MSNBC Vs. Fox News/White House

The feud between GE/NBC/MSNBC and the White House/Fox News has intensified. Below, five links that encapsulate Tuesday's developments in the MSNBC vs. Fox News/the White House saga:

• White House's Gillespie Takes NBC News Complaint To Fox (click to watch video):

  Appearing before Fox's Megyn Kelly, who seemed to have a palpably difficult time wrangling her own sense of skepticism, Gillespie complained of how MSNBC dared edit their interview, and how they were forcing viewers to use "streaming video" to see the unexpurgated session between Bush and Engel. He said that NBC News cut the interview "very artfully" - you know, like a White House sponsored Video News Release? - and that the news organization engaged in "deceptive" "masking" - like, say, the White House/Pentagon "message force multiplier" program did!

  
  

• NBC News President Steve Capus Responds To Ed Gillespie's Charges:

  Mr. Gillespie,

  
  I'm in receipt of your email and want to assure you we take this matter very seriously.

  
  We appreciated President Bush's decision to do the interview with NBC News, and believe Mr. Engel's reporting accurately reflects the discussion with the President.

  
  Let me assure you, there was no effort to be "deceptive," as you suggest. Furthermore, the notion this was, "deceitful editing to further a media-manufactured storyline," is a gross misrepresentation of the facts.

  
  

• Olbermann Responds To White House NBC Complaints: The President Doesn't Know What He's Talking About (click to watch video):

  Olbermann aired the full excerpt and blasted the White House saying, "The White House apparently [doesn't realize] that in full, it is clear the President never actually answered Richard Engel's first question and clear that the President either does not know what he talked about or what he is now talking about."

  
  

• Steve Doocy Blasts Keith Olbermann: "A Guy Who Picks On People's Children" (click to watch video):

  "I have a problem with Keith Olbermann," Steve Doocy said. "Keith Olbermann made my son the world's worst person. How can you make a kid the world's worst person?" Doocy asked. "Next time you see Keith Olbermann on TV, just remember: that is a guy who picks on people's children. He completely sandbagged my son, took his comments out of context, and mangled them around the way he does every night. And I am mad at Keith Olbermann."

  
  

• Is MSNBC A Political Liability To NBC?:

  Monday's letter from the White House aide Ed Gillespie to the NBC News president Steve Capus was a high-profile complaint about NBC News and MSNBC -- ­ but it was far from the first.

  
  Critics are increasingly citing MSNBC for what they say is left-leaning partisan political coverage and commentary. More and more, NBC shares staff, office space and an identity with MSNBC, exposing the news division to complaints about opinionated cable hosts like Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews.

  
  Mr. Gillespie's letter -- although focusing on an interview conducted by an NBC correspondent on Sunday -- purposefully tied the news on NBC and the opinion on MSNBC together. The letter requested reassurance that Mr. Olbermann and Mr. Matthews, who are vocal critics of the Bush administration, "don't hold editorial sway over the NBC network news division."

  
  

Comments

[ntmessage]

When NBC and MSNBC reported that there was an earthquake in China recently, they provided to the public their first objective or fair news or political story for months. Keep up the good work.

[ntmessage]

When NBC and MSNBC reported that there was an earthquake in China recently, they provided to the public first objective or fair news or political story for months. Keep up the good work.

[slope142]

Fox News has been the barking dog on this administration's front porch since day one. They can't stand the fact that other porchs have dogs too.

[lewes17266]

There is nothing wrong with defending yourself but there is something wrong with intimidation and defamation and degradation.

[HSimpson]

I don't understand. Who is doing the intimidating, defaming, and degrading?

[HSimpson]

I just still don't know the explaination for editing out part of the interview anyhow. Not enough time? It was way too long? If it added nothing to the Presidents answer to include it, isn't that for me the viewer to decide? I'm not getting into the which network leans which way debate, but I can say that I personally like to get my NEWS the way it actually happens and feel I'm capable on my own of deciding what someone actually meant, or whether someone is dodging a question or spinning an answer. PLEASE all NEWS outlets give it to me as it comes and leave the editing to TMZ or Inside Edition.

[AMJordan]

The editing actually made the President look better. Also, the interview originally aired on NBC NIghtly news where they have about 20 minutes to go through all the news.

[Johnbo]

The attack on NBC is a manufactured "outrage" designed to change the subject from the "appeasement" speech while at the same time focusing the right-wing attack machine, once again, on the MSM - in this case, NBC. (Most likely, it's MSNBC and Keith Olbermann that they want to hurt with this).

They're taking a beating on the "appeasement" speech (see responses by former Sec. of State James Baker, Sec. of Defense Robert Gates, Republican Senator Chuck Hagel, not to mention Obama and the Democrats). Bush created a PR disaster when he used a public forum in a foreign country to take a cheap shot at a domestic political foe and now the loyal toadies like Gillespie and their syncophants at Fox are helping change the subject and make the media the issue. This is red meat to the base and helps drive the useful idiots into the arms of the right-wing rant machine like Faux News and their tools on talk radio.

Their problem with Richard Engel interview is that, when Engel summarized the part of Bush's speech to the Knesset about "appeasement", Bush's first response is to disagree with Engel's summation and that was edited out. The problem for the toadies is that Bush's long, unedited answer does nothing to correct Engel's summation. He just mentions other subjects that were covered in his speech and never offers a rebuttal of Engel's summation.

[rjean]

manufactured outrage...­........bs­..........­...nbc is a despicable pos with a totally left wing agenda...
you dont know what youre talking about.....­..........­...

[frappe]

You had a typo in your post. Delete "nbc" and substitute "Fox" and you'll be fine.

[Bluedog12]

And Faux is fair and balanced? The right gets hit back and your boys at Faux have a hissy fit. What a bunch of wimps. The President is panicking because he is only beginning to recognize the historic blunder he committed in invading Iraq. His decision strengthened Shia Iran with a Shia Iraq satellite. Now he is talking war with Iran. It's about legacy at this point. He can’t get out of this Iraq tar pit now and the only alternative to saving his presidential legacy is another war, which he thinks will weaken Iran. Bush legacy first the country second. It saddens me that he had access to his father’s wisdom and advice and ignored it. One Bush will go down as the worst president of modern times the other as one of the best yet underrated presidents.

[wolfgangmo]

Hey, It's regressive Jean again. How's the trolling?

And if you don't like NBC then don't watch it.

[Johnbo]

Um, regressivejean, I've seen left-wing, I know left-wing, NBC isn't left-wing. Not even close.

Since you seem to be another Bush toady, then tell us where the "biased" editing was in the interview. First answer theis question: How did Bush contradict Engel's summation other than to note many other elements that were in his speech???

(chirp . . . chirp . . . )

[NotGuilty]

Bush is like the 4 year old spoiled brat who gets scolded then cries to a favorite Aunt for sympathy. The Aunt then attacks the person who scolded Georgie.
The favorite Aunt in Bush's case seems to be Cheney.

[wolfgangmo]

Cheney in drag?

[shudder]

[Ruppy]

Give me a break. When you do your complaining to Fox News (PR arm of the Bush White House), how can anyone take you seriously?

I watched the election results last night and switched over to Fox and I couldn't believe some of the things they had on. The text crawling across the bottom of the screen kept referring to Obama as BHO. (Remember his middle name is HUSSEIN!!!) I hope when the refer to McCain they use his middle initial. (Doubtful) Then Brit Hume kept talking about how Obama got "spanked" in Kentucky. Let me say I am not holding my breath for Kentucky to vote Democratic. By this yardstick for Obama, they should be talking/fretting about how Hillary got "spanked" in Idaho.

Fox has tried to smear Obama (he's Muslim, he love Rev. Wright, he's elitist) and then anchors like Steve Doocy who do this every day have the audacity to slam MSNBC. You all can dish it out but you can't take it!

[HSimpson]

I dunno if it matters but they do use just "MAC" alot, as well as just Obama. I don't read anything into any of this. I guess I'm just niave.

[Witchitalineman]

Good for MSNBC. Now if they would get rid of their doc block series of sexual predators, murderers, etc. they might be a little more credible as a news organization. Olbermann can handle his own!

[lewes17266]

I have never understood why the ambush shows. I cannot stand even a glimpse of them.

[frappe]

Can you believe the nerve of the Bush White House and its propaganda tool, Faux Noise? And isn't it interesting that they don't seem to lodge any complaints against those news outlets that "lean to the right"? Apparently, they're only concerned with those news entities that occasionally publish the painful truth, which they interpret as "leaning left". Fortunately, for America and our cherished way of life, the Bush gang will be vacating the premises at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave in less than eight months -- unless, of course, Bush is impeached before then.

The Bush administration and its allies have proven themselves to be totally clueless about the true nature of American freedom and democracy. There has not been any group of individuals more resistant to the "free flow of information" than the Bush administration has been. They have trampled over our Constitution and our civil liberties and now presumably wish to impose editorial control over all aspects of "information distribution" like some fascist dictatorship or the old Soviet Union where everything had to be "pre-approved" prior to "dissemination".

[jaschrod]

I disagree with ;you about the Bush administration being clueless. They knew exactly what they were/are doing. they could care less about the Constitution, law, the people, or any other thing that is good for this country. They are for the right wing agenda as laid out by the Carlyle group, and other neocons.

[LCRover001]

Lets see since the start of the “War on Terror” Bush and the right have jumped up and down and screamed to all that would listen that if the left wins any position in government that they would do nothing but surrender to terrorist and appease them.

Now he’s saying that what he said was not a direct jab at Obama.

Does any one still believe this lying bunch?

So for once Bush and the right have a taste of their own medicine and it is as sour as it has been for everyone else. Fox news and many of the right wing talking heads have edited their interviews by cutting off little pieces of speeches and statements for a very long time. The right can dish it out but they can’t take it.

I’m not saying NBC should have done it, I think they shouldn’t have, because anyone who doesn’t have their head buried up their ass or has had it there for the past few years knows exactly what Bush meant. It is nothing new, it is just directed at Obama now.

Talking can avoid war, no war equals no no-bid contracts and no contracts means no insane profits for their war profiteering buddies.

[BeamMeUpScotty]

Engle asked if Bush was referring to Obama and Bush REFUSED to answer the question. That means by default that Bush WAS referring to Obama. If Gillespie wants to keep this issue on the front pages, he is only doing more damage to an administration that long ago sprouted horns and a barbed tail. The majority of the U.S. doesn't like Bush and doesn't respect Bush because he is a habitual liar and has brought WWIII to our doorstep (if we're not already in it). He is mean spirited and petty. I see no indication Bush mourns the loss of the 4000+ U.S. soldiers he has murdered. He enjoys passing gas in front of staff and then laughing. He is the ultimate underachiever (and proud of it) president. What more needs to be said?

[katzooks]

After spending 2001 through the better part of 2007 fearing for my very country** as I watched it plummet to disgrace under the spell of a government gone amok -- its Orwellian tactics validated by a media that, for whatever reasons, refused to state that the emperor was naked -- I've recently found some hope in MSNBC's factual coverage of our political landscape.

Liberal, schmiberal. Those who accuse MSNBC of a "liberal slant" are simply unaccustomed to hearing the facts -- to hearing any views contrary to the neo-con agenda. People in this country have been conditioned (good work, Bush-Cheney) into believing that is unpatriotic to speak against your government, no matter what the facts.

MSNBC's coverage is not liberal, per se -- even as it goes againt the Bush-Cheney grain -- but is more closely aligned with the truth, an ideal that they Bush-Cheney regime hijacked after 9-11, as they bought up and bullied the media to "stay the course" with them. In a true democracy, the media would have delivered us the untainted facts all along, with those individuals who prefer a different truth always free to change the channel.

My only gripe is that MSNBC doesn't do a retrograde on facts, correcting the record from 9-11 onward.

**(the place where, incidentally, my own children and grandchildren live, Mr. Doocy)

[missusam]

Bush and co took over the media. That is why they don't show our fallen soldiers coming home anymore and they never mention the civilian Iraq death total.

[ENK727]

Hey Douchey... you might wanna tell your son to get a new haircut also. I saw him on TV. The bangs just aren't working for him.

[ENK727]

Sorry Douchey, but you and your kid got what you deserve.

[jonmonbuckeye]

I commend MSNBC and NBC news for their coverage of world events, especially domestic news. It is refreshing to see an organization challenge blatant lies of both governments and corporations. MSNBC is not afraid to ask serious questions- no matter who the person is. They do this out of a sense to get the hard questions answered, and for that I am eternally grateful for their insight and analysis. I don't always agree with their assessments, but I am appreciative of the their efforts to examine every side of an issue.

Keith and Chris are excellent reporters who are a credit to their profession. I am a solid Republican who will be switching to the Democratic Party, thanks in part for the unbiased coverage of the issues that MSNBC has presented regarding this election. I can no longer accept the vitrol of the Republican Party. We have abandoned our principles to appease a segment of the population that I now believe hates America. Unfortunately my party has lost its moral compass- demonizing everyone who dares to question their logic. That is not the party I knew nor is it the party that I can respect. A party of Tancredo and of John Hagee hijacked the core values of a great organization. Mr. Obama is the best person to be the President of this great country. I want to thank MSNBC who have presented ALL sides of every issue regarding this election.

TO MSNBC- Continue to be the voice of reason.

[PKSSK]

Well said!!!

[Colmore]

I read somewhere that all TV's in the WH have to be tuned to Fox News, per orders from Cheney. Maybe Halliburton is a part owner of them, also.