Tomorrow's column will be devoted to the Fox News/Karl Rove session, but I'll offer up a few observations on what went down after the jump...
Compared to the very testy CNN session from last Friday, this was, if not a lovefest, then remarkably tame. We asked the expected questions about the doctored photos, the "terrorist fist-bump" quote, and Rove's refusal to answer the Congressional subpoena to testify about the Justice Department probe, but the tone was far more restrained and matter-of-fact than anything the folks at CNN got. The only time any kind of liberal bias creeped in was the moment when Fox News VP John Moody uttered the phrase “I don’t think Karl would cross an ethical line like that," and there was very audible snickering throughout the room.
But Chris Wallace apparently felt that we had treated his new colleague unfairly, and at session's end, he grabbed the microphone and proceeded to lecture us on the "double standard" we had just used in our questioning, suggesting we wouldn't be that tough on CNN in a similar situation.
“We would!” barked one critic.
"You weren’t here for CNN!” barked another.
“You would?” Wallace asked. “I wonder.”
Monday, July 14, 2008
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17 comments:
Have you ever noticed that the only people who ever talk about the "liberal media bias" are the conservative media?
The only time any kind of liberal bias creeped in was the moment when Fox News VP John Moody uttered the phrase “I don’t think Karl would cross an ethical line like that," and there was very audible snickering throughout the room.
That's not an example of liberal bias, it's an example of a bias towards reality. What was the statement that Moody was responding to?
What was the statement that Moody was responding to?
Rove had just acknowledge that, while he has no official role with the McCain campaign, people do call him up to ask for advice now and again, and somebody asked Moody whether they had to establish some kind of line Rove wasn't allowed to cross.
So, is Fox still going with that "fair and balanced" myth? Thought not.
I'd love to hear their response to the terrorist fist bump comment. I was shocked to discover a co-worker and I go all "terrorist-y" every day. Thank goodness Fox "News" is here to "educate" me.
I'd love to hear their response to the terrorist fist bump comment.
Moody didn't attempt to excuse or explain it, but acknowledged that it was a mistake and shouldn't have happened.
"Have you ever noticed that the only people who ever talk about the 'liberal media bias' are the conservative media?"
Besides the audience, you mean.
I find it hilarious when Fox talks about "liberal media bias" because if they compared US network and cable news to newscasts from the CBC and BBC, they would think them communists.
There are journalists on both ends of the spectrum on most networks, with a few exceptions and while the Bush administration is an easy target, they still all toed the line when the Iraq war first began.
So I guess it's true that Chris Wallace is every bit the douchebag in real life that he appears to be on television? Good to know.
Have you ever noticed that the only people who ever talk about the "liberal media bias" are the conservative media?
Just to play Devil's advocate, one could say the same about the liberal media criticizing Fox News.
Why would liberals complain about a bias that works in their favor? Much like conservatives never complain about Fox News and their obvious slant. It's still on the air, which means people watch it.
As someone who has very independent and non-conformist (to either extreme) views, I think it's both a little funny and a lot sad how everyone just seems interested in picking sides and flinging muck the other way rather than having intelligent discourse.
(And yes I'd be more inclined to "believe" CNN than Fox News, but then again CNN actually seems to focus on news while Fox seems to focus on commentary and opinion)
(And sorry to continue the politics talk, as I know that gets ugly fast, but I figure this post kind of invites it)
Very simple: If you don't like or believe Fox News, don't watch it. Change the channel. I can't stand Ray Romano, but I don't watch him and then bitch to everybody that he is anti-comedy.
Has Chris Wallace not been to one of these events before? I know it is an election year and all, making folks a bit tetchier, perhaps, but all of the questions you've mentioned here seem pretty boilerplate. I thought the same about the questions from the CNN session -- nobody on that panel could actually have been surprised at those questions. It's just hard for me to believe Wallace wouldn't expect reporters to probe about Rove's connections to the White House and to the McCain campaign. But I also don't see the value of displaying faux indignation to a room full of TV critics. It's just weird.
Anon
I think my eyes just broke from rolling them so hard. Did anyone mention to Wallace that he didn't have to "wonder" - he could look at a transcript?
Oh wait, right. That would be giving in to the "reality based" agenda.
The Ray Romano analogy is not apt, to me, because disliking Ray Romano simply means Ray Romano is not to your liking.
The concern about Fox News goes beyond "not to my liking" and goes to "demonstrably taking orders from political operatives of a particular persuasion." Now, you can believe that's true or not believe it's true, and this is not the place for that argument. But for people who believe it's true, it's simply not the same as "Ray Romano doesn't make me laugh." One is about personal tastes in comedy, while one is about propaganda disguised as news. Again, this is IRRESPECTIVE of whether it's true or not; I'm just saying, even if you don't believe it, you can't credibly say it wouldn't matter any more than Everybody Loves Raymond if it were true -- same with liberal bias on CNN or wherever it's alleged to reside.
Much like conservatives never complain about Fox News and their obvious slant.
People have been making that false accusation since before they started broadcasting, so it's obviously not based on what they actual DO, it's just something liberals parrot without thinking.
Note that no one ever gives any examples, other than chyron typos!
So I guess it's true that Chris Wallace is every bit the douchebag in real life that he appears to be on television? Good to know.
Yes: zero.
Note that no one ever gives any examples, other than chyron typos!
How would one give an example of conservatives not complaining?
An example (hell, MANY examples):
http://www.outfoxed.org/
Am I the only one troubled that news stations are on a TV Press Tour? Shouldn't they be above this?
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