HuffPost's Nico Pitney: Fox News Largely "A 24-Hour Campaign Against The Obama Administration" (VIDEO)

Huffington Post national editor Nico Pitney appeared on CNN's "Reliable Sources" Sunday morning to debate the White House campaign against Fox News.

Amanda Carpenter of The Washington Times argued that the Obama administration had made its fight with Fox News the story, forcing other networks to cover it.

Pitney said that taking on Fox News was exactly the right thing to do. "If the Republican National Committee had a television network, how would it be any different?" he asked.

"Fox News is the voice of the opposition," he continued. "By and large, the network is a 24-hour campaign against the Obama administration."

Jane Hall, a contributor to Fox News for over a decade, said she thought isolating the network was a bad idea: "I don't think this a good strategy for the Obama administration," she told Howard Kurtz. "I think they look like whiners." At the same time, she freely admitted the network's campaign to paint Obama as a socialist or communist -- on both news shows and commentary.

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Comments

[not believing]

Yeah, wake up! Are you guys asleep? Don't you listen to what is being said and done? Valerie Jarrett gets up and answers a question about fox's bias and she says of course it is. Then when asked if msnbc is biased and she backtracks and goes we are not going to pick on anyone in particular. If you think this whitehouse crew will stop at Fox you took sleeping pills in history class. Why do you think the other networks stood up for fox last week when the whitehouse tried to exclude them from fineberg's (spelling?), press conference ?

You should be scared to death about what they are doing.

[econ1]

I think both Fox and MSNBC are so biased as to be useless as a news source (but fun to listen to while doing chores around the house). But I find it a bit unnerving for the government to be singling out a network, newspaper, or other media source.

[merger]

Exactly.

[reddyfox]

No doubt that MSBNC is biased but they base theire stories on FACTS. That's the difference.

[tedmore123]

If all network and cable news providers would just follow the rules of journalistic integrity; they would shine like beacons of truth compared to FNC. However Fox is doing well in the ratings so the rest are probably contemplating copying their model or parts of it so as to cut into their ratings regardless, a legitimate news organization does not:

Source its research to "conservative blogs."

Purposefully present stories out of context.

Regularly declare "Victory!" when a White House initiative fails.

Ignore a breaking news story that embarrasses the Republican Party.

Invite fringe conspiracy theorists to appear on news shows.

Suggest during a news program that Democrats voted to "protect pedophiles, but not veterans."

Routinely accuse the president of the United States of being like Adolf Hitler.

Describe itself as the "voice of the opposition."

Air more than 100 commercials promoting partisan political rallies.

Show 22 clips of health care reform opponents who attended town hall forums, and none of health reform supporters.

Purchase full-page newspaper ads to spread falsehoods about the news competition.

Invade the privacy of second-grade students.

Promote violent political rhetoric.

Fail to fact-check a murder story before airing allegations about it.

Allow a news anchor to suggest a Supreme Court nominee is guilty of "reverse racism."

And it would certainly not have to claim being Fair and Balanced...that should speak for itself.

[Chip W]

So they hide behind the First Amendment.
"The First Amendment protects our freedom to be dishonest."

[ProudMilVet]

Fox News = Oral Flatulance

[ProudMilVet]

So what's so newsworthy about this ? Fox news has been attacking the President 24/7 since the day he was elected . Honest debate ? The only thing they know how to do is to shout down, insult & name call . As soon as anyone calls them on it, they try to play the victim & start yelling censorship.

[clearthinker2008]

Since the day he was elected? Nope, he was getting attack by Fixed Noise on a daily bases way before he was elected. But I agree with the rest your point.

[respected]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQnmxW-UyKo

[gparks]

Once again ... we are being asked NOT to believe our lying eyes or ears! The entire fox channel has participated in the negative dissimanation of lies, false stories, distortions AND organized and conducted anti-Obama rallies in PLAIN sight! Poorly disguised as news... their opinions and veiw point IS well known and supported by the most exterme members of this society and yes ... the RNC! The WH statement that they deal with Fox as they come .... is practical and wise! The fact that these "talking heads" are discussing it ... gives me hope. Anyone seeing and hearing this "debate" can now judge for themselves. No one can deny that Beck, Hannity, etc are ANTI-Obama and this administration ... with a viciousness NOT seen since the Texas front page ads on display in Dallas, Nov 22nd1963. That day was not America's finest!

[Hallucinocynic]

Has anyone ever heard any POSITIVE commentary about Obama on Fox?

[ebanks84]

No. And don't expect to either.

[daultman463]

When the last time you heard something positive about a republican on olbermann,ed,or maddow?

[Michael Shanley]

When was the last time a Republican did anything positive for this country?

[sparky73]

Hi Nico...I find it ironic you support the White House on their boycott of Fox News but when you were with the Center For American Progress you constantly did super right wing national talk radio and even seemed to enjoy it with some of the hosts...

[reddyfox]

Your name totally suits you Sparky.

[tucsoncindy]

Fox News is a paid political propaganda misinformation Chanel paid for by the C street gang of
Republicans.

[sparky73]

I would believe that if that ratings were super low BUT, since they are the number 1 cable news network in the United States, I think that premise is flawed.

[image18301]

I thought of that too. But consider this: the more polarized the hard-core Repubs become, the more they band together and follow their "guiding light".

I think what we're witnessing is the core of the White Mans' Party that they've become and they'll follow the network that panders to their beliefs. At this point, FOX can put forth even more outlandish and purposely false stories and their constituents will always follow.

Ultimately, this makes the hate-core even more so (and they will hold more Tea Parties or some such nonsense) but I believe it's hurting their party - and the recent poll numbers proves it.

One cannot avoid this - there is no freedom of opinion here, whether it's from the network or the viewers themselves. The Party of NO has a TV channel, plain and simple.

[sehwha]

Ok Folks. You are really not understanding what is happening here folks. Folks, let me tell you something! All the Republicans are flocking to Fox. Fox now has all the Republican viewers, all 14M of them. That is ALL that is left of the Republicans. Now if we could start saying nice things about Palin and get her to run for Presidency in 2012, we would hit the trifecta and quinella! Democrats just need to not break a leg or pull up. That is all it will take to ensure that we see some good restored to America. The other 200M listen to all the other news channels switching from chanel to chanel to get different news and different viewpoints.

[LALAW]

...and Roosevelt should have given equal access to Tokyo Rose.

[JaneK13]

Oh so much coverage of Fox. Amanda is spot-on... when Pres Obama declared Fox News to be Public Enemy #1, he forced every other news outlet to carry many, many stories about Fox News...several stories on HP today.

It just makes one wonder about the next step in the president's strategy. Clearly he wants to destroy his #1 enemy, but that will be difficult to do while their ratings are going through the roof.

[LALAW]

To destroy FNC is not the purpose. The purpose is to plant the seed in average Americans minds that FNC is not objective. FNC's ratings would have grown anyway and will continue to grow (though I believe Beck's days are numbered).
Most people want to at least believe they're being fair. Now, they have a harder time lying to themselves about FNC's objectivity.
The vast majority in the south thought segregation was ok. They hated the Supreme Court for saying otherwise. Now, most people acknowledge that it was wrong. The voice of authority has that effect.
Calling out FNC is about more than just politics. FNC and talk radio stifle honest debate. We really need honest debate in this country. I'll bet lots of real free thinking conservatives are secretly happy with the White House's approach on this, and not because it's no lose for them, but because they can't express their views without the fear of retribution from FNC and talk radio.

[kate99]

I never understand why you have to plant that seed why cannot normal americans see it hell they dont hide it and 90% of there lies you can find out are lies by reading or going online just looking into it or are all there watches just the internet books are evil crew.

I really dont get how anyone who is not on the right can think they are not bais

[kcscoops]

They can't really complain until someone at fox admits that hillary makes their leg tingle and they will do every thing in their power to make sure obama's presidency works

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/25/huffposts-nico-pitney-fox_n_333006.html#postComment

[kcscoops]

They can't really bitch until someone at fox admits that hillary makes their leg tingle and they will do every thing in their power to make sure obama's presidency works.