Fox News is hitting back at President Obama.
The New York Times reported on Thursday that the president's steady string of jabs at the network have been keenly monitored by top executives there.
In past weeks, Obama has joked with a customer at a bar to ask for Fox News to be turned off and made up a man named "Uncle Jim" who is "stubborn" because he "watches Fox News," among other things. His White House also tangled privately with the network over the notorious attack video which ran on "Fox and Friends."
The White House has never been shy about its relative hostility towards Fox News. But on Thursday, Michael Clemente, the network's executive vice president for news, told the Times that he thought Obama's zingers were unbecoming.
“I think it lowers the office,” he said. “For it to come up as regularly as it does — and it’s not every day but every other week, I’d say — it’s just unusual."
While it's true Obama singles out Fox News more than any other network, Clemente could take comfort in the fact that the president often expresses disdain for the entire media. Moreover, a second Obama term would be nothing but good news for Fox News' ratings and bottom line. As the Times' Jeremy Peters wrote, "Privately Fox executives say that a second Obama term could be the best thing that ever happened to their network."
Posted: 07/19/2012 8:16 am Updated: 07/19/2012 9:08 am