Obama Continues Fox News Pushback

Cross-posted at MyDD.com.

The fight to expose Fox News continues.

A couple weeks ago, I listed three examples of Obama or his surrogates explicitly calling out Fox News for their blatant conservative bias. Obama himself told the New York Times that Fox's disinformation is likely costing him a couple points in the polls.

Today, Obama's campaign stepped up their pushback to Fox News: in response to McCain's latest lie about "spreading the wealth," spokesman Bill Burton called out the biased messenger right along with the dishonest message:

"This is a fake news controversy drummed up by the all too common alliance of Fox News, the Drudge Report and John McCain, who apparently decided to close out his campaign with the same false, desperate attacks that have failed for months.  In this seven year old interview, Senator Obama did not say that the courts should get into the business of redistributing wealth at all. Americans know that the real choice in this election is between four more years of Bush-McCain policies that redistribute billions to billionaires and big corporations and Barack Obama's plan to help the middle class by giving tax relief to 95% of workers and companies that create new jobs here in America.  That's the change we need, and no amount of eleventh-hour distractions from the McCain campaign will change that," said Obama-Biden campaign spokesman Bill Burton.

We've come a long way. Back in 2007, when Obama dropped out of the Fox News debate, the only reason given was that CNN seemed a more "appropriate venue."

Now that McCain's resorted exclusively to attacks on Obama, the go-to mouthpiece for Republican smears is working overtime. The more they're called out for their bias, the less credibility they'll have to push lies.

Fox isn't news. And as we (potentially) head into a new Democratic administration, it's crucial we make clear that what they broadcast can't be trusted. Great to see Obama continuing this fight.
 

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Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton, who authored the release this morning criticizing Fox News, appeared on the network today to defend his statements about Fox to anchor Megyn Kelly.

Follow Josh Orton on Twitter: www.twitter.com/joshorton

Comments

[CindyMcCain]

If it werent for clips on the Daily Show, I would have no idea what goes on over at Fox "News". I blocked that channel so it doesnt even show up on my guide. Its fun to watch my father in law surf thru all the channels in search of his beloved Fox. I recommend it.

[emmalee]

I hate Fox News! Everyone has their opinion, but to talk over others and to lie to make your point of view is simply ignorant and distasteful and that is why I WILL NEVER EVER WATCH FOX NEWS!

[hypnotoad72]

If Obama has proof, sue.

One reason why bloggers get an exemption is because we're all reactionaries, using all sorts of news sites to read - it's their responsibility to come out with the truth in the first place. WIth luck, any misinformation is made known and the rest of us hear about it. Before anyone retaliates with a lawsuit. Mistakes happen. And if it's not a mistake, to do nothing is dim...

Indeed, for Coleman's lawsuit against Franken for defamation, others have said "With all the stuff on Franken that's been disproven, why isn't he suing?" Franken's inaction adds to the inference that those incidents were not false?

[somsoc]

FAUX Nudes would be a better draw and a fun reality show. As a "news" organization FOX is a joke. When I was in college one professor used clips from FOX compared to PBS clips on the same subject to show the slant and then showed propaganda clips from WWII that had similar slants as FOX programing. It was an interesting study.

[radnip]

A negative campaign will get negative coverage. A lying campaign will be confronted by the truth. (which again, that campaign would again say they're getting negative coverage.)

McCain should have run a positive campaign. It would have received a more positive coverage.

[Noworries2008]

Hopefully people will vote for the right canidate based on character of that canidate. The people we choose as our friends speaks volumes about our moral fiber.

http://www.foxnews.com/video2/video08.html?maven_referralObject=3173221&maven_referralPlaylistId=&sRevUrl=http://www.foxnews.com/

[mjustin]

Yes, actually it is fair and stands to reason that news organizations favor Barack Obama 7-1, in the same way that the American electorate (in EVERY major poll) currently favors Barack Obama. News organizations should and must report relevant, impactful stories; however, this is not to say that news directors should haphazardly and irresponsibly blow smoke at everything that comes across their desks, or that reporters should give heed to obvious lies, groundless accusations, blatant ignorance, or empty stupidity. 'Calling a spade a spade' unsurprisingly leads (apparently 7 times out of 8) to favoring Barack Obama in this election.

[TheOriginalCC]

OK, so let's take one example.
McCain was asked how many houses he owned, he wasn't sure - so he told the reporter that he would get back to him.
Is this relevant news? The Obama campaign made big deal about it and no news organization told the American viewer that this was ridiculous since John Kerry was the richest Senator in Washington and his wife's personal wealth was not an issue for the Democrat party 4 years ago.
Instead they went in the tank and repeatedly showed this attack with no rejoinder.

The media are willing to point out any issue with a McCAin/palin attack but cannot see the flip side. Obviously, neither can you.

[bilmardre]

No one likes a hypocrite. When the McCain camp tries to label Obama a elitist as one of their campaign strategies, then this is on the table. Maybe if the McCain camp would stick to legitimate issues stuff like this wouldn't come up.

[somsoc]

John Kerry is far from being the richest Senator in Washington, but you sound like a FAUX reporter.

[georgiaR]

Obama thinks he has lost some votes because of Fox News. If he wins it will be because of ABC, CBS,NBC, PBS, CNN, MSNBC, and the New York Times. So let's see 7-1. Is that fair??

[bilmardre]

If he wins it will be because the American people financed him enough where he could take his case directly to the American people without the filtering of CBS, NBC, CNN, and the Times.

[somsoc]

Those 7 report the news, not the propaganda created in the mind of the station owner.

[aaronsanders]

I think everyone, not just the democrats has to start doing this. We need to start making lies and falsities NOT okay and not acceptable.

http://www.votesmarter2008.com

(The producers of this series are trying to make these videos go viral - please forward them to others and/or comment/rate them! They're a great educational tool!)

[rayboston]

It's nice to see Democrats finally calling Fox News out on their bias.

Boy. They do get testy when their "sell to the white male demographic" marketing plan gets called out.

[janeyu]

lol and MSNBC and CBS clearly have no bias at all..So each has their bias whats your point? At least Fox has differing viewpoints on =not like Olberman whos not man enough to have anyone on who doesnt give him warm fuzzies..

[annettesarkis]

If fox do not like Obama, why did allow his commercial on, is it such for the money? I don't like fox channel at all, they are extremely biased.

[littlewing157]

Anyone with a respectable IQ level caught on to the fact that Fox is the mouth-piece of the far-right from the beginning. The only thing more disturbing than the biased 'reporting' by Fox is the fact that some still watch it.

It's not just that I "won't " watch Fox Noise, I "can't'. It literally makes me sick to even try watching it. I have a conscience, as well as a need for truth and facts, therefore it would be insane to watch it.

Despite the jealousy between Fox and MSNBC, I have found that the news I get from MSNBC is always factual (very important to me) and I can check out anything they say and it has always come back as the truth. The only reason it 'seems' like there are more negative comments about McCain/Palin is because they smear and lie on a daily basis: someone has to separate the facts from the fiction. And for myself at least, I feel that Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow are the best in the business. I like Brian Williams of NBC a lot too, but they don't give nearly as much hard information about the candidates like MSNBC does. I guess the major networks have to stick to a 'lighter menu'.

[BluePointOfView]

Fox News is fair and balanced if you're a radical right winger. Their agenda is clear. This newscaster gives all newscasters, especially of the female gender, a bad name. She must have graduated with a major in yelling, not journalism. Her behavior is obscene and is one of the reasons I cannot tolerate this network for even one second. Shame on you Megan.

[breeze29]

Is this a SNL or Daily Show spoof? Can't see how she can be taken seriously.

[Ellen48]

I think the Obama campaign should decline any and all invitations to appear on Fox News. Everyone knows the truth about Fox News and no one, except the ultra right wing, would question why the Obama folks said "no" to appearing.

Since when is it okay for a "news" anchor to attack the person she's interviewing? What would Fox say if Katie Couric conducted her "interviews" in such a manner?

I never watch them because they upset me so much. I'm sorry I watched this video - I think Fox is terrible - they are just hate mongers.

[Kenta]

This woman is out of control. I bet she makes more than $250k a year so she's worried about paying more taxes. I'm voting for Obama because I believe in him not because I don't like McCain.

Faux News is full of sheet.

[RobertAndropolis]

Your theory that these Fox anchors are pro-McCain in order to protect their inflated salaries and egos is one I have suspected as well. It's curious that no one in the rest of pundit-land has brought this up. Perhaps it's a given....