Mr.President: Outfox Fox on Fox
President Barack Obama: You are about to set the world record for presenting the same show on the most channels in the same day. The record is currently held, of course, by "Law and Order". The only network where you will not be seen is Fox. And that Mr. President, is a crime.
Many of us in the reporter biz have always referred to the Sunday interview programs as the "Game Shows". It's unfortunate that this Sunday, you, President Obama, are playing games with just one of them.
It doesn't matter that many, particularly on the left, consider Fox News an instigator of the right wing extremists and a megaphone for their wildest fringe fantasies. The fact is that with its boffo ratings, it fits well within what is now the dismal definition of news media.
As a matter of principle, President Obama, you should include Fox in this Sunday's merry-go-round of interview show appearances and make the dizzying saturation complete.
First of all, by boycotting only that major national network you are allowing it to trumpet the kind of victimhood that attracts the beehive of loonies like honey. So it's a tactical error to indulge your obvious pique at the unfair and unbalanced coverage of your administration.
Beyond that, you shouldn't need the lecture about how media are not supposed to be wrapped around your little finger as they sometimes were in the campaign. It's probably been an adjustment for you as journalists have rediscovered we're supposed to be skeptical of everyone, including you.
In addition, Chris Wallace is a good solid reporter, who will ask the tough but fair questions. He should get that chance...certainly before David Letterman does.
Oh yeah, by now it's well known that while you're skipping Fox on Sunday you're doing the Letterman show on Monday night. Let me guess: There will probably be some dopey "Ten" list where your comedy writers will have prepped you with some snappy "ad-libs". But no Fox News.
Let's help with a"Ten Reasons You Should Change Your Mind About Fox":
10. Those in the Fox Network audience will get the chance to see you're not Satan. Not that any of them will be convinced.
9. You can refer to the commentators who appear on the program as the "Death Panel".
8. You can finally produce your real birth certificate, although the viewers will immediately charge that its a fake.
7. If you don't like Wallace's questions, you can call him a "Jackass".
6. You can bring your dog along to the studio as you continue to struggle with the puppy's house breaking.
5. You can announce you've invited Joe Wilson over to the White House for a beer. No lie.
4. You'd be able to stick around and be interviewed on "Fox NFL Sunday". That way you will have done both the "Game Shows" and the PRE-game as well.
3. It would be the perfect time to speak with Glenn Beck's colleagues to arrange psychotherapy, and point out it would be covered under your health care plan.
2. You could hang out till after the games and be interviewed by Homer Simpson
1. You could enjoy "Obama's Revenge" by driving down the Fox ratings because people would be sick of seeing you on TV.
Oh wait, there's a call for you from the Casting Director of "Law and Order"
Follow Bob Franken on Twitter: www.twitter.com/frankenb
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I completely disagree with you Bob, Obama should not dignify Faux News in any way by gracing them with his appearance!!!
Why would anyone think our president needs to legitimize Fox, as if it were anything other than an extremist organization?
To go on Fox News would be acknowledging that Fox News is some type of news agency. They aren't. The President isn't making an appearance on the Daily Show either, is he? The Daily Show and Fox News should be seen in the same category -- strictly entertainment.
While I might agree with Mr. Franken that Chris Wallace deserves to be considered as a peer and equal of David Gregory, George Stephanopolous and the late Tim Russert, the sad fact is that no "good, solid reporter" would selectively choose which guest will receive "tough but fair questions" and which guest gets a Get Out of Jail Free card the way these guys have done over the years.
If Wallace had recently treated Dick Cheney in a similar manner to the way he tried to ambush Bill Clinton a couple of years ago, I might respect him more. That he deliberately did not renders him nothing more than a hack journalist, at best. Fox News is a propaganda outlet for one political party. Why should President Obama dignify and legitimize that network with an appearance?
the same chris wallace who threw softballs at cheney will of course throw hardballs at obama. why should anyone dignify faux as a real news network instead of the republican propaganda machine that it is?
The President is SMART to NOT go on FAUX. Why would anybody at this point subject themselves to the negativity and browbeating? FAUX has proven over and over again that they definitely have an extremist agenda, why give them any soundbites or statements they can use to distort and twist the truth into lies?
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In addition, Chris Wallace is a good solid reporter, who will ask the tough but fair questions. He should get that chance...c
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I don't know if you're trying to be funny--you may need to work on your delivery a bit:
http://www
- Tom
excellent top ten list....he
This is Republican't logic in a NUTshell, emphasis on the nut part. Only a republican would think that refusing this network is saying he is afraid of them. Your side has all the emotions and gut level reactions turned upside down and inside out and twisted into this. The President is showing STRENGTH by snubbing FAUX.
The dictionary definition of "fox":
"A carnivorous mammal of the dog family with a pointed muzzle and a bushy tail, proverbial for its cunning."
The dictionary definition of "outfox":
"Defeat or deceive someone by being more clever or cunning than they are; outwit"
So, to you, President Obama, I say OUT-Fox them, every day of the week.
I can't tell how much of this is satire, since truth is a characature of itself these days, but if you really expect readers to buy "...journa
No.
Right--satire it is.
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