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."
Okay, Obie, so what do you call MSNBC? Objective? Ha! What a joke this boy is.
How dare, all of the networks except one, Fox to challenge the anointed One? THANK GOD for FOX. Fair and Balanced!
If I recall, CNN and MSNBC ran to the aid of Fox and claimed that its journalism was just as legitimate as theirs. In reality, everyone knows that Fox News is not news at all.
Kind of a tough call on whether or not I think the president should be commenting on this. On the one hand, Fox needs to be called on its constant spewing of bullcrap propaganda. On the other hand, the President and his underlings make no mention of MSNBC ever. I am also on the fence about whether bashing Fox has any useful effect. It seems to me that the Fox "news" channel will run it to entrench its sympathetic viewers even more, and thus I think the president's comments will solidify that BS propaganda further in their minds. But then again, I don't think Fox (or MSNBC for that matter) should go unchalleneged in their spewing of propagands. Catch-22.
I guess Obama doesn't like free speech. A better approach would be to address any concerns with his views on the subject. Obama certainly has available to him unlimited free press. The president has the duty to uphold the constitution. He should be more respectful of political speech.
I mean God forbid a news agency disagrees with the lies of the Obama administration huh?
The irony of ironies is that you have Ruppert Murdoch, an immigrant white man from Australia using his Fox Network to brainwash Americans that their elected black president is not an American.
Mr. President, instead of attacking Fox news and blaming them for the " destruction of America", how about you start to do something to fix this economy? Stop giving interviews and start doing some WORK!
And thus that is why its known as " fixed news" throughout the industry. Fox is a portal for biggotry, misinformation, extremism, and some really whacky religious folks who want to push their agenda on the rest of us. Additionally, Fox claims to represent the middle class mainstream americam public however the party it supports is moving the country towards financial polarity and economic disaster. (btw...tax cuts, no matter how you stack them up, do not create jobs and prosperity) Fox is regressive and toxic for america and only after we elect the next batch of idiots on the republican side will we truly see the damage Fox has created.
Dear Sir, I listen to both Fox and CNN. Both can be immoderate and insulting things don't suit their perspectives. Even now you want of deny my point of view because it does not suit you policy. Will you only pgublish what I say when it comes into line with CNN's point of view?
Where is the american civil liberties union? when did it become one of the presidents duties to condemn the freely spoken opposition to him? Obama is the one who is destructive and dangerous. i voted for obama in '08 and i can assure you i won't do so in '12. I'm no fan of fox news but they have a RIGHT to say what they want to say it however they want in whatever format. toughen up, mr president.
Fox could actually provide a service to their viewing sheep if they did fact checking. Things you do not see on Fox are: articles about the tax cut that 95% of Americans received from the stimulus that started in April of 2009. Health reform is not a government takeover. It was the Bush/Cheney white house and a republican congress that made the law that the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy would expire on Jan. 1, 2010. Republicans under Bush doubled the national debt. There are no death panels. No one is going to take away your guns. The three 'socialist programs' that people like are social security, medicare and the VA. Republicans have no plans. Their 'pledge' will cost over a million jobs and a trillion more on the national debt. Party on wingnuts.
To Fox call themselves a news organization is like calling a forest-fire a cook-out. They are nothing but rag media.
It's called "Freedom of the Press" Mr. Obama. What a control freak....
Typical Obama, since Fox News reports their news accurately and don't bow down to the left-wing agenda then they are bad. Fox News is the only news organization that I trust to watch. The others, MSNBC, CNN, The New York Times, etc., are all sold out to the extreme left wing of America. I for one don't get a tingle up my leg when Obama speaks. It is past time for America to wake and realize that the left wing and Obama are destroying this great country of ours.
Riiiight... and CNN isn't biased? Please... the media takes itself too seriously on both sides of the aisle. They both are useless, just like the current administration. Everyone needs to find a better hobby than screaming at anyone who doesn't agree with them, con or lib.
Now that we know Fox is helping fund the Republican party, does it still get to use the "Fair and Balanced" slogan?
Is it even news to begin with? The most popular programs are all OPINION shows passed off as legitimate news. Most Fox viewers cant tell the difference.
Sorry Mr. President... it is you that is destructive to America!
Maybe its just the fact that FOX is critical of Obama. I guess the others are more to his liking so he is ok with them.
wow.... scary when the administration starts to demonize the press....
Foxnews is "destructive", maybe Obama needs to look in a mirror because he will see the true destructor of America.
President Obama you are destructive to America. Fox News is trying to report the truth of your Administration, unlike the other liberal media is doing.
Sorry Barack – you are far more destructive than Fox News.
Murdock has played this game in England and Australia..and not always right wing, he has been left and center, he will go where the money is..right now having what could be 4 of the leading candidates for the 2012 elections and not having them allowed to be interviewed by anyone other then fox or someone they agree with is poisoning the political process
I wouldn't mind Fox News being so biased, after all, most European news organizations tout themselves as either Liberal or Conservative, if they didn't so hypocritically say they are "Fair and Balanced".