The American Spectator : The Spectacle Blog : Obama WH Can't Baier Fox News

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Yesterday, in the course of discussing the Rupert Murdoch News of the World phone hacking scandal, I relayed a personal anecdote about a former Obama liaison taking a shot at Fox News even though he did not watch its programming.

Not surprisingly, these attitudes aren't so unusual amongst people who work for President Obama. Yesterday, Judicial Watch released a series of e-mails obtained through the Freedom of Information Act regarding the sentiments of the Obama White House towards Fox News. These e-mails were written in October 2009 around the time when Fox News was denied access to White House Pay Czar Kenneth Feinberg. In one e-mail, Deputy White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest, writing with great earnest, stated, "We've demonstrated our willingness and ability to exclude Fox News from significant interviews."

In another e-mail, Fox News anchor Brett Baier is described as a "lunatic" by Jennifer Psaki, the White House Deputy Communications Director, for having the temerity to comment on the exclusion of Fox News from the White House press pool. Clearly, Obama staffers cannot bear Fox News. Or should I say Baier?

But from whom do White House staffers take their cue with regard to Fox News? Why none other than President Obama himself. Let us recall that in an interview with Rolling Stone last September, Obama stated that Fox News has "a point of view that I think is ultimately destructive for the long-term growth of a country that has a vibrant middle class and is competitive in the world." Simply put, Obama believes Fox News is destructive for America. Obama believes that any entity which presents a point of view which differs from his own as a destructive force. So much for tolerating other points of view. In this respect, Obama and his staffers aren't very liberal-minded. Now if President Obama is willing to say this about Fox News publicly then one can only imagine what the President and his staffers say about Fox News behind closed doors and out of cyberspace.

For its part, Fox News takes the position that this is water under the bridge. According to Michael Clemente, Senior Vice-President of News for FNC, "On and off-the-air relations with this administration have come a long way since then." Well, perhaps. The Obama White House might very well be more cordial in their dealings with Fox News personnel at the present time. But don't think for a minute that the moment they leave the room that the Obama White House has anything but utter contempt for Fox News. Hating Fox News is a practically a prerequisite to be a liberal in good standing. So as long as liberals have a Pavlovian response to Fox News then sooner or later President Obama or someone from his administration is going to reload and fire yet another opening shot at their least favored media outlet.

View all comments (18) | Leave a comment

martin j smith| 7.15.11 @ 1:49PM

Obama has blackmailed FOX to "toe the line or else" that is why relations have "improved". I have watched FOX on and off and of late more off--why ?
They are trying too had to make Obama happy. Over and Out !!!!!!!!!!!

Oldefarte| 7.15.11 @ 1:51PM

This current administration is destructive to this country, not Fox news. The MSM's obcessive HEAR NO EVIL, SEE NO EVIL attitude concerning this president and all those of the Democratic Party is akin to a pedifile drowling over a naked picture of a ten year old child. The sad part of this is that with their pervasive monopolistic control over the news that the public obtains, they are effectively able to propagandize and brainwash the public into believing their lies printed/told concerning world events!!!!!!!!!!

Pecos Pete| 7.15.11 @ 2:58PM

The White House and federal agencies are staffed with a bunch of young do-gooders who have feelings. Don't cha know? Mustn't damage their self perception of godliness.

jppc| 7.15.11 @ 3:09PM

If Fox right of center? Sure but CNN, MSNBC, ABC, CBS, ABC, PBS, NPR (shall I continue?) are all left of center - and further left of center than Fox is right of center.

And I thought liberals were supposed to be tolerant of others and their point of views?

Ralph| 7.15.11 @ 3:22PM

Bret Baier a lunatic? As time goes on it seems the President is correct in that he doesn't communicate to the public very well. He first needs to understand language and what words mean before he can effectively use them.

Oldefarte| 7.16.11 @ 10:03AM

No, he understands the language very, very well indeed as a Princton/Harvard graduate, which provided him with a typical socialistic, domestic terrorism attitude and mind set [and therein lies the problem]!!!!!!!!!

CalMark| 7.15.11 @ 3:25PM

...and now the FBI is investigating Fox, to see whether they helped hack in Britain. Huh?

Somewhere, Stalin is smiling.

Oldefarte| 7.16.11 @ 10:05AM

Yes, Stalin controlled the governmental powers that allowed his dictatorial, manipulative agenda to become enforced, JUST LIKE......!!!!!!!!!

Mike 3/505| 7.15.11 @ 5:44PM

Fact is, the thought that we all have differing, yet equal points of view is proven to be BS by the liberal agenda and their tame media. Our points of view are not equal. Liberals have nothing but the downfall of our nation in mind. I'm probably misquoting but...In a compromise between food and poison, the result is always death. We need to stand up for what is right and not be stampeded into "compromising," with the left...on morality or money.

Occam's Tool| 7.15.11 @ 9:36PM

Barack is a Thug. Pure. Simple.

His Wife is a Scumbag who denied Health Care to the Poor. Pure. Simple.

Oldefarte| 7.16.11 @ 10:07AM

And beyond that, they are both socialists promoters of governmental welfare to their indigent constituents as payment for same's votes for Democrats!!!!!!!!!!!!

Warrior| 7.16.11 @ 5:59PM

Socialist be an understatement. Bush 43 was socialist. Barry is Marxist.

Oldefarte| 7.17.11 @ 1:21PM

I think he was possibly more MAINE-YANKEE than SOCIALIST [which may be the same thing, who knows]!!!!!!!!!

A Grin Without a Cat| 7.15.11 @ 11:47PM

'Yet another opening shot'? There can be only one opening shot; all others are following shots.

This is a minor point, perhaps, but a professional such as Mr. Goldstein should endeavor to get it right.

Jocon307| 7.16.11 @ 10:24AM

I wish Republicans would learn to hate and disdain the NY Times, et al as much as the Lefties hate Fox News.

Oldefarte| 7.16.11 @ 1:50PM

They don't because they ignorantly refuse to believe that these Democrats are as conieving/subversive as they actually are. They believe that what they read 24-7 in their hometown newspapers [supplied by the NYT with newswire stories] is true/factual, which it is not [but is highly slanted/biased]. They are naive to the fact of the truth of liberal Democrats!!!!!

doolittle| 7.16.11 @ 5:55PM

the administration may lock and load, but they truly are "the gang who couldn't/can't shoot straight.

stmichrick| 7.16.11 @ 10:09PM

That the Regime continues to react to Fox News tells me that FNC is still relevant. Challenge any critic to tell us which news media allowed the conservative viewpoint before that.

Oh, I remember; Jack Kilpatrick on 60 Minutes back in the '70s! And Bill Buckley on public television! Gosh, maybe Fox is not necessary after all.