Howard Dean On Fox News Sunday: Your Coverage Is "Shockingly Biased" (VIDEO)

During an appearance on Fox News Sunday this morning, Democratic Party chairman Howard Dean said that Fox's news coverage has at times been "shockingly biased, and I think that's wrong and I just say so right up front." Dean also said he agreed with the netroots campaign to boycott the Democratic debates on the network.

Host Chris Wallace tried to get Dean to bash MoveOn and Daily Kos, saying they were "using words about you guys showing up here as weak, idiotic, stupid. How do you respond to the left wing?" But Dean avoided taking the bait:

DEAN: We stayed off Fox for a long time because your news department is, in fact, biased. But, Chris, you haven't been. You've always been tough, but I always thought fair and I still think that's true. And we need to communicate with people who are going to vote in the Democratic Party. Hundreds of thousands of Republicans have turned their back on their own party to vote in the Democratic primaries in the last six months. We owe it to our -- to all the American people to reach out to those folks. This is not about Fox News. That's not why I'm here today. I'm out because I want to talk to your viewers directly about why this election is important and what we can offer the American people.

Watch it:

Dean also said on Fox that Republicans are using "hate and divisiveness" to win elections.

Dean argued that the use of Sen. Barack Obama's (D-Ill.) former pastor Jeremiah Wright in GOP ads in local races is "race baiting."

"When you start bringing up things that have nothing to do with the candidate and nothing to do with the issues, that's race baiting," Dean said on Fox News Sunday in response to a question whether the Wright issue and his ties to Obama hurt Democrats down ticket.

"There's a lot of difference between the Republicans and the Democrats on issues, but the biggest issue of all is we don't use this kind of stuff. We never have used this kind of stuff, and we're not going to start now," said the DNC chairman. "America is more important than the Republican Party, and that's the lesson that the voters are about to teach the Republicans."

Transcript:

WALLACE: The left wing of your party is in a snit over all these Democrats appearing on Fox. In fact, the head of MoveOn.org had this to say about Democrats on Fox. "It legitimizes a right wing network that is going to use that credibility to smear them in the general election." He and the head of the Daily Kos are using words about you guys showing up here as weak, idiotic, stupid. How do you respond to the left wing?

DEAN: What I'd say is this: we stayed off Fox for a long time because your news department is, in fact, biased. But, Chris, you haven't been. You've always been tough, but I always thought fair and I still think that's true. And we need to communicate with people who are going to vote in the Democratic Party. Hundreds of thousands of Republicans have turned their back on their own party to vote in the Democratic primaries in the last six months. We owe it to our -- to all the American people to reach out to those folks. This is not about Fox News. That's not why I'm here today. I'm out because I want to talk to your viewers directly about why this election is important and what we can offer the American people.

WALLACE: Let me ask you, and obviously it's always about the millions of people who watch these shows. Looking back, do you think it was a mistake for the Democratic Party to boycott Fox debates and all the other programs during the last year and thereby boycott getting your message out to the millions of people who watch?

DEAN: No, I think it was the right thing to do, because there are some things in the news department that have really been shockingly biased and I think that's wrong and I just say so right up front. It is important also for us -- we shouldn't punish the viewers of Fox by staying away. Now those viewers have had an opportunity to look at the debates on other channels, now they're going to have an opportunity viewing on this channel and I think that's fair.

Comments

[Tommygun264]

If Senator Obama had only stood up to Wallace with the same tough, but fair candor as Governor Dean. I'm an Obama supporter and given Clinton's campaign tactics these last few weeks I believe now more than ever that Barack Obama is the last, best hope we have for putting this country back on the right path and restoring this nation's dignity within my lifetime. At this point Hillary Clinton has divided the Democratic party to mount a winning campaign against a Republican party which will come out more to vote against her than for John McSame. But Senator Obama needs to get tougher with the right-wing media, FOX News in particular. He doesn't need to take Chris Wallace to the woodshed the same way President Clinton did (although that would be great to see) but he can't treat FOX News people and the questions they ask, no matter how openly biased, with the same respect as he would treat a fair question from a real network journalist. Barack needs to stand up and refuse to be lead into a string of slanted questions on non-issues or the right wing will wear him down and make him look like a whimp.

Governor Dean - please plass those nads over to Senator Obama.

[Patriot0259]

Hear, hear! Way to put those scumbags in their place, Howard Dean. I'll bet he doesn't get invited on again anytime soon. LOL

[jg08091]

I understand Vice President Cheney has invited the entire fox news teams to go hunting with him. Dead eyed dick.LOL

[not one of the sheep]

Got some kleenex to catch those tear Dean. You can't pick and choose who your candidates want to talk to as you have seen lately. If elected, they will be the President of the whole United States not President of the Liberal States and screw the conservatives. Just goes to prove continually you are the village idiot.

[Tommygun264]

You say that as if George W. Bush hasn't carefully chosen who he will and will not sit down to an interview with over these past two terms. The commander in chimp is notorious for restricting access to all but the most fawning, boot-licking fops who agree to only roll softball questions. Even then Bush manages to screw up about 50% of his answers. Last summer I traveled to Europe and watched footage of Bush fumbling through an answer at a press conference on CNN as it was broadcast in the United States. I then saw footage of Bush answering the same question on BBC, only it took twice as long because they hadn't edited out all of the stutters and awkward pauses between his words. It is amazing how many times the man just stops and stares blankly, searching for the next word, but we here in the U.S. rarely see it because our so-called "liberal press" masterfully speeds up the moments of silence between his words. They don't do it because they love the man or to spare our national pride - they do it because those who don't, find themselves losing access.

If think President Hillary Clinton won't demand the same treatment from the White House Press Corps, you haven't been paying attention to her campaign thus far. President Barack Obama would most likely be less controlling at first, but only until the first time he ends up looking foolish on the nightly news.

[FirstShirt]

"You say that as if George W. Bush hasn't carefully chosen who he will and will not sit down to an interview with over these past two terms."

So you are saying you are following the repubs example? How original.

[stevietheman]

I doubt that conservatives only watch Faux Noise. It's a twerpy little outlet that's dwindling in power.

[Julie02]

Fox News is an oxymoron.

[jvill]

"If elected, they will be the President of the whole United States not President of the Liberal States and screw the conservatives. Just goes to prove continually you are the village idiot."

That's a very interesting comment.

And where were you while President Cuckoo Bananas was using his two terms to screw everyone BUT the rightest of rightwingers these past 8 years? Were you protesting then? Were you mocking then?

Remember, "51% is a mandate"? Or how about the president's 71% current disapproval rating, the highest presidential disapproval rating ever recorded? Remember President Cheney's "So?" when told the vast majority of Americans disagree with the Bush Administration's policies?

Where is the change? Where are this president's attempts to "be the President of the whole United States" now?

What a bunch of empty suits you conservatives are.

No principles whatsoever outside of blind tribalism. If an issue can't be addressed by rax cuts or deregulation, you have nothing to add to the conversation. And now you literally decry the PRESUMED activity in others that your party IS DOING THIS VERY MINUTE. As you've just illustrated, if someone did to you what your party has been doing to this country, you'd be royally pissed off.

And we are.

The Republican Party is a joke, a comedy show in decline. Time to cancel.

[not one of the sheep]

Yes, I was protesting then about Bush's BS also. Naturally you ass-ume that it doesn't go both ways. BOTH parties are so biased and controlled by their kook fringes that there is no mediation or compromise by either which has put us into the position we are now dealing with. The dems are hate filled and trying to screw the repubs while the repubs are trying to do the same. Both parties are a joke and in charge of the circus we call the US.

[JohnnyLee]

It kills me that Murdoch bought the Wall Street Journal. I thought the changes at the journal would come slowly and subtlety but it seems like it has transformed into the same Fox BS overnight.

[ooyes]

Senator Clinton cannot point to anybody - other than Senator McCain - who agrees with this gimmick. Mayor Bloomberg has called this the dumbest idea he's ever heard. Myriad editorial boards and columnists have criticized Senator Clinton and Senator McCain for this craven proposal. Not only would Senator Clinton's gimmick NOT help American citizens, it would BENEFIT the Oil Companies.

But, perhaps the worst aspect of this panderfest is that Senator Clinton KNOWS this gimmick won"t make it through congress. And yet, she"s called on her colleagues to weigh in regarding whether they are "with her or against her."

Regards http://ooyes.net

[redrobin]

Hey faux news, McCain, Hilliary, ALL one in the same, and Hannity would just LOVE this idea too!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gwqEneBKUs&NR=1
Obama better win, or do you want more of THIS???

[mpgarr]

If I were someone in the public eye--I would not appear on FOX because I would not care to recognize them as a legitimate news agency--they could not be further from being such----I hope that Dems continue to stay away from FOX--to most of those watching that network---the moment a Dem comes on---they either turn off their hearing aides or they start shouting at their TV screen saying things like "get those Marxist bastards off my TV screen---If I wanted to see those GDed communists--I would watch MSNBC, CNN or one of the regular networks!"
I know they do---that is what my dad and all of his friends say when this happens--there is no way to persuade any FOX watcher that Dems are anything but socialists, marxists, appeasers of terrorism and the like!! Why the hell waste the time??

[Blogosynthesis]

There is a saying, "No good dead goes unpunished" Vis a vis Fox "News" there is a corollary: "No uttered truth goes undistorte­d."

Having said that, it may be time for national Democrats to intelligently and aggressively "enter the lion's den". The terms and conditions need to be fair and spelled out. No taping, no editing and long form interviews.

Imagine a three hour live call in with Barack and O'Reilley. After the first 60 minutes or so all the attacks would start to sound wrote and repetitious. Meanwhle Barack shines on through with a measured and calm intelligence and moral authority that would expose the "Foxholes" for the crass hateful creatures they are!

By the way, here's the definition of "Foxhole" (note the capitalization): Anyone who watches Fox "News" and truly believes that they are watching "Fair and Balanced" journalism.

**************

If Barack Obama is not the next President of the United States; the fault will not be his, it will be ours.

If Barack Obama is not the next President of the United States; the loss will not be his, it will be ours.

If Barack Obama is not the next President of the United States; the shame will not be his, it will be ours.

Nick Lento

[NoHolyCows]

Simple & Powerful. Howard Dean is just the BEST chairman of our party ever...

[Ratso]

I suppose that after a clown like terry McAuliffe, anyone would look good even Bozo Dean.,Yaho­o".

[brainlego]

Where's the "shockingly" part?

[shockjock]

Watch the video again. After the the 2nd question.

[brainlego]

Heh. That was a rhetoric question..

[bookon]

Wallace didn't disagree. Very telling. I can't wait fro him to jump ship to CNN and tell the truth about that place.

[pointus]

Don't hold yer breath, bookon

[dbroad]

It is not Wallace's job to agree or disagree. Remember? You must confusing political personality w/ journalism. Chris Matthews, keith O, sean Hannity, o'reilly, etc etc. They are entertainers. There is a difference between entertainment and journalism.

[bookon]

Dean stated, correctly, that the NEWS division at Faux News was biased. Wallace did not disagree. If someone bashed my place of work in a way I did not agree with, I would defend it. He did not.

[Wingmaker]

Faux News = The Hal Turner Show

[TexasChica]

You go, Dean. Can we get a "yeeeahhhh!!"

[RedWolverine]

See the rest of the interview where dean gets destroyed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHzyEgtI1F4

[bakossi]

well, RedWolverine, I just watched the clip. Chris Wallace scores some points re: the first DNC ad (though for Fox News to complain about anyone taking little snippets of video or audio out of context is pretty laughable), but mainly only because Dean didn't make his main points more forcefully, which are: (a) there is no scenario under which Americans could be in Iraq for 100 years and not get injured or killed--to even propose that as a plausible scenario, as I guess both McCain and Factcheck.org think it is--shows a complete divorce from reality. And (b) Americans don't want to be in Iraq for 100 years under any circumstance, so the rest of what McCain said is irrelevant in terms of the point of the ad. On the second ad, I didn't think Wallace "destroyed" Dean at all--Dean held his ground and he was right. Yeah sure, McCain went on to acknowledge that times are tough now, but what he said at first--that Americans are better off now than they were in 2001--is patently false by any number of measures and, again, shows McCain is completely out of touch.

[Kalifornika]

Bakossi is overly generous regarding your comment. Dean held his own quite well. Dean did not get anything handed to him by Wallace. He stood his ground convincingly. Why don't you change your name to RedParadigm or RedGlasses. You obviously don't see the real world.

[pointus]

RedWolverine's post: more proof that people tend to see only what they want to see.

[illinoisan]

The cordiality was surreal.