Obama To "Take Fox On" In Sunday Show Appearance

A senior Obama adviser vows that he will "take Fox on" when he appears on the network this Sunday, though it's unclear yet just how.

Obama's decision to go on Fox News has prompted a lot of discussion about the Illinois Senator's relationship with Rupert Murdoch and whether Obama is trying to "court" the media mogul in advance of the general election.

It's also been met with some dismay in the blogosphere, where folks had worked hard to push Dems to boycott Fox as a way of snuffing out whatever is left of the network's credibility.

But how do Obama and his advisers view this? What do they have to say about it?

The senior Obama adviser insists that Obama is under no illusions about Fox and what it represents, and that this isn't about courtship at all, and vows a confrontational approach on Sunday.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[AlPal3]

Why shouldn't Obama go on Fox and tell its listeners that he's on their side when it comes to the economy? They're not stupid. Once they get past hot-button issues, they can see what the Bush/Cheney/McCain Axis has done to them. This shows Obama's toughness: instead of engaging in some farcical debate with loopy moderators about flag lapel pins, he'll talk directly to viewers. Some of those viewers will see that he's the only candidate left standing who wants to do the most good for the greatest number of Americans and that his roots are working-class.

[StephenJK]

Barack has time to "battle" Fux Noise on Sunday but can't seem to find the time to lose his 22nd straight debate 1on1 with Hillary Clinton. This time Clinton has offered to go toe to toe with NO MODERATOR's and a fair rules base. What more could Barack ask for? He could ask someone how to debate issues effectively. Then he might be more inclined to face her in debate. Instead he runs to Fux Snooze and debate the media on it's treatment of him. What a joke of a candidate.

[Peteyman]

I don't recall him losing 22 straight debates.... But you are right in a sense. Obama should take one more debate.

[McFlipFlop1]

Obama did well in this interview -- very Presidential.

[SCG2]

Yep.

[MiddleRoad1]

I just don't get it. Pennsylvania was touted as a huge contest, and the next one is Indiana. Hello! what about NC? If that shouldn't be counted because Obama is expected to win there anyway, shouldn't Penn. have been ignored too? Why does Queen Hillary get to decide what is important and what isn't?

[obamasOHangel]

Welcome to Hillyworld, where things only make sense to HillBilly, Wolfie and their MSM shills.

[BlackmaninAmerica]

Trust me if this situation were reversed and Barack was asking for debates and she said no - then Clinton supporters would be saying the same thing many Obama supporters are saying, that Clinton is afraid to debate him. What is really stunning here is that Clinton supporters think it is funny and entertaining that they spent an hour on grilling both Obama and Clinton on things that at the end of the day do not matter to the American people. They like when Clinton goes into Rovian playbook.

[sierrarisings1]

sorry her

[sierrarisings1]

yes, that's why the press said that he core group are uneducated

[Pammy1151]

I watched the interview on Fox. I think he did well but had to turn it off during the panel part. Kristol is just sickening.

[MiddleRoad1]

I couldn't watch it. Fox news make me want to puke. Anything memorable?

[Marlyn]

"in the blogosphere, where folks had worked hard to push Dems to boycott Fox as a way of snuffing out whatever is left of the network's credibility."

It isn't just FOX who has no credibility. CNN and ABC are just the same, owned by Republicans who push their point of view, the TRUTH be damned.

I don't watch. I cancelled my cable TV service 5 years ago when the news stopped being the news. It is all just propaganda now. USA, the fascist state.

[StephenJK]

So you're a fan of the unbiased MSNBC? LOL

[MiddleRoad1]

MSNBC is unbiased? It still has Joe and Mika and Gregory and Abrams? I dont think so. However, no one can reach the level of partisan-ness that ABC reached with the last debate

[SCG2]

Chris Wallace interviews aren't nearly half as fun without the angry red faced finger waving rant. I hope Bill is planning a return apparence?

[Xspackle]

Giving a speech is a risk. Shaking hands in the crowd is a risk. Shooting hoops with the cameras rolling is a risk. Arguing with your wife is a risk. Getting icewater at a restaurant with a wedge of lemon is a risk. Mowing the grass is a risk. Reading these political blog comments is a risk.

Living is risky. But it's much better than the alternative.

I don't think going on Fox is any more of a risk than going through 22 so-called 'debates', or spending most of the past 15 months in an aluminum tube hurtling through the air at hundreds of miles an hour, and giving the same speech 500 times.

The Fox audience, last time I checked, also votes. In fact, they voted in large enough numbers the past two elections to put George Bush in the White House. I believe that a significant number of them now are deeply disturbed by what George Bush has done to us all, including out-of-control federal spending, the growth of federal bureaucracy, and the cynical imposition of a national security state under the excuse of some vague and scary-sounding threats. These are things we ALL ought to be thinking about, and it's more risky for Obama to ignore the opportunity any longer to have a chance to speak to this large audience.

Not going on would be more risky.

[sierrarisings1]

agree, good point!

[iBgood]

I'm trying to watch it but I cannot stand chrissy wallace. Ick!!

[Mahavishnu]

It wasn't too long ago right here on HuffPo that hundreds of Obama supporters posted what a slime and Republican Hillary Clinton was for agreeing to go on Fox News. Now that their man is doing the same- I don't see any of those accusations anywhere. How come? Why is it different now? Oh, I forgot...HRC is held up to a much higher and impossible standard....

[jayburd]

The difference is that by going on Fox, Hillary was cashing in on the rampant anti-Obama sentiment that is the norm on Fox. Obama, by going on Fox, is confronting it.

And it's Obama who's held to the higher and quite impossible standard by the media, Bird of Fire. The last debate was a clear indication of that.

[nclayla]

My sentiments exactly, jayburd, so I will just thank you for saying it so well.

[pfurlong56]

BIG difference. the Clinton Campaign (read Lanny Davis, Terry Mcauliffe) are going on Fox regularly to bash Obama. They are in league with a far right wing news outlet.

[MissinAmerica]

Gee, do you think its because Fox WANTS HIllary to get the nomination, just like Rush, because she'll w/o question lose the general election.

Although, Clinton & McCain are so similar...maybe they don't care as long as its one of them. They get a repuglican.....

Hillary says McCain would make a better president than Obama...sounds like a duck.

Hillary employs repug fear tactics in 3 am ads...walks a duck.

Hillary talks about the warm memory of killing ducks...talks like a, um, duck.

She's a duck.

(we don't even need to go into killing all the people in Iran, cluster bombs, giving Bush the green light to invade Iran, 380 m in earmarks, pandering to lobbyists, lying about NAFTA-gate, bitterness)

[SCG2]

True, and if it were up to me, that Fox no-Obama clock would still be counting.

[RobertaInCT]

Watch your back......................:)

[pfurlong56]

What the F is going on? Fox Snooze is practically gushing over Obama now that he's done the interview with Chris Wallace. I was skeptical when they were promoting Hillary and I'm skeptical now. Or did Obama do something brilliant by demonstrating the positive results of "meeting with the enemy"? interesting.

[obamasOHangel]

I'm watching it now P, and I cringed during the Ayers portion but I think that Barack handled it well. They're about to talk about government spending.

[pfurlong56]

morning angel ;)

keep us posted, not on for another couple hours here on the west coast but the clips I've seen on Fox Snooze seem like he did okay. The focus group of young voters they're showing is excellent.

[obamasOHangel]

It's off now and I think that he did well. Not that it was a performance mind you, but Wallace kept goading him at first about the silly stuff, flag pin, Wright, Ayers but Barack didn't attempt to shy away from the questions. I especially loved his answers about William Ayers. I was also happy when Wallace started asking him about policy; the economy and raised taxes - Barack almost laughed when speaking of McCain's tax plan lol. I don't want to spoil the show for you, but afterwards the panel pretty much gave him props on the interview. Oh wait, he asked him why he won't debate Hilly again....Barack said NO debate before Indiana.

To those who ask about his appearance on the show. I've been against it since it was announced, but now I see it was a necessary evil that had to be conquered. And conquered it he did.

[Kim445588]

By the time they get done splicing and cutting, God knows what they will do to them. I don't understand this decision, as it will likely produce nothing but another gotcha moment.

No way in heck I tune into Faux Noise though, not even for Obama. Somebody better post the clips here.

[Johnniedog]

Maybe the Obama camp does not understand what Fox is up to. The Right-Wing is using this as a test too try out, and look for, methods of attack that will work on Obama. They need to try out different tactics, just in case Obama becomes the Candidate.

[pertello]

After they air the "interview" I want to see the uncut version.

[pertello]

From Daily Kos:

Well, Obama will be making an appearance on Fox News Sunday. It's already been taped; it will air tomorrow.

Obama has said he would use his Fox appearance to "take Fox on." We'll see: if he gave better than he got, it may have been a useful exercise. But it's unlikely to happen that way, because Fox controls the interviewer, the cameras, the microphones, the questions, the editing process, the edited clips that are shown ad nauseam afterwards, and the "analysts" to probe and misrepresent and be sanctimoniously outraged at those clips for days afterwards. Going on Fox News to criticize the shoddy journalism of Fox News is like jumping into a rattlesnake pit to yell at the snakes: they're snakes, damn it. They don't give a damn what you say. They don't even have ears.

[lizr]

Should be some TV WOrth Watching indeed!!

Go Obama!!!!

Kick some fox butt!

[Lempira]

the question is if he should be lending credibility to the "news" network

[Forest]

GO, Obamma. Finally, someone who has the guts and intelligence to take on the cowardly FOX excuse for news.

[poco767]

What if he doesn't "take on fox" early reports from fox describe the interview as friendly and far from the high noon gunfight the Obama camp were promising. It hasn't aired yet, but what are the ramifications if people eel he is pandering?

[pfurlong56]

that was just campaign rhetoric. You don't "take on" the media, you love 'em to death and get them to say nice things about you which they have been doing ALL morning on Fox News.

[Gary47]

Wow, he can take on Faux, but not an unmoderated real debate against Hillary. She must be really tough.

[pfurlong56]

"real" debates are not unmoderated. Hillary "unmoderated" is like Bill Clinton back in the White House with too much free time... trouble.

[Kim445588]

She needs the free advertisement, not him. And this race is actually already over, so why should he sit on stage and deal with Farrakahn comments from her.

He's got to focus efforts on his only remaining competitor, the media.