Why Won't Fox Reveal "Analyst" Karl Rove As A McCain Adviser?

Salon:

It has now been more than three months since Karl Rove first appeared on television as a Fox News political analyst on Feb 5. In no fewer than 57 appearances, he has increasingly been welcomed into the Fox News fraternity, even joking that the "Hannity & Colmes" show should be renamed the "Colmes & Rove" show. After departing from a Bush administration in political tatters last August, he has reemerged to hold forth at length on the 2008 presidential race. And he may have plenty of seasoned political wisdom to offer Fox's audience. Rove, however, is playing a strategic role that he and the network refuse to reveal to viewers.

Fox News hosts routinely introduce Rove as a "former senior advisor to President Bush," "the architect," a "political wizard" and a "famed political consultant." But never has he been introduced as he should be -- as an informal advisor and maxed-out donor to John McCain's presidential campaign.

To political news junkies, a disclosure of Rove's relationship to the McCain campaign may seem unnecessary. But whether the public simply assumes that Rove supports McCain isn't the point. The "most influential pundit" in America, as Fox likes to trumpet, should have to play by the same rules as other high-profile political analysts. For example, Paul Begala and James Carville are regularly identified as supporters of Hillary Clinton when they appear on CNN. But Rove has been able to act as an independent observer while criticizing Clinton and Barack Obama, McCain's likely general election opponent.

There is nothing shocking about Rove's attacking Democrats, of course. And his operating with a duplicitous air of independence probably isn't going to make or break Fox's claim to "fair and balanced" coverage. But will the greater public catch on?

Read the whole story: Salon

Comments

[Canaris]

Yeah, Karl Rove is a political genius alright. He's managed to do in a few short years what the Democrats havn't been able to do in their entire existance. That being, destroy the Republican party for at least a generation. Fox News is the only place where people might consider him anything other than an abject failure. He may have won the battle, but he certainly lost the war.

That's some fine strategery there, Lou.

[lisakaz2]

A: Because they're all in the tank for the GOP, unofficially or officially or otherwise. To them, what's the diff?

[KBAR]

Why would ANY HufPo posterturd care if Rove was on Fox? They don't watch Fox anyway.
Now, if he were writing for the Daily Worker, they might had a complaint.

[dwillisno1]

You may want to ask the person who reads the papers to you each day whether Rove is writing for the Daily Worker. I'm sure the word Worker would keep you at a distance from anything.

[KBAR]

Clear that up for me , Comrade? You edit the Daily Worker news letter on your collective?

[guntotinganglion]

Zing POW...what a wit! Damn, you sure are funny. Don't give up your day job there Shecky!

[andyboy]

Rove executed the Contract on America beautifully. He's done a great job dismantling our economy and opening up the Treasury to any looter who pledges fealty.

Jokes on America once again. It's worst enemies are on the TV making magabucks and being treated like rockstars

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[timothe]

Once again I ask: If America was truly the laughingstock of the world, then why did France, Germany, Italy, and Canada move away from socialism in their last elections and elect more conservative pro-American leaders?

[timothe]

*crickets*

[guntotinganglion]

I believe that pudgy Karl isn't so much an anal-yst as he is an anal cyst. It's even possible that he might have even been the very anal cyst on Rush Limbaugh's rotund rear-end, that helped that war loving coward to avoid service.

[cmrinc]

I hope Rove is a McCain Advisor, he kicked the Liberals ASS in the last two elections. Might as well make that three!

[radiclib]

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Ha! The ``last'' election was in 2006 and Rove didn't do so well.
For different reasons, liberals hope Rove advises McCain.
By all means, Karl, whisper in his hearing aid.
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[mymonie]

Okay....

2/3 is still better then any of your Dem advisors.

[Earl]

Are you happy with what you got?

[radiclib]

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Rove is a slippery sort of propagandist, but the worst of them on that vile channel is Hannity, a mouthy bully in the tradition of Joe McCarthy. Things will change for the better on Jan. 20. Shortly after that, Rove will have to answer questions under oath. He'll have a choice: Give up his bosses or do time in the slammer. Or, maybe he'll get both. Payback is on the way, ``Architect.''
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[DRaymond]

Actually Fox is not the only one hiding the backgrounds of its staff. For example George Stephanopoulos' bio on ABC's website includes a small single sentence buried in the second to last paragraph role that he played in the Clinton admininstration.

And besides his role in the McCain campaign, does anybody really doubt that he has lost his position on the oval office speed-dial list?

[JJK]

To answer the question posed in the Article's title: "Well, duh, because it's Fox."

[rich3324]

Will Bush pardon Rove before he leaves office?

[hypnus]

Dems in Congress are keeping Karl on a low simmer until the pardon monkey is out of the White House then they will pop him into the frying pan. He can be a FOX "anal-ist" in prison.

[mary82]

He He He

[Grit]

The bigger question is will Bush pardon Bush before he leaves office.

[incontempt]

Karl Rove is facing subpeona's, future indictments and an eventual conviction, is there really a better advisor for Mccain?

[Earl]

Because they do not consider intentional omission to be a lie.

[oogabooga]

Rove's arsenal consists of flipping election results, spreading vile lies via internet, phone banks and mailers and focusing a campaign on trivia instead of real issues. We have no time left for that garbage. Our country is spiraling down the drain. People want no part of Rove and his NeoCon crazies.

[lodipete]

Did someone actually think Rove was an "analyst"? Curtail immigration;deport Rupert Murdoch!

[BethStuart]

I think it's useless to ask questions about Fox News when the responsibility for their actions rests entirely with Rupert Murdoch. Murdoch is the new William Randolph Hearst, a media magnate who manipulates the political process to his own ends.

As my late father used to say, Don't bother with the clowns when you can deal with the circus owner.

[Grit]

Yes Rupert , the neo-cons, the oil companies, haliburton, black water, and on and on etc. have this country right where they want them. Bent over in front of them. And they realize they have made their ignorant supporters as sore as the rest of us. So they are getting all they can while they can.