Chris Wallace Regrets Speaking Out On Obama Bashing: "I'm Not Sure I'd Do It Again"

Last Friday, "Fox News Sunday" host Chris Wallace appeared on "Fox & Friends" and railed against the show for what he called "two hours of Obama-bashing." Almost immediately, he knew his position was unpopular, calling into host Brian Kilmeade's radio show to discuss how mad the other hosts — and Fox executives — were towards him.

In an interview with the New York Observer's Felix Gillette, Wallace goes further, admitting,

"I didn't have any second thoughts about the substance because I still believe what I said was right," said Mr. Wallace. "But after the fact, you do think to yourself--on a professional level with colleagues I very much like and respect--should I have done that off camera?"

"It's a close call," said Mr. Wallace. "I'm not sure I'd do it again."

"I know a lot of liberal critics like to snicker at the slogan 'fair and balanced,' but, in fact, we take it very seriously," he added. "My feeling is that a lot of time 'fair and balanced' means giving the conservative point of view because that doesn't get reflected in the mainstream media. In this particular case, I thought 'fair and balanced' meant giving more of an explanation of Obama's point of view."

Wallace also admitted that an unnamed Fox News executive sent him an email after the "Fox & Friends" appearance to say, "isn't this the kind of thing we should be talking about off camera, not on camera?"

Friday's episode of "Fox & Friends" was a chaotic one, with co-host Brian Kilmeade also walking off set after a frustrating conversation with his fellow hosts over Obama's grandmother's "typical white person" remarks. The hosts later claimed the walk-off stunt was a joke.

Comments

[Ouroboros]

Chris Wallace: "Don't worry, fellow Republicans. I've taken my conscience and put it back into my underwear drawer where it belongs. Right in between my socks and my gay porn."

[jodini]

So much for journalistic integrity. Not that anyone really expected any of the at Faux News anywho.

[sansego2000]

Of course he did was right, but on the Bush channel, he could lose his job. They took him out back and reprogrammed him.

[Xander]

Just a little insight into the corporate culture at Fox News. Why anyone would want to work under that kind of culture where if you stand out from the pack and speak the truth, you're turned on by your fellow workers I will never understand.

[glesslib]

You wouldn't think Manhattan still had woodsheds, but I guess Chris and Kilmeade can tell you where one is located.

[MikeDu]

"Oh, I'm sooooo sorry i temporarily grew a spine! I promise to go go right back to being the spineless leech they hired me to be." I do love Wallaces explanation of Faux News's 'fair and balanced' tagline. The rest of the media aren't lying warmongering fascists so its only right or us to be 100% lying warmongering fascicts in order to balance things out.

[TLV]

Any comments from Brit Hume and Carl Cameron on their regret about the four part series on Israeli spies that were caught right before 9/11?

No? Good. Stay quiet about it. That only continues to prove what puppets you Fox people are.

[jazzman]

News Item: Chris Wallace regrets defending Senator Barack Obama on a recent morning FOX news show. Wallace, in a private meeting, promised Rupert Murdoch that he would keep that gene he inherited from his father, Mike, under wraps from now on. Wallace stated, "I had a momentary lapse into morality and integrity and I fully apologize for allowing it to slip out. From now on, I'll read the teleprompter more faithfully and return to my role as a FOX sock puppet. "

[TLV]

Mike Wallace is as much an ass as his son. I watched him pretend to interview Amedinejhad and he treated him like a criminal. He was just as unbiased as Bill O'Reilley.

[lungwort]

"Mike Wallace is as much an ass as his son. I watched him pretend to interview Amedinejhad and he treated him like a criminal."

Is that you Olbermann?

[Tulka2]

Mr. Jazzman, putting this note down here to make sure others take note of your hilarious take. Although....? I sort of think you give Mike Wallace more credit than he is due. Mike Wallace never attacked his own station, for instance. He was careful not to bite any hand that might feed him. His summer home, for decades, was in Haiti. Nice supply of servants, don't cha know?

[Namtillaku]

Of course not. On Fox, you can't have your own opinion, even if on the odd chance you can form one.

[96Bravo]

So Kilmeade defends his walk-off as a "joke" and Wallace "regrets" speaking out against the Obama-bashing. Sounds like they got a talking-to by the Fox heads.

[Counterglow]

Holy crap! A moment of intellectual honesty on Fux News! You can be sure they won't let THAT happen again.

[WilliePilgrim]

Another example why nepotism is wrong.

[springsm]

Ethics? Credibility? Integrity? OOPS...Chris Wallace would not want to be caught with those. That would be decent, smart and conscienable. He doesn't have any of that.

[kidgonebad]

I don't agree with the general dismissive tone of the replies here. and I am the first person to take fox to task and have for years--as have many of you.

BUT, this took balls. to call this a stunt would be silly. to say that it didn't matter is also unfairly dismissive. in fact, this is not the first time this has happened live on the fox air. I remember a particularly poignant event when sheppard smith was practically in tears as he yelled down o-rilley (I think) from a location in new orleans during katrina. it was something I'd never seen on TV and haven't since.

give credit where it's due. that's fair and balanced.

p.s. and didn't montel jump on fox n friends about the lack of reporting on american casualties in the war, instead spending time on heath ledger?

[bac]

and your point is? that Fox is actually quite fair and balanced?

[lungwort]

YES. Who's your idea of a good balanced cable TV station? You can't look at MSNBC or CNN without seeing a discussion on "why isn't McCain getting hammered more", "how long is this democratic primary going to last?". Panic, Panic. Don't remember to many people at CNN or MSNBC talking about "Is it time for Huckabee to get out, what if he hurts the party". Double standard. Just go ask Hillary. She's finding out what it's like to
be a republican.

[ProfessorDuh]

Fox News is NOT a news organization. It is a fascist propaganda organization, literally. It exists to SUBVERT journalism. It is the Fourth Estate's Fifth Column.

[glesslib]

You could have stopped after your first sentence. It says it all.

[lungwort]

'Fox News is NOT a news organization. It is a fascist propaganda organization, literally. It exists to SUBVERT journalism. It is the Fourth Estate's Fifth Column."

You folks on the left just HATE the fact that you lost your monopoly in the news media. So fun to watch.

[illinB]

it did take balls to take them to task -- then those balls shrunk up into Wallace's belly and he came back, head hung low - yessir Mr. Murdoch i'll just read the fair and bal;anced teleprompter from now on.

Mike Wallace is rolling over in his grave - and he's still alive!!

[Dandrea]

I too do not dismiss Chris Wallace. He shows a lot more " journalism" than a lot of the other pundits I hear on cable. They sit every day, sometimes for 3 hours at a time, bashing Obama's speech or they listen to it without comment. MSNBC needs Chris however, he doesn't need them.

[Davwbaird]

Wonderland never-land oz middle earth and now foxtopia. Where will this madness of absurdity end?with the inevitable election of Brain dead relic John McCain? The collapse of the American economy and our third world status?