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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It's about time that someone came out and said this. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Nobody is entitled to their own facts and that's exactly what Faux News does, provide people with their own facts. They identify cheating, criminal republicans as Democrats, they lie on a regular basis in defense of the previous criminal administration. They lie about being a branch of the republican party. They count on the intellectual lazieness and plain stupidity of the mass of American people and are just another step in the jack boot right's plan to destroy political discourse in this country and sad to say they are succeeding.
Oh really? And how would he describe MSNBC and CNN? What a joke this clown is.
I agree that Fox News leans right, but no more so than CNN, MSNBC, and most network newscasts lean left. Here's an idea – report from the center – ALL of you. If you look through time, Fox News and CNN/MSNBC/Network News have histories of hiring former or future politicians that lean to whatever side their news is most affiliated with.
As a point of illusration of how liberal CNN is – to the right of this story, there's an ad for Elliot Spitzer's new show. A Democrat, and philanderer.
Well well well. He is finally deconstructing the lies that are spewed by fox news. Inuendo is no longer applicable, come at these fascist hate mongers head on, it will inspire your followers and embolden your base. We have history, and actionable facts on our side people!!!!!!!! With these tools we can beat the the party of the 19th century and bring this country to the future and beyond. Our standard bearer is calling out all of our enemies, and giving specifics as to why they are no good for America.
Long live BHO!!!!!!!!!!!
Poor Baby, someone doesn't like him. Of course he doesn't like FOX, they aren't blinded by the Anointed One
Isn't it a shame that our dear president doesn't like Fox news. What he doesn't like is the that they tell the facts on him. Mr President needs to realize he can't have it both ways. It just breaks my heart, what a looser.
He said the point of view is destructive not the enterprise itself. I believe the enterprise itself is destructive. It's all about either you agree with us or you're not American, nor Christian nor a decent human being. THAT is destroying civil discourse in this country. But, hey, they're making millions of dollars doing it so it's okay. Because ultimately, making money is more important than the country, right?
Does Obama think Rachel Maddow and Keith Oberman and others who agree with and do not questions his policies are equally destructive, or does this statement apply expressly to groups/ individuals that question, critisize and otherwise do not agree his policies?
Without a doubt Fox is the Propaganda arm of the RNC- They are terribly biased and publish blatant misinformation!! In the tradition of Joseph Goebbell's!!!
His policies are what is destructive to the long term growth of this country. Last I checked we still have freedom of speech and freedom of press giving Fox, CNN, the President, etc the right to say whatever they want. However I'm sure PresBo is working to trash those freedoms, too...
So, apparently, in Mr. Obama's version of Amerika, right-of-center viewpoints have no place in the political, philosophical, or journalistic landscape. I guess he'd rather have ultra-liberal news organizations like CNN be the official voice of the state and rubber-stamp everything without question that he and his administration do.
Typical Obama mentality. If you don't like the messgae, kill the messenger. The president should concentrate of the problems that face this nation as the people identify them, not as he wants to see them. Never have I been more ashamed of the office of the persident and more proud of the American people for realizing that the emporer has no clothes.
Both the Republican Party and Foxaganda are destructive to America – not because they mean to be, just because they don't care what slanders they have to spread to gain power.
Mr. President!! if you cannot take the heat get out of the kitchen!!! stop blaming others for your incompetency...
Wow, Obama is losing it.
Pretty funny when you think of it. Fox is probably the only news outfit that does not push Obama. Thank God we have it.
And the democrats don't have the same "destructive" media outlets? Media is openly liberal, by and large. And NPR – funded by the government itself, a liberal outlet. Fox is conservative – but how about some honesty from the president?
a news organization is destructive? Are we not smart enough to see the truth ourselves? Should it maybe be the govenment that approves all we see? This guy has to go. Im not a fan of Bush, but Bush was attacked constantly by the media (anyone remember Dan rather?) and never lowered himself to respond. All Obama does is blame everyone else for his troubles. Everytime he says he has had it tougher than other presidents in History! Really???? WOrld War II? The great depression? Vietnam? Civil War? Cuban Missile Crisis? 9/11???????? He is failing as a president. He needs to be the strong voice of america, not a wimpy whining liberal. I guess this president thing is harder than being a junior senator. I want american pride back, I want a strong voice to the world!
I have to agree. Fox crossed a line when they started actually contributing money to the Republican Party, and Shawn Hannity is not only a funder, but an actual organizer of the Republican Tea Party, whose whole agenda is simply anti-anything-Obama.
This clown deflects any and all responsibility from himself for the poor condition of the country right now. According to him its all Bush's fault, Fox news' fault, Congress' fault, and things aren't really that bad anyway.
He needs to focus on his own failures, man up and take control, instead of this constant complaining about everyone else he disagrees with.
You do notice that he never disputes the actual facts of what they say, don't you? Please look at who he has chosen to be on his team, it is scary.
It is true, they certainly have there own agenda.
I just can't understand WHY? Fox News is given a front row seat at any White House Briefing. It obviously is NOT a news organization but a political arm of the GOP. The ONLY guest commentators or political Contributor represent the GOP. The GOP news corporation (FOX) should get a special pass to the back of the bus.
Any overly-biased news agency, on the far right or left, is equally destructive. How come Obama isn't addressing the other side?
Please name a news organization that isn't exacltly the same. oh wait... if it's liberal propoganda it's okay. oops..i forgot.