David Plouffe To Appear On Fox News Days After Criticizing Network

Obama campaign manager David Plouffe will be appearing on Fox News' "On the Record with Greta van Susteren," the network confirmed to The Swamp's Mark Silva.

The appearance comes in the midst of the war being waged by the administration against the cable news network, and will come just four days after Plouffe spoke negatively about Fox News on NBC's "Meet the Press."

Plouffe told "Meet the Press" moderator David Gregory that, in the last 60 days of the presidential campaign, Fox News "turned into a 24-hour propaganda channel for the McCain Campaign." He also cautioned not to overstate Fox News' influence, saying that its primetime audience — although #1 in cable news — represents less than 2% of the electorate (full transcript below).

However, on Thursday, he will address that primetime audience in pursuit of book sales. His book, The Audacity To Win, hits stores Tuesday, almost one year to the day after the campaign he oversaw came to a close.

Read an excerpt of the book at TIME.com.

Watch Plouffe's comments on Fox News from "Meet the Press" Sunday:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Transcript:

GREGORY: ...Let's talk about the White House's decision to try to isolate Fox News. To declare a kind of war on Fox News. During the campaign, you all did business with Fox News. Didn't have-- problem with that. Why has that changed?

PLOUFFE: Well, we did business. Obviously-- it turned into a 24-hour propaganda channel for the McCain Campaign really in the last 60 days. So, listen, let's-- let's-- Fox News on their-- in the primetime, average viewers about two and a half million. 140 million people voted in the election. So, it's less than two percent of the electorates. So, I think sometimes we overstate, particularly in Washington the impact of this cable news culture.

But the fact that they're out there reporting that health care is gonna cost a trillion and a half dollars, you know, the President's at war with the C.I.A., the President must not be serious about terrorism. They're just out there. And it's not just in the evening. It's their morning show. The Today Show certainly doesn't make these kind of statements. And I think the danger is if what Fox is propagating out there becomes embraced by media, then there is a big (UNINTEL).

GREGORY: Why not engage them? Why not engage-- I mean, isn't-- I thought that this was a candidate who campaigned about staying above the fray.

PLOUFFE: Well, we-- listen, we went on Fox a lot during the campaign.

GREGORY: Right. But--

GREGORY: You disagree with what they're doing now?

PLOUFFE: No. I think you've seen the Administration have presence on Fox. I'm sure you will again. But the point is, I think, you have to put a spotlight on some of the irresponsibility coming out of that network. Even though the audience itself is fairly modest. If it-- if it creeps outside of that, it becomes an issue.

Comments

[chrish]

Ho-hum.. Please stop treating us like children, and stop the outdated Bush-era "war on everything" rhetoric. You play right into their victimhood and stoke the hysterical fires of "us v. them" perpetuated to divide and conquer.

The Obama administration merely criticized the network and said they would go on it with their eyes wide open, that's all.

[TN]

Greta was such a tool for Palin during the campaign. She was up at their house and never questioned anything or asked a good question.

That woman sold her soul to Faux for sure.

[texastrixie]

I am not happy with either Plouffle or Hillary Clinton going on Fox News. I think Hillary was supposed to be on Greta Van whatever's show last night. Either the network is propagandist or its not. I normally support almost everything SOS Clinton does, but I still don't think it was a good idea for her to go on Fox. I didn't watch her appearance, but I would be surprised if the host did not try to get Clinton to throw Obama under the bus. If the administration okayed this appearance, it was still a mistake. By granting the interview, the administration helps support the idea that Hillary Clinton is "out to get Obama" because he won the election, and degrades her by making her look like she is not a team player. Since she isn't out for the presidency, and she has been totally loyal to Obama, it is not fair to send this message to America.

[bessielil]

Could everyone please let go of the WAR imagery when talking about a silly, cranky, often obnoxious set of commentators? Seems to me that other networks and David Gregory (above) are asking White House officials for reactions to Foxy remarks, and then framing WH responses as 'salvos' 'shots fired' 'declaring war' 'battling with' on down to accusations of censorship--which certainly are fighting words, but not what the WH is doing. Meanwhile, Fox gains ever more attention and ratings.

It's too bad the WH people didn't just refer to the First Amendment, and say that Fox has not broken any laws. Ethics are another matter.

But it's NOT WAR. It's manufactured news, like clumps of high schoolers gathering around a rumored altercation and yelling, "Fight, fight, fight." Cable stations are often guilty of creating news they can report on.

[MDfromMD]

You make excellent points all around in your post.

Or may be, we all have to accept this as the level of sophistication in our lives and society
in America . . . TODAY!!! I hope it changes towards more civil discourse and tolerance.

The world is indeed watching.

[Kellyk311]

Faux News, what a joke.

[angelvsion]

Arianna Huffington's headline for today's page was about what would Candidate Obama think about President Obama? and made a connection with this book, The Audacity To Win. Her piece inspired me to order the book so I can read it myself. I imagine that Plouffe has the same idea to try to inspire those who do watch Fox to read the book.

Love and Peace

[balrog221]

watched OReilley last night. Tirade on the health care bill 200 pages and so forth..unreadable and so on. Okay that is fine, but where is the calling to account of the republican legislators who have done nothing but stall. Fair and Balanced would suggest they get bashed for their part in this debacle.

[tsixonesix]

If you want to sell books .....go to Fox...

[booktone]

I disagree. People watch Fox because they CAN'T read.

[up420oz]

The survey is to be released Monday suggests Canadians view U.S. President Barack Obama far more favourably and with considerably less contempt than they did his predecessor, George W. Bush.
"There are underlying, enduring currents of scepticism, distrust and even perhaps anti-Americanism in Canada which (Obama's) election has not fundamentally changed," said Andrew Cohen, president of the Historic-Dominion Institute.
The Innovative Research poll for the institute, which coincides with the first anniversary of Obama's milestone election as the first black president in the U.S., finds 86 per cent of Canadians asked view him favourably.

[MJinCanada]

Yep. Having rational neighbours makes a world of difference. It might help us vote out Harper next time too.

[zermatt]

White House Surrenders to Fox News?
Either that, or Hillary's going rogue, but I'm betting on the former, since this administration traffics in appeasement. The Secretary of State will be appearing on "not a legitimate news network" at 10 pm tonight for an interview with Greta.
Maybe Hillary is just playing to her base...

[Robert Cantor]

ugh ... give it a rest!

[texastrixie]

She is not playing to any base except Obama's. This response is exactly why she should not have appeared. She only went with the administration's blessing, but many won't believe this. She isn't going "rogue," you must think all females in power think alike.

[saywha]

I just hope that Plouffe will be as good and impressive as he was on "Meet the Press". I'm sick of all those, who are so bold, or one way on MSNBC but become "timid" on FOX. David, I hope you'll prove me wrong. Just remember, Greta is NOT on your side.

[lgillooly]

Fox uses facts that support their ideology. Lying through omission as well as propogating fear and hatred towards our Government (we the people) and our President is not free speech or constructive dissent. It is dangerous, deceptive and fearmongering to get Republicans back in power. Let's not forget what a heck of a job they did during the Bush Administration and what they left for Obama to deal with..

[xlntcat]

Amen!

[blizb]

Exactly, and I wish him luck going into the "Fox's" den.

No matter what he says it will be put through the spin machine as negative.

Only a Republican or conservative can be presented in a positive light on their station.

I don't know how they hire their hosts or commentators when they obviously had to be chosen based on their politics which isn't fair.

[satanlite]

You said it well. If Democrats surrendour again and start treating Fox News as if they warranted respect, it will disgust me as much as I'm disgusted by the average 20%er.

[NICELYDONE]

he is trying to sell a book,,, he wants an audience,..... FOX NEWS will give him one, He knows he won't get that on MSNBC

[elizlucinda]

It will be interesting to see how he is treated at Fox...

[mitchflorida]

There is money to be made by going on Fox News Network. Nothing wrong with that.

Even us progressives like $$$.