Fox News Reporter Battles Pentagon Flack In Latest Media Dust-Up

It's been a while since we've checked in on how that whole White House "War on Fox News" was playing out in the trenches, between Fox News's news-gatherers and the administration's news-dispensers. Apparently, things are a bit chippy! At least that's the state of play between two guys you've never heard of: Fox's Pentagon producer Justin Fishel and Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell.

Over at The Line Of Departure, Jamie McIntyre has documented the blow-by-blow, which goes a little something like this:

Fishel ran afoul of Pentagon flacks after he ran this story about the decision to give Gitmo inmates the H1N1 vaccine, which "seemed to put the Pentagon at odds with the White House" on the matter. Bryan Whitman, a spokesman who was quoted for the story, wasn't happy about the way it played, and made a special point to put Fishel on blast within earshot of the other Pentagon correspondents.

The following day, this mini-skirmish of the thin-skinned was re-enjoined, as Fishel found himself in a spat with Morrell:

The next day, November 4th, Fishel was clearly feeling the chill from Morrell, who when Fishel attempted to ask a question, curtly rebuked him for interrupting, "Excuse -- Justin, I'm addressing this question. You raised your hand. I'm happy to call on you in some point in this engagement," Morrell remonstrated Fishel.

As Fishel patiently held up his hand up, Morrell ignored him, only acknowledged Fishel at the very end of the briefing, after another producer from a competing network, Luis Martinez of ABC, was called on and "deferred" his question to Fishel.

Fishel said, "Thank you. I've had my hand up the whole time," to which Morrell replied, "I didn't see you. I'm sorry. "

"I don't believe that for a second," Fishel retorted before asking and getting an answer to his question.

Here's a video of these ostensible grown-ups litigating their dumb personal grievances with one another in front of the assembled press, a sight that is sure to make you long for the days when people just settled these matters by dueling, with guns.

WATCH:

RELATED:
Is it cold in here? Or is it Fox? [The Line Of Departure]

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Comments

[KLordsha]

Geoff Morrell is on the money...the Pentagon couldn't have a better spokesman.... Geoff's "For what and with what" line is probably one of the all time classic lines.. >>>>

http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/world-news/pentagon-terms-north-koreas-threat-to-wipe-out-us-as-silliness_100209261.html

[AtheistMaximus]

!@#$%^&*
That's all I can really say about that.

[BOin08]

I'm no fan of Fox, but I am a fan of journalism. What other network aggressively confronts the administration on the hot-button issues of the day? NBC? CNN? ABC? Please. And MSNBC - the propaganda wing of the DNC? Seriously. Please. MSNBC is more like the History Channel as they continue to harp on the sins of the previous administration.

[IamPhenom]

Nice fake Obama supporter screen name. Funny how you bash Keith Olbermann constantly for his attacks on Bush (viewing your old posts), but yet now you believe Fox is heroic for "confronting" the Obama administration.

Just admit it. You are a partisan right-winger. Stop being a coward and pretending you are "no fan of Fox".

By the way, Fox is not challenging the administration with these questions. They are once again misleading people. They've been telling people the vaccine is a secret government plan to harm citizens. They've also said the administration was simply fear-mongering about the h1n1 flu in order to sell health care reform. Then they lied in a report saying Gitmo detainees would get the vaccine before their guards, which is not true. They also failed to mention that giving the vaccine to detainees is actually to protect their military guards and anyone who oversees or even visits Gitmo.

This is all Fox does: distort and lie in order to bash Obama or Democrats in general. They are a wing of the radical neo-con fringe of the Republican Party, not a news outlet.

By the way, the Pentagon official in this little spat with Fox News has been in his position since 2007. He is the chief spokesperson for Defense Secretary Gates, and Gates named him to the job shortly after GW Bush named Gates DefSec.

[ebroadcast]

You call what they do aggressively confronting the administration on the hot-button issues of the day? What exactly have you been smoking? There is a HUGE difference between that and deceiving the public via blatant lies, including their most famous "fair and balanced". Moving on ...

[Golfer59]

BOino8, am sure you were just as pissed that no new reporter confronted the Bush administration either correct???

[MadeandBakedintheUSA]

8 years of MASS DESTRUCTION- and now it is the DEMOCRATS and Obama's problem.

Oh- that’s right- I forgot!

The Dumb it Down Crowd said they are so sorry for spending like drunken sailors!

The Dumb it Down are sorry!

So now - THEY KNOW IT ALL!

The Dumb it Down Crowd are now cleansed as pure as the driven snow.

Alex Castellanos, a GOP strategist issued a memo in early July urging his fellow Republicans to castigate the Democratic proposal for health care legislation as an "experiment" that was "too much, too soon, and too fast."

(EARLY JULY - DUMB DOWNS!)

He urged GOP’ers to ask:

"when Washington has made anything cost less," and declared forebodingly that if the country were to "screw up" it would last generations.

"This should scare the living daylights out of all of us," Castellanos' memo read.

How is that for you DUMB DOWNS!

Are you REAL SCARED now?

The RNC chairman used the word "experiment" thirty times in his speech.

30 times!

The Dumb Downs NEED this - how else will they remember what to say?

Both Castellanos and Steele urged Obama to slow down.

Both called for a "patient-centered" and "bottom-up" approach to reform. Both stressed concerns about cost.

OH - did I mention that during the speech at the National Press Club, Castellanos could be seen counseling Steele in a side room before the RNC chairman took to the stage.

Murdoch: Dumb it Down Mr. President!

Are you SCARED ENOUGH DUMMIES?

[castlerider]

Very well said, (you've been fanned)

That's a really good question I wonder all the time... If The republican agenda is so much better , like they're always touting, if the things they say are so good for America really are SO GOOD for America, then why why why why oh why are we in the shape we are in, after 8 YEARS OF THEM RUNNING THE SHOW.

If they're so great, why aren't things better then ever? And don't give me that crap about Dems running the show since 06 because Bush did not sign in one piece of legislation they endorsed except S-Chip, which he had to not to have egg on his face for wanting to help children.

And you're right... Now they need to dumb it down, keep people more stupid then ever before, because they are truly absolutely lost and leaderless.

[MadeandBakedintheUSA]

Hey-

WSJ/Murdoch: Dumb it Down Mr. President

Our viewers need DUMB DOWN!

How DUMB do you RIGHT WINGERS NEED IT?

Let us know-

We will try to DUMB it DOWN for you!

[WiltonDiary]

Both FOX and the GOP treat the United States Military like one of their subsidiaies! No facts, all fiction, spin and photo-ops.

[Genep34]

FOX supports the terrorists. They hate this country unless we elect one of their brain damaged favorites to run it.

[AnnfromCA]

Fox News comes of age. It's tough being the top dog.

[LeighAnnes]

LOL.

[ibsteve2u]

Nah, it ain't tough gaining ratings points...if you don't have to stick to the boring, mundane truth, and spice whatever report up however you like to in order to achieve any goal your CORPORATION wants:

http://www.projectcensored.org/top-stories/articles/11-the-media-can-legally-lie/

[bq]
CMW REPORT, Spring 2003
Title: “Court Ruled That Media Can Legally Lie”
Author: Liane Casten

ORGANIC CONSUMER ASSOCIATION, March 7, 2004
Title: “Florida Appeals Court Orders Akre-Wilson Must Pay Trial Costs for $24.3 Billion Fox Television; Couple Warns Journalists of Danger to Free Speech, Whistle Blower Protection”
Author: Al Krebs

Faculty Evaluator: Liz Burch, Ph.D.
Student Researcher: Sara Brunner

In February 2003, a Florida Court of Appeals unanimously agreed with an assertion by FOX News that there is no rule against distorting or falsifying the news in the United States.
[eq]

lollll...i.e., with things Fox, you have to depend on their integrity, ethicality, and morality to guide them.

Makes ya wish they had some of those qualities, doesn't it?

No matter; the situation provides a good question to to quickly discern the level of gullibility of those you interface with in business or in your personal life: Do you watch Fox?

[WiltonDiary]

More viewers watch Brian Williams on NBC than O'Reilly and Hannity combined!

[annie g]

The top dog of lying, fearmongering and racism. Wow, that's a record to be proud of as number one.

It really says a lot about those that listen and believe the rhetoric that Fox blatantly calls news with their "fair and balanced" reporting.

[dadw5boys]

Fox offers it's shows around the world for Free !!!!!!
Fox is watched in villages all over the middle east because of this !!!!

That was President Obama's point is that American Solders lives at put at risk by Fox imflaming every little problem and beating the war drums 24/7 !!!!

Every wayward word of hate from Fox inflames hate for Americans in the middle east. So you keep on watching this THRILL A MINUITE Craptainment and you are only supporting theose who are attacking our Soldiers.
The Religious Zealots in the Middle East have a friend in Fox Network !!! The hate speech comming from Fox only helps them get new members.

[Genep34]

FOX supports the terrorists. They hate this country unless we elect one of their brain damaged favorites to run it.

[dancingsarah]

No matter how angry the White House gets those nosy Fox reporters continue to ask probing questions.

[carljr]

It's the questions that are troubling, it's Fox's tenuous relationship with the truth in spinning the answer that's the problem

[Julia Bailey]

The problem is, Fox doesn't ask questions, they just give opinions based on very little facts. They present themselves as a news organization, when they aren't providing news.

[dadw5boys]

They ask questions to find some hot potato they can sell thats all.

They do not care if Soldiers in the feild are put at risk by the news or CRAPTAINMENT they run !!!!

So you think when Fox run a story prematurly about more Soldiers in Afganistan without any real knowledge of more troops that the actual troops on the ground are not put at more risk ?

Fox offers it's shows around the world for Free !!!!!!
Fox is watched in villages all over the middle east because of this !!!!

That was President Obama's point is that American Solders lives at put at risk by Fox imflaming every little problem and beating the war drums 24/7 !!!!

[Genep34]

FOX supports the terrorists. They hate this country unless we elect one of their brain damaged favorites to run it.

[Fotios]

With this question, the more Obama tries to do the right thing with Gitmo, the more Fox attacks. Gitmo was Bush's creation and has been supported by Fox for years. Now Bush and Fox throw it in Obama's face and say "I'm going to attack you no matter what you do with this illegal mess we created."

What is Fox's solution to Gitmo? Keep those unconvicted people locked up in Cuba until they die? Kill them without a trial?

Obama is fixing a mess they supported and they are using it as a chance to attack him. We should still be attacking Bush and Fox by holding trials for torture, domestic spying, politicization of the justice department, outing a CIA agent and violating habeas corpus. Put them on the defensive.

[greg556]

I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE OTHER NETWORKS FEEL AN ALLEGIANCE TO FOX!

[gs-425]

They'd be next that's why.

[audit]

Yes, you don't understand.

[Raccoon1]

They know how capable of retaliation the Right is........if not now, then later.

[gs-425]

Really....how?

[jesselee26]

fox is like the leader of their slutty, tough girl club. the other news networks are too scared to be as bad as fox, but at night they totally dream of it while humping their pillows.

[Eric Penner]

Haha that's a brilliant analogy.

[IamPhenom]

I don't understand it either. I think the other networks feel they have to defend journalism in general. Meanwhile, Fox bashes the rest of the media every chance they get, and doesn't engage in actual journalism.

[audit]

I can't believe someone used their time and energy to report this. wow.

[One more Thing]

This is how the Defense Department handles its war in Afghanistan and how FOX conducts its war on the Defense Department.

[Nosmanic]

Is Fishel part of the administration or a pointed from the military?


Because he is apointed from the military that's a major blow as the right believes they are the advocates of the military.

[IamPhenom]

You must have meant is Morrell part of the Obama Administration (Fishel is the Fox News hack).

Nope, he is not. He is a holdover from the Bush years who was appointed in 2007. He was appointed to his position by Defense Secretary Gates, not the Obama Admin.

So you're right, it is strange seeing a defense official appointed by Gates not getting along with Fox News.

[anastomosis]

This is how Murdoch's people should all be treated.