White House starting to cry....

[joerockhead]

White House lashes out at Fox News for 'lies'


In the past few months, Fox News' critical coverage of the Obama administration has been the subject of scornful scrutiny by left-leaning pundits and political satirists. But now the White House appears to be willing to get dirt on its own hands, jumping into the fray by blasting the network's "disregard for facts" in a post on the official White House blog.

Written by White House Online Programs Director Jesse Lee, the post takes issue with Fox News' coverage of the president's attempts to help the city of Chicago secure the 2016 Olympics, saying that Rupert Murdoch's cable news juggernaut, which famously bills itself as being "fair and balanced," has "continued its disregard for the facts in an attempt to smear the Administration's efforts" to convince the International Olympic Committee that the U.S. should host the games.

Lee specifically takes issue with Glenn Beck, who in July accused the president of being a "racist" with "a deep-seated hatred for white people or white culture," for showing that "nothing is worthy of respect if it can be used as part of a partisan attack to boost ratings." Lee then goes on to "reality check" a number of assertions recently made by Beck on his afternoon program, in addition to directing readers to the St. Petersburg Times' Politifact site, which rebuts accusations made by Fox News' Steve Doocy against Patrick Gaspard, the director of the White House Office of Political Affairs.

The move by the Obama White House sets a new watermark in its seemingly escalating war with Fox News. Back in June, President Obama gave an interview to CNBC in which he criticized the network for being "entirely devoted to attacking my administration," and later promised to "call out" anyone who misrepresents him when he delivered his address on health care reform to a joint session of Congress. Taking it a step further, Obama slighted Fox News during the White House's recent pro-health care reform PR blitz, appearing on five Sunday news shows, not to mention Late Night with David Letterman, while declining to grant an interview to a single Fox News program, a move that led Chris Wallace, host of the network's Fox News Sunday, to label the Obama White House as the "biggest bunch of cry-babies I've ever seen." Some objective observers of politics and the media feel that the ire expressed by Wallace is somewhat understandable. After all, the Obama administration's frustrations stem not from non-partisan hosts like Wallace, but from Fox News' roster of unabashedly partisan hosts like Beck and Sean Hannity, who've both gone so far as to compare the Obama White House to Hitler's Germany and the communist Soviet Union.

While many are raising hay about the White House acting aggressively to combat perceived smears from Fox News, it isn't unprecedented for a president and his administration to feud openly with the media. George W. Bush and CBS came to blows in 2004 after Dan Rather alleged on 60 Minutes II that Bush had used his family's connections to manipulate his enlistment in the National Guard to avoid serving in combat in Vietnam, an incident that led to the firing of CBS producer Mary Mapes and badly tarnished Rather's reputation as an objective newsman. Prior to that, Hillary Clinton famously alleged that forces in the media were involved in a "vast right-wing conspiracy" to destroy her husband's presidency, while Nixon's infamous enemies list contained numerous names of media members and the news organizations they worked for. In short, animosity existing between the White House and the media isn't anything new.

During the 2008 campaign, candidate Obama did what many presidential candidates of both parties have done over the years: promised to "change the tone in Washington." By using the White House blog to defend itself from perceived media distortions, the Obama Administration may be unintentionally signaling that their promise to alter the nation's political discourse was a lofty notion that they might fail to fulfill, just like every past presidential Administration to make the same promise.

[supersatch]

I think what makes this incident more special is this administration is so much more vocal than any past executive branch. Wether it be Obama's what seems almost weekly speeches, or the endless number of far left wingers screaming out about the republicans undermining the health care plan. It really does seem childish.

Good find.

[VIVIX]

I'm not sure how it is considered childish to call someone out on something. I don't think it's far-fetched to think that FoxNews is gunning for Obama, a four year old could probably figure that out by watching their coverage for a couple of hours.

[supersatch]

It's not a matter of calling someone out on something, rather the government playing the "mommy/ daddy game" vs Fox news with the american people. I feel that the government is lowering themselves by complaining about the views of a news agency unless they are making terribly slandering accusations. It's the whole "be the bigger man" situation. By commenting on every negative opinion, it makes the administration seem weak. If they are unable to deal with the press respectably, how can they deal with real issues? This is amplified by the whole "Messiah Complex" thing wearing off now that everyone is starting th realize the it is impossible for the government to cater to everyone's desires.

But Hey, that's just me.

[ddoubleez]

"Fair and Balanced"

Fox News Channel promotes itself under the slogan "fair and balanced", but examinations of the channel's guest selection have found notable imbalances towards Republicans and conservatives. In 2001, media watch group Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting studied the guestlist of FNC's flagship news program, Special Report, it found that Republicans made up 89 percent of Fox News' partisan guests, outnumbering Democrats 50 to 6. Avowed conservatives made up 71 percent of guests.

Fox News - SourceWatch

Press Accuracy Rating Hits Two Decade Low
Public Evaluations of the News Media: 1985-2009

Press Accuracy Rating Hits Two Decade Low: Overview - Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Still Failing the "Fair & Balanced" Test

The Most Biased Name in News

[Krasch]

Originally Posted by ddoubleez

"Fair and Balanced"

Fox News Channel promotes itself under the slogan "fair and balanced", but examinations of the channel's guest selection have found notable imbalances towards Republicans and conservatives. In 2001, media watch group Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting studied the guestlist of FNC's flagship news program, Special Report, it found that Republicans made up 89 percent of Fox News' partisan guests, outnumbering Democrats 50 to 6. Avowed conservatives made up 71 percent of guests.

Fox News - SourceWatch

Press Accuracy Rating Hits Two Decade Low
Public Evaluations of the News Media: 1985-2009

Press Accuracy Rating Hits Two Decade Low: Overview - Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Still Failing the "Fair & Balanced" Test

The Most Biased Name in News

Well actually it IS balanced if you add in the reporters from that bastion of socialist thinking known as CNN.

Both of them are biased as hell, just on opposite sides of the fence.

[supersatch]

Originally Posted by Krasch

Well actually it IS balanced if you add in the reporters from that bastion of socialist thinking known as CNN.

Both of them are biased as hell, just on opposite sides of the fence.

And CNN is just the beginning. It's interesting that all everyone talks about is the bias of FOX news when most every other station is liberal. They may not advertise it, but it shows. Especially in the waining years of the bush adminstration and the election. Being a conservative invited to MSNBC is like being the fat chick invited to the frat party...

[joerockhead]

Alright DD - you hate Fox news.

You never post the negative crap about CNN or ABC or MSNBC.

Why? Because you are one of those people that refuse to admit that THEY are biased as well.

CNN is well over 89% of Demcrat viewers, and it WAS Extremely biased agaisnt any Republican that serves office.

Yet, you refuse to argue against them.

Oh, and when CNN lied about then President Bush, he did not cry.
And when he was invited to a interview on CNN, he did not bail, he went and endured.

Unlike the current President - Obama avoids Fox News and still tells lies.

But that is OK, all 4 year olds alredy knows that he does.

[BackdoorJesus]

If you want fair and balanced news you need to gather it yourself from several sources.

Fox news presents a more conservative viewpoint and SO WHAT? It only serves to remind people that there IS another viewpoint.

I get fair and balanced news; I get news from CBS, ABC, CNN, BBC and Fox. And lots of others, if the mood strikes me, and I also enjoy watching Jon Stewart & Stephen Colbert for the lighter side of the day's stories.

All news feeds serve their purpose and if you are sworn to allegiance to only one you are depriving yourself of the whole story.

And Barry needs to man up and deal with the other side of political opinion because his continually brushing it aside as "outdated thinking" is only serving to make that resistance even greater.

[CD]

Originally Posted by supersatch

And CNN is just the beginning. It's interesting that all everyone talks about is the bias of FOX news when most every other station is liberal. They may not advertise it, but it shows. Especially in the waining years of the bush adminstration and the election. Being a conservative invited to MSNBC is like being the fat chick invited to the frat party...

I find that MSNBC is much more liberal then CNN. I don't know why Republicans like to bash CNN instead, cause MSNBC is a much easier target. I actually have seen all 3 fairly regularly, and I'm under the impression that CNN is much more in the middle then Fox or MSNBC. Guess I was wrong... Who knew Fox News is in the middle, CNN is mid-left, and MSNBC is 240 miles left of center.

MSNBC : left :: FoxNews : right

Oh, anyone else see the Daily Show's 3 Tea Party guests, and each one said that they heard about the Tea Party from Glenn Beck? Wow... did they report the news of the Tea Party or CREATE it?

Anyway, back on topic, I'd be getting a little upset too if a news organization was comparing me to Nazi Germany.

[VIVIX]

Right. CNN is biased to the left, well known, four year olds could probably figure that out as joerockhead cleverly stated in his post. Unfortunately though, the thread isn't about whether CNN or FoxNews is more biased than the other, it's about Obama calling FoxNews out on the issue of biacy and being called a cry-baby. Of course he isn't telling CNN to stop being biased in his favor... how does that help him politically, when they make him look more favorable?

To me, the issue is that Obama put out the order to tell FoxNews to fuck off, and FoxNews got the ego boost from hitting a nerve. Now here we are arguing that CNN is also biased, so that makes it alright for FoxNews to be biased... right.

The issue I have with a news corporation repeatedly "attacking" the leadership of our country is the same as I would of a private in the Army constantly "attacking" the leadership of his/her unit. It's detremental to the integrity of the entire organization, so in this case, the organization is... that's right, the United States. While I'm not saying we should just blindly follow our leadership, constantly "attacking" it doesn't do any good either.

I feel like I now have to write a four page defense in preparation now for the usual, "You're a leftist/socialist/nazi youth coordinator/health care reformist/rapist/but CNN does it/I didn't see you calling out CNN when they were 'attacking' Bush democrat" when in reality I'm just trying to be as bi-partisan as possible and trying to present everything objectively.

[supersatch]

Originally Posted by VIVIX

I feel like I now have to write a four page defense in preparation now for the usual, "You're a leftist/socialist/nazi youth coordinator/health care reformist/rapist/but CNN does it/I didn't see you calling out CNN when they were 'attacking' Bush democrat"...

Nah man, that's what we have ddoubleez for.

It's all about ratings. People want others to do the research and formulate the opinions for them so they can just spew the rhetoric. That's what the news agencies do now. They've become more of propaganda networks than news networks, and it shows in the actual propaganda networks too.

Michelle Obama gott named Maxim's number 93 hottest woman in the world. That's just not right.

100. Deanna Russo
99. Melissa Rycroft
98. Rebecca Mader
97. Marisa Tomei
96. Olivia Munn
95. Padma Lakshmi
94. Yvonne Strahovski

Yeah, seriously these are the women that she is supposedly hotter than. As news networks seem to pick sides more and more, the entertainment news seems to get more and more political. Think about it.

[Krasch]

Originally Posted by supersatch

Nah man, that's what we have ddoubleez for.

It's all about ratings. People want others to do the research and formulate the opinions for them so they can just spew the rhetoric. That's what the news agencies do now. They've become more of propaganda networks than news networks, and it shows in the actual propaganda networks too.

Michelle Obama gott named Maxim's number 93 hottest woman in the world. That's just not right.

100. Deanna Russo
99. Melissa Rycroft
98. Rebecca Mader
97. Marisa Tomei
96. Olivia Munn
95. Padma Lakshmi
94. Yvonne Strahovski

Yeah, seriously these are the women that she is supposedly hotter than. As news networks seem to pick sides more and more, the entertainment news seems to get more and more political. Think about it.

You're kidding right?

Not that familiar with all of them, but I'd run over Obamaette with a car to see #96, #95 and #93, then back up over her to ensure a better view of those three, and not shed a freakin' tear.

Obamaette is a decent looking woman no doubt, but not remotely in the same class. That said, I'm surprised the magazine didn't rate her higher than 93rd.

[joerockhead]

I would not want to ruin my car by running over that HeWoman.

But yes, the TV News Shows are now more about rating and getting people going, then reporting facts.

Most of them are 50% fact and 50% bs. And then it is repeated Every hour!!!

ARGHH!!!

[supersatch]

Originally Posted by Krasch

You're kidding right?

I wish. See for yourself.

2009 Hot 100 | Maxim.com | Maxim.com