President Barack Obama certainly walks a fine line as his administration criticizes Fox News for being the right-wing news organization that clearly it is these days. Frankly, it’s a shame that more liberals do not have the guts to call out Fox News for its far-right commentary and it’s right-wing news (greatly influenced by its far-right commentary). Anita Dunn, David Axelrod, Rahm Emanuel and others from the Obama Administration have made their views about Fox News clear and I find it difficult to disagree with much of what we’ve heard from that trio. But, while the criticism is justifiable, the administration has to be careful not to come across as denying Fox News reasonable access (the kinds of access granted to other networks (this excludes interviews). The administration must be fair to the media in terms of certain kinds of access yet still be up front and honest about its criticisms of Fox News for functioning as Republican operatives.
I thought of this again as I read a column by Chicago Tribune columnist Clarence Page, who is a legendary figure in the industry:
Surely President Barack Obama and his advisers don’t really think that their feud with Fox News will do anything but enhance the cable network’s viewership. A deeper problem is what the flap reveals about Team Obama, which seems to be more comfortable with campaigning than governing.
I’m not happy about that. It does not fill me with glee to see Fox News star Sean Hannity joyfully replaying Obama’s 2004 come-together speech about how we’re “not red states or blues states” but “the United States of America” and asking where is Obama’s promise now?
I see what Clarence is saying … I really do. But this criticism of Fox News, in my opinion, has nothing to do with ratings. Fox News has high ratings and will continue to have high ratings because it has cornered the market on far-right nuts who believe in moronic conspiracies of the mainstream media ( which is in their minds every news outlet but Fox) being out to get them. As far as Clarence’s point about Sean Hannity, he lacks much credibility and is only a factor in society as an entertainer of far-right conservatives. His program lacks any real value as far as news is concerned and is akin to watching an hour of professional wrestling (though Hannity is not that entertaining).
More from Page:
I don’t agree with Hannity on much. He’s only a tad more serious-minded as a news clown, in my grumpy view, than his colleague Glenn Beck. But, as much as my wife might run from the house when she hears me say it, Hannity’s right on this one.
Sure, it is disingenuous for right-wing pundits to accuse Obama of dividing the country, considering the five-star job they have done in turning us against each other. But if Obama is being judged by a different standard of civility, it is a standard he set for himself. He promised to bridge Washington’s culture wars, not fire them up.
Sure, President Obama did promise to bridge the gap, but doesn’t Fox News also profess to being fair and balanced? At least President Obama has legitimately attempted to bridge the gap while Fox News now essentially is suffering from a full-blown case of O.J. Simpson Syndrome (telling a lie so often you begin to believe it is true).
The adminstration should continue to expose the clear 24/7 bias of Fox News (including on the air, on its Web site and on its blog site The Fox Nation), but not to the point of being distracted too much from the real important and real issues our nation faces.
Clarence Page’s column is hopeful, but no amount of reaching out is going to persuade Fox News to become anything close to fair and balanced.
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