Obama: Fox News is 'destructive' to America
(CNN) – President Obama is pulling no punches when it comes to Fox News, declaring the cable news outlet to be "destructive to [America's] long-term growth."
In a more than 8,000-word interview with Rolling Stone Magazine, Obama compared the cable news channel to papers owned by William Randolph Hearst at the turn of the 20th century that unabashedly pushed the media titan's own political views.
"You had folks like Hearst who used their newspapers very intentionally to promote their viewpoints. I think Fox is part of that tradition – it is part of the tradition that has a very clear, undeniable point of view," Obama told the magazine.
Officials in the Obama White House have long made Fox News a punching bag, launching a full blown offensive last year when aides declared the network to be "opinion journalism masquerading as news." Then-White House Communications Director Anita Dunn said the cable outlet "operates almost as either the research arm or the communications arm of the Republican Party," and top aide Valerie Jarret called Fox "clearly biased."
But the new comments from Obama constitute the president's most direct attack yet on the network owned by business mogul Rupert Murdoch.
Fox News pushes "a point of view that I disagree with. It's 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," Obama said.
"But as an economic enterprise, it's been wildly successful. And I suspect that if you ask Mr. Murdoch what his number one concern is, it's that Fox is very successful."
Fox has yet to respond to the president. But during the administration offensive against the network last year, network spokesman Michael Clemente slammed the White House for continuing "to declare war on a news organization instead of focusing on the critical issues that Americans are concerned about."
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President Obama is pointing out what most Americans already know.
Fox News uses lies and distortion to try and influence politics. Rupert Murdoch should be fined and his shop closed down.
This is really disgusting and hearkens back to Richard Nixon and his free press problems. How arrogant of this president.Can he not stand the criticism?
What an absolute failure this man is!
Obama...you are so sad. Down in the polls...reaching for anything. You'd love to be like your little Socialist buddy Chavez...and shut Fox News down. We'll...that will never happen. We, the people, WOULDNT allow it.
Have a great day...LOSER!!!!
...and MSNBC is the Obama news network. Get off it, get back to finding jobs for Americans. Obama is a Chicago thug, trash talking, my way or highway, who needs to go. Remember in November.
That pesky other point of view will get you every time. Of course no mention of the parrots that pose as reporters from the other half dozen networks, of course not.
While a few people might not notice Faux News' agenda most sane people do. It's hard to miss it when they have idiots like bill'o and glen beck. These two alone tarnish Faux News' reputation with their contradictions and egos.
That idiot obama still has not learned that Fox News is far more popular than he is. Fox News tells both sides of the issue while the other supposed new outlets are water carriers for obama. To this day, chris matthews is still peeing down his leg when he listens to the lies and spins from obana.
I agree they supported Him during the election
We all know this. Fox News is so well known for being bias they don't even try to hide it anymore. They clearly push a conservative view on all issues. I wouldn't have a problem if this was the extent of it, MSNBC has a very liberal view and not nearly as many people complain. My problem with Fox is they continually paractice unethical editing practices which paints stories in the light they want them to be viewed in. I know this goes on to some extent with every news organization but in regards to Fox, its gotten out of hand.
Now that would be "CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN".
What about free speech and the first amendment? Does Mr. Obama want to take that away as well?
It is very ironic that the Obama Administration calls Fox News "clearly biased, when the day-to-day rhetoric of the mainstream media (CBS, ABC, CNN, NBC) is to provide the American Public with only one side of the story . . . "the liberal left". I agree that much of what is portrayed as "NEWS" is really just sensationalized journalism filled with opinion and is very subjective. I find it hypocritical of the administration to point out just the FOX news organization.
As long as stupidity and idiocy are legal, Fox News is going to be around.
Fox is no more destructive than is CNN, CBS, NBC, etc. The problem is that Fox will criticize Obama while the others believe he walks on water. Obama is too thin skinned and should realize that he does not do everything right. Actually, he does very little right; does that make me destructive for America?
I guess "King" Barack Hussien Obama is against free speech too...just waiting for the barcode to be mandated for the back of my neck any day now......
Fox should be banned from using public airways to promote their political agenda. Public airways belong to all taxpayers. What fox does is nit journalism.
Ok, so now according to Mr. Obama, if you don't agree with his point of view you are destructive to America? Wow.
Obama at his best! When someone doesn't agree with you you use your position to attempt to discredit them. He, of course, leaves out the fact that he has the rest of the US media (CNN included) in his back pocket and lapping up everything he says. How can this president ever find time to do his job when he is constantly giving interviews to anyone who will listen to him (99% of the biased US media). I'm just waiting for his interviews with People magazine & US Weekly and of course his sit down interview with Billy Bush on Access Hollywood.
Obama must be reading Chavez's book. His attack on a "Fact Based Network" Fox is a play right out of same.
Fox News pushes "a point of view that I disagree with." Exactly Mr President, anyone or anything that disagrees with you is "destructive". Sob, sob.
Given that most MSM is liberal-friendly, and lower in ratings than Fox, of course you won't have a problem with them, even though they push Soros' agenda.
How about concentrating on fixing the economy instead of your image? Just pathetic.
He's just staying what everyone already knows. Fox is an organization with a chip on their shoulder. Fox news and regular fox news viewers believe most of the media has a "liberal bias" and so they are attempting to "balance" this percieved liberal bias with their conservative bias. The problem is that anyone who exclusively watches their network will end up recieving a very skewed view of the news resulting in anything but a balanced view point. Its why they love to say "fair and balanced" in their minds its a dig at the rest of the "liberal media" who can't dare accuse them of being unbiased as they would shed light on their own bias. Its ridiculous but that's how these people think.
I agree 100%! It's scary that people take what FOX news says as truth – really scary!!!!
And CNN isn't a lapdog for the President? Honestly, have you seen the caliber of characters that Obama has and who has been running the government behind the scene? Shame on CNN and others for not doing their job and exposing the resumes and backgrounds of these people and how Obama continues to circumvent our laws.
I like it when this president shows he can speak plain as well as he can speak professorially. Hedoes know when to and not to, and tha's what's important. Fox has officially been "served".