Love Lost: Fred Thompson And Fox News

The big story from yesterday's Sunday morning talk circuit was former Sen. Fred Thompson, R-TN, bemoaning his treatment by Fox News... during an appearance on Fox News.

Taking issue with the network's focus on his sagging poll numbers, the Senator quipped: "This has been a constant mantra of Fox, to tell you the truth... for you to highlight nothing but the negatives in terms of the polls and then put on your own guys who have been predicting for four months, really, that I couldn't do it, kind of skew things a little bit. There's a lot of other opinion out there."

Indeed there is. But let's focus on Thompson's gripe first. Could he possibly be on to something? Or is his complaint the product of a candidate who is, indeed, lagging in the polls and regarded, at least among the punditry, as having failed to live up to the lofty expectations.

Evidence actually suggests a strong relationship between the Tennessean and the network that reports so that you can decide.

In October, the first full month after officially launching his presidential bid, Thompson had more than an hour of on-air television face time, something matched by only four other presidential candidates. Almost 95 percent of that was spent on the Fox News Channel, National Journal reported. By comparison, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney appeared on-air for 48 minutes during October, and only 43 percent on Fox News. Even former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani - who some have claimed receives, how to put this, preferential treatment by the Fox higher-ups - got less play from the network than Thompson. The former mayor was personally on Fox News for 53 minutes in October, roughly 90 percent of all his airtime.

But Thompson's relationship with Fox News is about more than just airtime. The station and its hosts have run several very complimentary segments about the Law and Order star.

In early May 2007, Chris Wallace, the same host with whom Thompson sparred yesterday, led off his show with the type of praiseworthy analogy the Senator could only have dreamed of. "Fred Thompson the next Ronald Reagan?" the Sunday show began.

Towards the end of the interview Wallace waxed even more glowingly. "We've got a couple of minutes left," the host said. "I'm sure some people are listening to you and saying, "You know what, I like this guy. I would like him to be my presidential candidate."

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On the night of Fox News' June 2007 debate, Thompson was not yet a White House candidate and, appropriately, did not attend. But Fox accommodated him nonetheless, booking him for an interview (undoubtedly more air time than the other candidates received during the debate itself) on Hannity & Colmes. The questions, moreover, were posed solely from the like-minded conservative Hannity.

Three months later, Fox once again hosted a presidential candidate forum. And, once again, Thompson didn't show - he was launching his campaign on Leno that night, remember? Still the network aired the Senator's first television ad during the debate and the moderators brought up Thompson's impending entrance into the race, repeatedly.

Of course, the Thompson who entered the presidential contest amidst such hype and hope is not the same Thompson who today finds himself in single digits in New Hampshire polls. As his campaign has sputtered, it is more than conceivable that Fox's coverage has grown increasingly critical.

But perhaps the fraying of the Thompson-Fox relationship is much simpler. Perhaps the Fox hosts are getting angry because Thompson has been so damn inaccessible while on the campaign trail. As Fox News host Laura Ingraham offered to Thompson's wife Jeri on a November 20 segment: "One of the criticisms of your husband, and this is from Dick Morris, -- and I'm sure you know this -- he was on FOX News channel. And he said that Fred Thompson won't come on with Bill O'Reilly because he's lazy."

Take that, Fred.

Comments

[elp]

The reason none of the other Republican nominees can get a fair shake on Hardball is because Tweety has that strange man-love crush on Rudy, the likes of which haven't been seen since Chris got all orgasmic when the Cowardly Cowboy appeared in his flight suit under the "Mission Accomplished" banner. I even heard Tweety go as far as saying he brings Pennsylvania into play for the Rethugs in 08. PUHLEEZE! I live in one of the more civilized areas of Pa. (ie, an area that helped boot Santorums worthless ass out of office) and even my Republican friends despise Rudy. Sorry to tell ya Tweets but the object of your manlove has about as much of a chance in Pa. as your brother had of becoming lt. gov. From where I sit the great state of Pennsylvania gets bluer by the day.

[plutorage]

Fox wants the Fascisti Rudy or Fascisti Hilary.

Either will do.

[robotfog]

I'm not sure why Fred got into the race. Maybe he had a bunch of sycophants cheering and misleading him on.

Obviously, we need a better system that will dredge up reliable and truly qualified people.

well. see you all in hell before that ever happens. ;)

[average joe]

I must be watching another T V I don't see them pushing anyone. I seen the cross dresser ruby on fox plus a lot of other bad things. But the GOP will debate this week, while the Dems play to soft ball with plants.

[Cautious]

Speaking of love lost, where are we not commenting about Darth Vader?

[Liberal2]

Fred disn't think he'd actually have to dirty his hands campaigning. He thought the rethugs would simply bow before him and hold his hands while they ushered him into the White House and what is now seen as the rethug Oval Throne Room.

Not too different from Bush picturing the world kneeling before him, calling him "Lord".

[susie1776]

Fred Thompson appears to have done nothing but step on his own toes. ALL the media were hailing him as the 2nd coming of Ronald Reagan but now you hardly even hear his name. He seems lost somehow, like he wandered into a strange party and doesn't know anybody. He looks tired and gaunt. Maybe he doesn't do as well without a smart scriptwriter putting words in his mouth. He's really rather pitiful.

[lanefiller]

Anyone wanting to see some telling video (with an accompanying column) from Thompson’s first week on the trail in South Carolina should give this a try:
http://goupstate.us/index.php/lanefiller/2007/11/05/fred_thompson_for_president_of_what_the_

[Dandy12]

LAGGING, DRAGGING, SAGGING, all describe Thompson!! When Sean Hannity at FOX addresses what he terms, "So called global warming", one has to wonder how blind and ignorant these people choose to be!! Unfortunately there is a segment of the poulation that takes their crap seriously. Otherwise,I would find their absurd opinions and conjectures hilarious!

[PaulDonaldson]

HERE IS THE FULL VIDEO:

Fred Thompson Attacks FOX News
http://test.redlasso.com/service/svc/clip/playClip?fid=7b146d51-5936-4601-acf2-afaf6964ffd2

[lvogt]

FOX is in the tank for Ghouliani.

[rpence]

So where's the big bad tough guy that so many of the frustrated Republicans were drooling over a few months ago?

Fraud was supposed the be the real man, the true conservative, the great white hope. But he can't handle a few mild dissents from Fox News Commentators?

In the words of fellow Republican Arnold S., I pronounce you a girly-man, Fraud!!

[serialcoma]

I think it's definitely more important for a Presidential candidate to concern himself more with bias in the news room than it is to concern himself with domestic and foreign policy issues... way to go Fred... you sleep-walking imbecile.

[bobbyvassallo]

I like Fred Thompson. He is a good alternative if the Republican party needs one. He won't beat Giuliani or Romney this primary, in any event. What a great VP though.

[Dantana]

Thompson is too ugly to get elected President!