclaimed kingship is an inexcusable abuse of power. What a needy little man to take vengeance on all who refuse blind obedience to his left wing anti American agenda. Pathetic.
Comment by Dennis October 22, 2009 @ 7:41 pm
Ok, I don't get it. Why should there be any 'attack', 'criticism', 'demeaning' or 'boycott'?. If the White House feels that FOX is not reporting accurately, then challenge them and have them prove their comments. Fight fire with fire. FOX appears to be pretty comfortable being able to defend their statements so perhaps that is just what is worrying the White House. If the comments aren't accurate, even the other media can challenge FOX but that doesn't even happen. Gee, I wonder why?
Comment by onewildman October 23, 2009 @ 10:05 am
Arklon everybody had to redo their accounts. When the redid the web page that's what happened. you weren't singled out, so stop crying.
Comment by Tucker Scofield October 23, 2009 @ 10:11 am
Arklon: I had to remake my account too, so don’t think there’s some sort of conspiracy to keep your voice out.
Regarding Bush, you are absolutely correct to say that Bush and some in his administration bashed other networks. And had BHO and his administration contained themselves to pointing out what they felt were inequities in the way Fox News covered the White House, that would’ve been an equal yet opposite reaction. Instead, they outright declare war on Fox and ask other networks/outlets to de-legitimize Fox. That’s crap and it’s VERY different than just criticizing a network’s coverage. They are attempting to exercise complete control over coverage of their actions…you would’ve raised indignant hell (and rightly so) during the Nixon administration, and you should be equally as indignant now.
Another thing: Bush had facts on his side when criticizing CNN, MSNBC, and the networks. I’m not talking about “perceived” coverage, I’m talking about pure distortion. I cannot tell you the number of soldiers I have PERSONALLY spoken to who’ve told me that CNN had a traveling circus of about 100 “locals” who hung out with their camera crew. As soon as a bomb went off, they would all rush to the scene and these “locals” would start “grieving” and chanting anti-American slogans. It became a bitter point for these soldiers who wondered exactly whose side CNN was on! And of course, you don’t need to take MY word on this stuff because it made headlines, first with the AP pictures and later with footage from the scene (the same people’s faces began showing up in report after report, some of whom were supposedly killed in the attack).
We need a media that quits trying to make rock stars out of their anchors and instead reports the news. I don’t want or need Anderson Cooper disparaging me by calling me a “tea-bagger” and I don’t need CNN’s Susan Roesgen being confrontational with conservative protesters. How about REPORT THE NEWS instead of attempting to partake in or create it! There are COUNTLESS ways in which the media distorts things, and you need to be smart enough to look for them. A good example: Whenever you hear a “reporter” say something like “Many hear believe…” you need to ask yourself “WHO are the many,” and is this TRUE or did the reporter just find a way of conveying his/her personal beliefs?
Are you aware that a good many of the anti-war protests were backed in part or in full by the American Communist Party?? No, of course you aren’t. And why is that?? Because most “news” outlets never told you that since it’s counter-productive to their agenda. Yet it’s factual…look it up. Did you know that George Soros’ STATED OBJECTIVE was to bring George Bush down in the 2004 elections? Probably not. When that failed, do you think it lessened Soros’ resolve to destroy GW?? Soros’ money was behind many of the anti-war protests, too. Connect the freakin’ dots, Arklon.
I believe EVERYONE has an agenda, including Fox News. Yet I attempt to follow the facts and substantiate stories before I just gulp them down hook, line, and sinker. Fox News does a damn fine job of substantiating themselves which is why I believe the White House hates them. Yeah, yeah, I’ve seen the video clips on the Huffington Post about Fox’s ten most egregious errors, but the networks are filled with them NIGHTLY and yet I don’t see anyone calling Katie Couric on the carpet.
Finally, regarding “it’s life, live with it”. See the comment by Econ_101.
Comment by onewildman October 23, 2009 @ 10:16 am
The difference between FOX and the other networks when Bush was in office FOX reported the news and networks did as they the omitted stories that benefited the Republicans. AKA positive stories from Iraq not shown on networks, only negative stories to make Bush look bad. Now no hard questions for Obama, under reporting news events or not reporting them at all. No fact checking, Tim Russet was the only non FOX person who had the balls to ask a hard question or put the facts in your face. He was a great loss, no one left has even 1% the integrity he had.
Comment by Tucker Scofield October 23, 2009 @ 10:37 am
I just re-read my post...I'm an idiot. The third paragraph should read "Many HERE believe...." Sorry.
Comment by yalmac October 23, 2009 @ 4:58 pm
"All that as it is, the thing that I fear the most is the up-comming burning of the capital building, after all isn't it about this place in the rise of A Hitler when the burned the Richstad and took over as dictator? It could come easily as a "terrorist" attack and cause the implementation of marshall law, leading to a dictatership in our once great nation!" - jerrag
I totally agree. All this administration is waiting for is one thing to enable them to implement marshall law. If the H1N1 virus does not do it, they will invent something. Obama wants to be dicatator, bottomline. He hates America. Read his books, he is very plain about how he feels, so now he is 'punishing' America. You do not even have to read between the lines....he lays it out in plain language.
Arklon: I had to remake my account, too, there is no conspiracy! But you are wrong, we do not have to 'live with it!' 2010 and 2012 will be here before you know it, and if our right to vote has been taken away by then, maybe then we will have to live with it, but not yet.
Just re-registered. It's everybody. No conspiracy.
Not that I thought you meant there was a conspiracy. I think everybody else misunderstood your point.
Comment by onewildman October 26, 2009 @ 5:38 pm
When Bush's people complained it was the fact the other news channels and networks were only printing and reporting negative stories and ignoring positive. They had no balance then as now.
Comment by onewildman October 26, 2009 @ 5:40 pm
Arklon When Bush's people complained it was the fact the other news channels and networks were only printing and reporting negative stories and ignoring positive. They had no balance then as now.
Comment by flash287 November 11, 2009 @ 11:55 am
You have to break the Lobby bond between politicians & industry groups. The best way is to limit Terms.
If that was done, look how easy it would be to fix jobs and the economy. Here is an example.
There should not be a COL payments added to SS each year. It only further erodes the dollar and causes inflation all by itself. It was started by the unions, then passed onto gov employees etc. Now even the private sector does it in lieu of real wage increase. It's a phony lie. They give you 3% and then everything you buy goes up 3%.
In fact, SS was a PONZI scheme all along. Hard to undo now. But should never have been born. Instead tax incentives for people to buy annuities from the private sector would have been a better idea than more unmanageable government.
There will be no fix to our economy until the EPA is reigned in (Bush tried it and was vilified by the press) and the oil companies would have a chance for some huge profits (they won't do it without $ incentive) by drilling and selling the oil to WORLD markets. We have massive oil deposits all over the place and congress now makes it too impossible to explore and recover it.
You must have something to sell to the world to bring money back here! Russia and Venezuela can do it. Why can't we? The Green crap is just to little and too late. It will happen naturally when real oil reserves deplete. I say REAL because the argument we are out of oil is a political lie.
If we can't sell our overpriced manufactured goods to world markets, then lets sell our abundant natural resources!
Oil companies would happily pay royalties to citizens and States coffers that support offshore drilling. Also oil recovered on Federal land could pay royalties to those states. By expanding the infrastructure that is already in place will create millions of jobs too! That can only happen with a clear thinking political mindset.
Which you can't have without Term limits with politicians.
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