Fox News Finally Lands Obama Interview, "Obama Watch" To End

Fox News anchor Chris Wallace says it's been 769 days since Sen. Barack Obama agreed to an interview that never materialized. But this Sunday, the wait is over. According to a Fox News release, Sen. Obama will be appearing on Wallace's "Fox News Sunday" this weekend.

From the press release:

FOX News Sunday's "Obama Watch" to Stop This Weekend

FOX News Sunday host Chris Wallace will sit down for an exclusive one-on-one interview with Democratic Presidential Candidate Senator Barack Obama airing on Sunday April 27, 2008.

This interview follows the much talked about "Obama Watch" clock that FOX News Sunday began running on March 16, 2008 to track the time that had lapsed since Senator Obama accepted Wallace's initiation to appear as a guest: 730 days, 13 hours, 53 minutes and 18 seconds.

The last clock count as of last Sunday was 765 days, 13 hours, 54 min, 47 seconds.

Wallace had started a weekly segment called "Obama Watch" last monthwhen, 730 days since he claims that the senator had agreed to an interview, Sen. Obama still hadn't appeared on the channel. Those many days means that Sen. Obama agreed to the interview in 2006, far before Democratic candidates for the 2008 election famously refused to participate in any Fox News debates.

Although Sen. Obama's camp has yet to release an official statement, Wallace wrote a post hinting that the upcoming exclusive interview may be the result of Sen. Obama's "double-digit loss" in Pennsylvania.

Missed Wallace's "Obama Watch"? Read Jason Linkins' Sunday morning coverage of "Fox News Sunday" and more here.

This item has been corrected from a previous version that said Senator Obama refused to appear on Fox News Channel. In fact, Obama has been interviewed on Fox News several times. The Huffington Post regrets the error.

Comments

[BryantG]

It should be obvious by now that Fox intends on destroying Obama, and they’ll giggle while doing it. They will not rest until they’ve accomplished this objective. A single interview is hardly cause for concern but let’s not lose sight of the fact that they are not impartial and they are not friendly. In fact they operate a perpetual “kitchen sink” strategy when it comes to liberals and democrats. By way of example, they were so obsessed with the reverend Wright loop that even Chris Wallace complained. They’re the ones pushing the “Obama is friends with American terrorists” issue. They are the promulgators of the flag pin “issue”. There’s is the land of Ann Coulter, Karl Rove and Sean Hanity. In their minds anything that disagrees with or even questions conservative dogma is to be shunned, ridiculed, and ultimately destroyed. For them, to criticize policy is to “hate America”. Therefore I believe no good can come from an interview with them. Period.

[timothe]

If Obama was such a great candidate for president, Fox couldn't destroy him, could they? It's not like this interview is on network television.

Next time, you guys might want the media to rough up the candidates more during the primary process. That may keep you from nominating a weak candidate in the future.

[Aleka4]

You dip. -Anyone- can be destroyed, no matter who they are, if there are complete, unethical, lowlife lying fuc*tards like Coulter and Hannity who are willing to lie through their teeth to libel and slander someone.

You are either very stupid or very naive to think otherwise.

Media are only "safe" for a good person, if the media is ethical and unbiased. The media has not been ethical and unbiased for many years.

[BryantG]

You mean like McCain? The guy who lost his last bid because of a black child he doesn't have?

[Aleka4]

I am with you on that.

[mlaiuppa]

Double digit loss? Yeah, I guess 9.4 has two digits.

Boy, I'll bet it will be a riveting interview too. Obama can explain about flag pins and Rev. Wright for the bazillionth time...aga­in.

[MrJoyboy]

Fox will try to tie Obama to the Manson family murder of Sharon Tate.

[Aleka4]

I am sure that is coming.

[BryantG]

And the kidnapping of the Lindbergh baby.

And the Dodgers leaving Brooklyn.

And the disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa.

And the Sopranos series ending.

And they’ll accuse him of being the final Cylon.

[ladyv]

That would actually be awesome if he's the final Cylon. I mean, it's obvious that Roslin is the final Cylon, so it's the proper role for the President. =)

[donaldw6]

I'm not even sure what the FOX channel number is on my Tivo (and I'm not looking it up just for this post). I don't plan on watching Sunday to help give them any ratings boost. You all do what you want. I'm sure the video will be posted somewhere, preferably somewhere that doesn't link back to give them credit for an internet hit.

Barack Obama and Chris Wallace. Who will win? Heh.

[Chiang]

Going on FOX is not the act of a confident man and a clear sign that Obama is showing the fear and desperation.

This could get ugly for BO. He'll be expecting the usual softball questions and they will take him apart.

[08timefortruth]

I think it shows he is not afraid of the white trash that works there.....­or the ignorant masses that watche them.

[prittfumes]

White trash? Ignorant masses? My, my, my!

[DocJerome]

"Truth In Politics"

Sen. Obama will be prepared, and he will fire back a few salvo's if disrespected. I have full confidence, that the interview will be given the full unfettered, acute potency of Sen. Obama's rhetorical blade. It will be done in a manner that is both dignified and presidential.

He is fighting battles on 3 fronts by "the Clintons," the constant media spin of the delusion that Hillary can still win the nomination by bringing up Rev. Wright yet again, and the political slight of hand machinations by John McCain and the GOP with regards to attack adds. There is a reason why all of these forces are aligned against 1 man. He represents the last opportunity in our lifetime, to get our government back from the special interests of big business. More on that later, . . .

[realpolitic]

Obama should tell Fox News to go to hell!!!! Wallace's questions will be so tilted rightward they will be funny, anyway.

[Independentjunkie]

ROFL hillary does KO and shows Obambi what it means to have balls!

[mesuki]

With those pantsuits she's always wearing I thought that she did have some balls! doesn't she?

[ZodiacPope]

LOL hahaha that was funny and i support Hillary.

[ann1]

WHY Sen Obama, WHY? It's not worth it. People who watch FOX wouldn't vote for you anyway. It's a waste of time and energy. Who are your advisors? Fire them!

[08timefortruth]

I hate the thought of the crap Fox will pull but maybe Mr. Obama figures he will prove once and for all that he has more class then they do. I think he can beat them at their own crap with his grace under fire, I just hate that he has to go thru it.

[Erdgeist]

I really don't believe that Sen. Obama has to pander to the Fox News "truck nutz" crowd. These rustic losers, since Nixon, let the free traders loot our country who did nothing about it except vote for Reagan and the rest of the free traders. About the only thing they can do now is drive to Mao-Mart and hope to get a job. I don't feel sorry for them.

[postedby]

Hey, LIB, what do you have against FREE trade?

[BryantG]

In theory nothing. In practice unfair competition because of unequal labor and environmental standards. And if you haven't lived or worked in the developing world don't bother to reply.

[indypete]

Libs don't have anything against free trade. In fact, we like it so much, we'd like to see it catch on in America.

[NCGuy]

it's comments like these that allow people to fairly describe Obama and his supporters as "elitist" and "condescending"

What happened to the BIG TENT, do you only let in the homophobes?

[SCG2]

I'm sorry he lowered himself to those hacks, it would serve them right to let them count the days until infinity.

[CrzyRussell]

How can he bring the country together if he refuses to speak to half of them? There is no denying that FOX News has the best rating and the most viewers in the news market. whether they share the same political views or not.

[Aleka4]

He cant fix their view of them now! They've been trashing him non stop with total lies. I FEAR to ask my own mother what she thinks of Obama b/c she actually thinks Fox news is unbiased! With Rendell on there saying the same damn crap she will be utterly convinced.

Trust me, there is nothing whatsoever Obama could say at this point in time that my mother - or anyone else spoonfed fox news for any length of time - would beleive as truth. She - and they - will sit there going "oh look at him lie!" because they have no clue what truth and reality actually is.

And THAT is what is wrong with America - that people like that even exist, unaware that they've been lied to by the "news".

[BitterElitist]

Hear, hear! This is exactly why Obama is accepting the interview to prove your very point. The difference between his visit to Fox and that of Clinton is that she exploited it as an opportunities to pander to the fears of the Fox viewing audience, while Obama will be attempting to reach across the divide. Whether he succeeds (even a little bit), remains to be seen.

[BryantG]

More importantly, I think he's going there to make an apeal to the working class whites. In my opinion though, the ones who watch Fox are among those who would not vote for him under any circumstances.

[edva]

It is amazing, the crap one has to go through to become president.
Ah well, be grateful for your enemies; they make you stronger.

[BruntLIVE]

FoxNews and Conservative White America have been trying to get the "****er" out of Obama, when it's not there. Let me explain. Many white conservative don't trust blacks, Obama scares them because they think Obama will make them pay, so they pick and pick and pick until Obama goes Samuel L Jackson and cusses people out. This is the thing with white GOPers, they think they know blacks and want to get the angry black man out. That's what will happen sunday with Wallace, they are trying to get the mad black man out, yelling, cussing, cussing and yelling. They want the world to see, they know McCain is weak, they need a weak Democrat Party, I don't put it passed the GOP, they would really harm Obama, they are so full of fear. Summary...­.Conservat­ive Whites Don't Trust Blacks, Wallace will try to bring the angry black man out, they want to see rage. Will the power of word do it? I dont think so.

[CrzyRussell]

So white conservatives are racist?

[MrGiggles]

Come on everyone. Have a little faith in our guy. He CAN handle these guys. Unlike the Clintonapolous debate, he will go in knowing what to expect. He needs to prove to those unconvinced Democrats and Independents that he can stand up under fire.

[kellygrrrl]

of course he can handle these f^qrs
the real question is, why should he have to

why do we all have to pretend that Faux News is some legitimate outlet?

[timothe]

Why should he have to? Because he's running for president, that's why!! He needs a broader base than 80% of the black population and 90% of the far left blogosphere.

[thegulliblecitizen]

I would hate to believe that the Obama campaign was naive enough to think that debate in Pennsylvania was legitimate going in. When they required that he tie both hands behind him going in, they should have realized the danger. Most supporters knew that it was an ambush long before it happened.

[TexasNewsHound]

I believe Sen. Obama will do well. Chris Wallace will attempt to get him as riled as he did Bill Clinton during that interview back in Sept. 2006.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNoN403tXU4

But I believe Sen. Obama will be prepared to answer each question responsibly and presidentially.

[thegulliblecitizen]

Stephanopoulas and Wallace look like little venemous toads! They smell like little venemous toads! Guess what? They are little venemous toads!

[DavePM]

Hey Dipayan Gupta...Se­n Obama has been interviewed on FOX News. He did an interview in late Feb/Early Mar.

[postedby]

link?

[DavePM]

I dont know. I saw him on there around the time the Rev. Wright story broke. He made quick rounds to all the networks.