Fox's Shepard Smith Disputes Idea That The Media Secured Win For Obama [UPDATED]

Via HotAir/Salon, here's Shepard Smith at his arch and acidic best, pushing back against the contention of comedian Nick DiPaolo that the media was "in the tank" for Barack Obama. I think you'll agree that Smith manages to make a lot of sense!

"Oh, please...the mainstream media reflected what was happening in this nation. It did not drive it. The blogs didn't drive this movement. The media didn't drive this movement. Barack Obama did not lose this election. It was his to lose, it was not John McCain's to win. The Republicans had no shot unless the Democrats gave it to them, and they didn't. And to blame the media is a cop out and ridiculous. We are always here to be blamed by people like you who enjoy that activity. We always will be. When the Democrats lost last time, it was our fault. When the Republicans lost this time, it was our fault. It's not."

To follow up on Smith's point, I'll note that in my opinion, the perceived favor given to Obama by the press -- leaving aside those examples of Matthewsian leg-tingles -- had much to do with the fact that his campaign was a functional organization that, on balance, made a year-long series of structurally sound decisions, won the support of voters, and secured their favor with a steady and sensible response to the financial crisis once the race became captive to those events. By contrast, I don't think it's particularly hot-blooded to look back at the McCain campaign and suggest that it was a dysfunctional organization that, on balance, made a year-long series of unsound decisions, and responded erratically to the financial crisis.

In essence, it seems like the 2008 campaign builds a strong case that media responds more favorably to success than it does to failure. This would be non-controversial in just about any other field of endeavor, but this is politics, where paranoiacs like Nick DiPaolo somehow get an audience.

[UPDATED: Alex Balk goes ahead and says what I refrained from saying, having woken up this morning on the "Let's just let the fact that there's some weird dude dressed like a Lieutenant Colonel in the Leprechaun Army sitting there go" side of the bed.]

Comments

[Syco]

What is the deal with Shep?

[secondbanana]

For those who ask, "What's Shep doing on the Fox News Network"? He's making between seven and eight million dollars a year (N.Y.T., July 2007). Not close to Katie Couric's pay scale, but certainly quite respectable, to say the least.

[winningticket]

What's a good news man like Shepperd Smith doing with a scurrilous news network like Faux News?

[Defaultgirl]

Fox and CNN are fair enough. MSNBC is a joke.

[Dustee]

Fox News is the Joke and the punchline. Although both CNN and MSNBC have their 'moments' too. But no news network can compare to Fox News.

[skippy20008]

I guess Shep never got the memo that "fair and balanced" was meant ironically.

[just4shiggles]

I wish that Shepard Smith would leave fox "news" and go over to msnbc so that I can watch him again. I love Shep!!!

[caterpol]

How is it possible, when Faux news brags night after night about their superior ratings, can they now asssert their "liberal" MSM inferiors won it for Obama. And how, after convincing themselves and others that McCain had a real shot at this thing, can they now say he didn't stand a chance?

Moreover, Obama won for a myriad of reasons----there's no one magical thing----no matter how many pundits get paid to debate the topic.

In any case, Faux seems to believe that unless another news outfit isn't denigrating or making up stuff about Democratic candidates (Madrassa! pals around with....! ad nausea), they're in the tank for him. For sure, the nation listened to these bizarre accusations and saw them for what they were. Desperate attempts. Foolishness.

[kody1529]

That my friend, is why the "liberal media" bias is total crap. It's a lie and they know it. They have been saying it so much they have actually started believing it

[jackmayoff]

Shep, Major Garret, and from time to time Chris Wallace, only sensible reporters on Fox.

[Tom Payned]

There is one network that exists solely to promote the republican FOX NEWS. The majority of "talk radio" is the water carrier for the GOP, wing-nuts have the audacity to whine about the media being in tank for Obama?

Investigative reporting died a long time ago, when the news division was changed from being a public service aspect of the networks in exchange for the licensing, and until Reagan equal time was required.

Now a days one network reports a story without confirming it, all of the other networks run to their "breaking news" and tell the same story figuring someone else reported it first so it' not our responsibility if we're wrong.

Other than Keith and the recently added Rachel where else is this supposed liberal meeting?

[DaviJones]

This is the second time in the recent past that Shep Smith has shown some decency; on a network that is generally the antithesis of that word.

Less than two weeks ago he went way beyond the Fox standard by not only refusing to swallow Joe the Dumber"s idiocy, but by actually remarking after the interview that Joe and his ilk, and the things they do and say, are actually frightening.

While Fox in general is still populated and run by scumbags, Shep has shown himself to be someone of honor and intelligence. You go Shep!!

[mivogo]

When will Shep Smith appear on Hannitty and tell him how full of it he is?
I'd actually watch that on pay per view.

[guyfromtrinidad]

This election made me look at Shep in a totally different way. Maybe fox news isn't so bad after all (Yeah right!!)

[Emmasdaddy]

Nick DePaolo? Just when you think the list of illustrious right wing "celebs" can't sink any lower, the go into the "F" list.

Who gives a crap what these never will be's think? Shep Smith, abandon that sinking ship of conservative idiocy and get to a real network.

[SNS]

That Nick Depaulo is the most annoying "comedian" this side of Dennis Miller. Way to hand him his own arse, Shep.

[TR12]

When did we start taking political advice from nick dipaulo
he's not even that good at comedy

[canucklivinginUSA]

Shep is going rogue