White House's Fox News War Sparks Criticism, Surprising Backlash

Anita Dunn's comments that the White House views Fox News as the opposition/the research arm of the Republican party have been met with a surprising backlash — even by people generally critical of the network.

Frequent Fox News critic David Zurawik wrote in the Baltimore Sun that Dunn was wrong when she described the network's pre-election coverage as all about ACORN and Bill Ayers:

By the way, Dunn is absolutely wrong about Fox's coverage of the election last fall. I did watch it every day and wrote about it several times a week for this blog. And while I didn't like a lot of what I saw with soft interviews and only favorable coverage of Sarah Palin, it wasn't all about Bill Ayers and ACORN by a long shot. In fact, I saw Shephard [sic] Smith take down Joe the Plumber after that GOP-created character came on Fox and said, "A vote for Obama is a vote for the death of Israel." I wonder if Smith was acting as an "arm" of the Republican Party on that one.

Zurawik added that he feared for press freedom when he heard Dunn's remarks slammin Fox News:

I have to say I was suprised [sic] to hear a senior White House staffer sounding so uninformed and blantantly [sic] biased. This campaign by the Obama administration is dangerous to press freedom, and it should concern everyone in the press, not just Fox.

CNN senior political analyst David Gergen called Dunn's comments "a risky strategy, and it's not one that I would advocate."

"If you are going to get very personal against the media you're going to find that the animosities are just going to deepen, and you're going to find that you are almost going to draw viewers to people you are attacking," Gergen told Wolf Blitzer. "You build them up in some ways, you give them stature."

WATCH:

Even on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" Monday, the panelists largely came out against the White House's war against Fox News.

"Early on, Fox and some of their commentators were...I wouldn't call it supportive, but they were open to some of the ideas the President laid out," Harold Ford said. "I think you do yourself a little bit of a disservice if you're unwilling to take your message to every forum, to every audience."

"It is really fair to say that the Fox News reporters sitting in [the White House press briefing] are the Republican opposition?" Pat Buchanan asked. "I don't think that's fair. I don't think it's fair to say that about Chris Wallace, who runs an objective, tough news show...to call it the Republican opposition, that's really playing small, partisan politics and it doesn't help the White House to do that."

Watch:

Comments

[JohnBryansFontaine]

FOX News is Fascist:

14 POINTS OF FASCISM

1. Powerful and continuing expressions of nationalism

2. Disdain for the importance of human rights

3. Identification of enemies/scapegoats as a unifying cause

4. The supremacy of the military/avid militarism

5. Rampant sexism

6. A controlled mass media

7. Obsession with national security

8. Religion and ruling elite tied together

9. Power of corporations protected

10. Power of labor suppressed or eliminated

11. Disdain and suppression of intellectuals and the arts

12. Obsession with crime and punishment

13. Rampant cronyism and corruption

14. Fraudulent elections

NOTE: The above 14 Points was written in 2004 by Dr. Laurence Britt, a political scientist. Dr. Britt studied the fascist regimes of: Hitler (Germany), Mussolini (Italy), Franco (Spain), Suharto (Indonesia), and Pinochet (Chile).

[BrickSykes]

Okay, think about it this way: It's all a big Basketball Game! The visiting team comes to your gym and the game is underway. Only difference is the other school has hired professional "Hecklers" to Yell and Scream from the stands during the most tense moments of the game. When one of our players is making a free throw the hecklers jump up and down and scream and say naughty things about the shooters mother, or his race, or his overweight girlfriend. The Hecklers are so good that our team is rattled and loses concentration and consequently loses the game!

Now, who should control these 'Hecklers', or should they even be controlled? I think they SHOULD be controlled and ejected from the arena. They should be dealt with in some way, by some authority, or else chaos prevails. Is that what they're waiting for?

Isn't that about what is happening with Fox News? Aren't they basically 'heckling' all the Obama Administration is trying to do? What else are they trying to accomplish if not that? They provide no news coverage that cannot be gathered at any of a dozen other channels, so what is their motivation? I think it is only an attempt to get the Obama White House to FAIL! At Everything! And that is Wrong, and un-American!

Brick

[Kelli Pretton James]

Brick,
Your analogy only works among high minds if you authentically know your subject. Try watching Fox News first. Your position from a point of knowledge will far exceed your bluff. Best to you. KPJ

[ncmom54]

I thought we supported the Administration standing up to the fabricated facts & misinformation. it's time they were called out.

Lies help nobody except the folks paying for the drama/

__________­__________­__________­_____

excerpted from Obama's Health Care speech:

"But know this: I will not waste time with those who have made the calculation that it's better politics to kill this plan than to improve it. (Applause.) I won't stand by while the special interests use the same old tactics to keep things exactly the way they are. If you misrepresent what's in this plan, we will call you out. (Applause.) And I will not -- and I will not accept the status quo as a solution. Not this time. Not now."

[OnReflection]

Corporate media is coming to the defense of FOX, What a surprise!

And using Pat Buchanan as spokesmen and "analyst" for their defense really speaks volumes!!

[ObamaFan02]

When the political tide eventually changes (as it always does) and the conservatives dominate the presidency and the congress and start attack all liberal outlets as liars, will you feel the same way? The government should not be attacking press outlets whether they are Democrat or Republican. Free speech needs to be free.

[ReedYoung]

Nobody has been censored. There is NO ATTACK on free speech. No law requires the White House or any American to help ultra-conservatives to pretend that Fox News is a legitimate news organization. This President has better things to do than help bigots make others' real suffering into their entertainment.

[frappe]

The criticism of Fox News is richly deserved. The criticism of the WH for criticizing Fox News isn't.

Fox does pretty much function as a political or propaganda wing of the Republican party. That much is obvious. Anyone with two eyes, two ears, and a functioning brain can figure that out.

[Petey131]

"Anyone with two eyes, two ears, and a functioning brain can figure that out."

Oh well, that leaves out all of the Fox cult viewers.

[UncleJimbo]

Can you Imagine if say back in 1968 ABC,NBC or CBS had decided to become a propaganda arm of either the Republican or Democratic Party?

[PuppaX]

What a surprise. The press are willing to close ranks and support one of their own when it's called out by an "outsider."

Do CNN and MSNBC have any clue how often Fox pundits discuss how they are both in Obama's pocket?

Go fact-check SNL some more, CNN.

[VeryFairMOR]

Finally some input from the left from soneone who has actually watched Fox News.
Mr. Zurawik makes some unbiased, fair remarks here.
There is no doubt that Fox leans to the right, but just about every other media outlet leans left.
Ms. Dunn's remarks were the latest examples of the childish, pettiness of this administration when it deals with critics.
This white house just blames and blames and blames. Points fingers, points fingers, and points more fingers. Very often not addressing the substance of any criticism.
I thought it used to be the job of the press to speak truth to power. To be the government watchdog for the people. Boy, we are far away from those days with 90% of our current press being in Mr. Obama's pocket.
As an example, notice that recently, the white house line for anything that they don't want to answer is, "There are so many more important things on the president's plate". Of course there are more important things on his plate. But does that mean he gets a free pass on anything but the top 3 or 4 priorities of the government?

[jwredd]

Is this the first administration you've ever followed?

[ReedYoung]

"There is no doubt that Fox leans to the right, but just about every other media outlet leans left."

False. That's just a faux talking point, which has never had any basis in reality. The media are only as liberal as their conservative corporate owners.

Compare the coverage of the made-up Whitewater "scandal" and the irrelevant extramarital fling with Monica L., to the uncritical parroting of Rumsfeld/C­heny/Bush, Inc.'s made-up case for invading Iraq and to the U.S. media blackout of the Downing Street Memo. It should not have taken photographs of torture and video of people dying in a stadium in New Orleans to make Americans from both parties dissatisfied with the Bush administration, but because of the conservative corporate press, that is what it took for Americans to finally begin to notice how criminally corrupt the previous administration was.

[FantasticFourFan]

If these people expect Fox to return the favor down the line when it's their turn, their going to be very disappointed.

[ReedYoung]

They just want Fox to keep making stuff up, so they can keep reporting on non-events which they can report as "controversy" without bothering to fact-check. It's symbiotic among the corporate media.

[carollt]

It's about time the White House called out FOX for its lies. Someone has to do it. Glenn Beck is just riduculous with the stories he tells and Hannity is not much better. And how about that softball interview Chris Wallace did with Dick Cheney; he even dressed like Cheney.

FOX never lets the facts get in the way of a good story. And to hear them tell it, Obama is going to shut down FOX; another lie.

God Bless the President. I hope he keeps calling them out for their lies.

[VeryFairMOR]

Let's not forget than Glenn Beck is responsible for exposing of the factual record of Van Jones that resulted in Mr. Obama "accepting his resignation". Firing him, in other words.
Glenn Beck is largely responsible for exposing a lot of issues with Acorn, that resulted in both houses of congress voting by large majorities of both parties to cut off funding to Acorn.
I don't agree with everything Glenn Beck says and does. Nor do I agree with everything Keith Oberman or the NY Times says.
But to just dismiss Beck as some lying fool is obviously overstating the case.

[jwredd]

Truth and any semblance of responsible journalism have nothing to do with Glenn Beck. He's an entertainer who exploits your emotions. FOX executives will tell you the exact same thing in order defend themselves against accusations of reckless "journalism".

[TheNovak]

Hey, Mr. Zurawik: Shep was specifically excluded from her condemnation of the network. She was talking about the rest of the network's programming.

[bgofca]

morning joe and gergen, aren't they also republican shrills.

[ReedYoung]

Yes, and Pat Buchanan is off-the-charts ultra-conservative.

[jusasoldier]

misleading headline....."White House's Faux Snooze War Sparks Criticism, UNsurprising Backlash from the Usual White House Critics"....there fixed for ya

[Rodger leMonde]

Freedom of speech applies to the White House too.

[Chris1962]

>>>Freedom of speech applies to the White House too.>>>

So does "freedom to make poor strategic decisions." I suspect this talk about pushing back hard is going to quietly go away soon. In fact, I think it already has. I haven't heard Ms. Dunn follow up. Not a word coming out of the White House on the subject.

[fairplaystacy]

Yes "freedom of the press" does mean freedom to lie, but lying is unethical NOT unconstitutional.

Lying is also not the same as "opining", having an "alternate viewpoint"
Lying should not be confused with having a "different perspective"
If you drive by in a blue sedan and I tell everyone you were flying a kite and wearing rollerskates, this is not a different perspective, it's lying.
Lying is not the same as having an "opposing viewpoint"
Lying is immoral and wrong, but Constitutionally OK for the press.
also "Going after" sounds so threatening, whether legally or not. The White House wants to counter "LIES" with facts - totally appropriate
If you are ideologically opposed to the President, great! If you think that opposition strategy can include lying, it means that you're immoral. If you think that lying is the same as just having an opinion or alternative viewpoint, you're misguided, perhaps even ignorant. You may be beyond the reach of reason and rational discourse.

The people of Fox were good enough to go to court to fight for their right to lie. Not too many News organizations would, but they did. You can't say you both, LIE and have integrity, their mutually exclusive ( try saying that during a job interview). You can deny the fact that Fox lies, but you're all alone. They don't deny it!

http://www.ceasespin.org/ceasespin_blog/ceasespin_blogger_files/fox_news_gets_okay_to_misinform_public.html

[pakaal]

Zurawik says, "And while I didn't like a lot of what I saw with soft interviews and only favorable coverage of Sarah Palin...."

OK, to me that should be enough for anyone to agree that FOX is overtly biased, but Zurawik isn't having any of that, and, in his four-paragraph op-ed piece still manages to find space to point out that there's actually a guy, ONE GUY at Fox who seems to not be overtly Conservative (Shepard Smith), so obviously the White House is wrong about Fox.

Talk about a stretch of the imagination.

[ReedYoung]

Liberals frequently give credit to Shepard Smith for reporting facts which contradict his ultra-conservative colleagues on faux. He's a well-known exception to the well-known pattern of deeply partisan lying on faux news.