Fox News' Unhinged, Irrational Obama Attacks Stir up Violent Right-Wing Militants

[Peikko 1,575]

I guess this is what journalists get paid to produce now that most newspapers have been dumped. My feeling is that there will be a drastic drop in both the integrity and newsworthyness of the 'news' media as one by one the printed page is lost. I listened to an interesting piece about the Pullitzer prize and the fact that no one wanted to pay for in depth journalism any more. Sad indictment and probably means political discourse in the media is destined for the toilet.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Dear Mr. Wallace:

We are writing to respectfully ask you to publicly address recent actions by Fox News personalities that unambiguously cross the line separating news and legitimate commentary from political activism and demagoguery.

As one of Fox News' most visible hosts, you have repeatedly characterized your network as "fair and balanced" and as one that should be taken seriously. However, a series of recent events -- referenced below -- undermine the argument that Fox News should be treated as a credible "fair and balanced" news outlet.

You have criticized your Fox News colleagues in the past when they have undermined your network's credibility. In March 2008, when you confronted the Fox & Friends hosts for distorting then-Senator Obama's words during what you described as "two hours of Obama bashing," you said that "one of the things that's great about Fox News is that we don't all follow talking points and we disagree about things." Following that incident, you said that "we really are, despite the sniffing or dismissals of our liberal critics, 'fair and balanced' at Fox News" and added that your news network does not "espouse" a "conservative point of view."

Since launching his Fox News show, Glenn Beck, who has emerged as a prominent player in your network's lineup of weekday programs, has engaged in increasingly outrageous, demagogic, and conspiratorial rhetoric. His recent actions include the following:

• Imitating President Obama pouring gasoline onto the "average American": On April 9, Beck responded to, among other things, reports that Obama will pursue immigration reform by imitating Obama pouring gasoline onto the "average American." After lighting and extinguishing a match, Beck asked: "President Obama, why don't you just set us on fire?" Beck remarked that "[w]e didn't vote to lose the republic" and later added: "We'd like to have a country left in the end of four years. No need to set us on fire."

• Mocking Obama's aunt's "limp": On April 2, Beck -- using a cane as a prop -- devoted large portions of a segment to mocking Obama's aunt's "limp."

• Portraying Obama and Democrats as "vampires": On March 30, Beck portrayed Obama and Democrats as "vampires" "going after the blood of our businesses" and suggested "driv[ing] a stake through the heart of the bloodsuckers."

Beck's outrageous and distasteful actions laced with anti-Obama political demagoguery has not occurred in a vacuum. In recent weeks, Fox News has engaged in anti-Obama political activism by aggressively promoting the "tea party" protests, which the network has described as primarily a response to Obama's fiscal policies. Fox News has repeatedly aired graphics describing the protests as "FNC TAX DAY TEA PARTIES" and has run advertisements promoting them.

Fox News websites have listed information about upcoming tea parties and have touted them with slogans like "No Taxation Without Representation!" Fox News' purportedly objective daytime news shows have also engaged in this behavior, with America's Newsroom going so far as to air graphics touting the date, time, location, and website of specific tea parties. On April 13, host Bill Hemmer said: "Can't get to a tea party? Fox Nation hosts a virtual tea party."

We trust that you are concerned about the effect of these actions on your network's reputation and that of everyone associated with it and urge you to denounce them as inappropriate for a news organization.

Sincerely,

Eric Burns

President, Media Matters for America

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I guess this is what journalists get paid to produce now that most newspapers have been dumped. My feeling is that there will be a drastic drop in both the integrity and newsworthyness of the 'news' media as one by one the printed page is lost. I listened to an interesting piece about the Pullitzer prize and the fact that no one wanted to pay for in depth journalism any more. Sad indictment and probably means political discourse in the media is destined for the toilet.

Well the story about the beauty pageant really took the cake IMO. It's sad that a silly beauty contest should have any impact at all on the public consciousness - or why the behaviour of a couple of Barbie dolls (why ask them anything complicated in the first place?) and the self-important remarks of a, what?, "judge" should kick up more dust than the impending termination of Chrysler.

As an "alien", I dare say that America has had its fill of show people shaping her politics (R. Reagan, Schwarzenegger). Any ####### from Al-Qaeda who's learned to read and write can express himself with more obvious intellect.

[The_Dude 1,142]

Thats Glenn Beck.... he's about as unbiased as Sean Hannity, Olbermann or Matthews. They are commentators, not news anchors. I do agree that Fox News goes out of its way to perpetuate it's ideology through inuendo, but you can't use a Glenn Beck as an example of irresponsible journalism, because he is in fact, not a journalist.

[Peikko 1,575]

I bet the newspaper journalists from those esteemed titles that are failing are livid with the direction their profession is taking. The internet has been great for many things, but in so far as getting reliable information, particularly in the political sphere - that takes a gigantic strainer and the patience of Job.

[mawilson 2,133]

Thats Glenn Beck.... he's about as unbiased as Sean Hannity, Olbermann or Matthews. They are commentators, not news anchors. I do agree that Fox News goes out of its way to perpetuate it's ideology through inuendo, but you can't use a Glenn Beck as an example of irresponsible journalism, because he is in fact, not a journalist.

Bingo! He's an entertainer, at best.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Thats Glenn Beck.... he's about as unbiased as Sean Hannity, Olbermann or Matthews. They are commentators, not news anchors. I do agree that Fox News goes out of its way to perpetuate it's ideology through inuendo, but you can't use a Glenn Beck as an example of irresponsible journalism, because he is in fact, not a journalist.

There is a legitimate argument to be made about the way that corporate TV news packages its product in such a way as to distort the boundary between editorial and traditional news reporting.

This is old news though - its only getting attention now because Glen Beck has a new show offering more of the same.

[The_Dude 1,142]

Thats Glenn Beck.... he's about as unbiased as Sean Hannity, Olbermann or Matthews. They are commentators, not news anchors. I do agree that Fox News goes out of its way to perpetuate it's ideology through inuendo, but you can't use a Glenn Beck as an example of irresponsible journalism, because he is in fact, not a journalist.

There is a legitimate argument to be made about the way that corporate TV news packages its product in such a way as to distort the boundary between editorial and traditional news reporting.

This is old news though - its only getting attention now because Glen Beck has a new show offering more of the same.

Very true. But how do you draw the line? Common sense evades far too many people in this country.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Thats Glenn Beck.... he's about as unbiased as Sean Hannity, Olbermann or Matthews. They are commentators, not news anchors. I do agree that Fox News goes out of its way to perpetuate it's ideology through inuendo, but you can't use a Glenn Beck as an example of irresponsible journalism, because he is in fact, not a journalist.

Bingo! He's an entertainer, at best.

He's a propagandist and is inciting violent reactionaries.

Edited April 22, 2009 by Col. 'Bat' Guano

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Thats Glenn Beck.... he's about as unbiased as Sean Hannity, Olbermann or Matthews. They are commentators, not news anchors. I do agree that Fox News goes out of its way to perpetuate it's ideology through inuendo, but you can't use a Glenn Beck as an example of irresponsible journalism, because he is in fact, not a journalist.

There is a legitimate argument to be made about the way that corporate TV news packages its product in such a way as to distort the boundary between editorial and traditional news reporting.

This is old news though - its only getting attention now because Glen Beck has a new show offering more of the same.

Very true. But how do you draw the line? Common sense evades far too many people in this country.

You draw the line by not relying on corporate TV news to form your world view, and if you do watch it - you watch it with a critical eye.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Thats Glenn Beck.... he's about as unbiased as Sean Hannity, Olbermann or Matthews. They are commentators, not news anchors. I do agree that Fox News goes out of its way to perpetuate it's ideology through inuendo, but you can't use a Glenn Beck as an example of irresponsible journalism, because he is in fact, not a journalist.

Bingo! He's an entertainer, at best.

He's a propagandist and is inciting violent reactionaries.

If a violent reactionary right-wing "terrorist" group starts blowing up shopping malls, using Beck's slogans as mission statements - you can bet your life that Beck and Fox will distance themselves as far as they can from it and issue retractions.

Beck might be stoking populist nationalism in Fox' traditional conservative audience base - but again to blame that for "incitement to violence" is like blaming the makers of Doom for the Columbine Massacre.

[The_Dude 1,142]

Thats Glenn Beck.... he's about as unbiased as Sean Hannity, Olbermann or Matthews. They are commentators, not news anchors. I do agree that Fox News goes out of its way to perpetuate it's ideology through inuendo, but you can't use a Glenn Beck as an example of irresponsible journalism, because he is in fact, not a journalist.

There is a legitimate argument to be made about the way that corporate TV news packages its product in such a way as to distort the boundary between editorial and traditional news reporting.

This is old news though - its only getting attention now because Glen Beck has a new show offering more of the same.

Very true. But how do you draw the line? Common sense evades far too many people in this country.

You draw the line by not relying on corporate TV news to form your world view, and if you do watch it - you watch it with a critical eye.

I have yet to find an unbiased media source. Corporate news has their own agenda, and then what are you left with? Bloggers? Don't get me started there. I just try to watch and read as much as I can. I really like Link TV. They have a lot of news broadcasts from around the world.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Thats Glenn Beck.... he's about as unbiased as Sean Hannity, Olbermann or Matthews. They are commentators, not news anchors. I do agree that Fox News goes out of its way to perpetuate it's ideology through inuendo, but you can't use a Glenn Beck as an example of irresponsible journalism, because he is in fact, not a journalist.

Bingo! He's an entertainer, at best.

He's a propagandist and is inciting violent reactionaries.

You are just pissed because he is pushing all your buttons. The only thing he is inciting is a reaction from the left.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Thats Glenn Beck.... he's about as unbiased as Sean Hannity, Olbermann or Matthews. They are commentators, not news anchors. I do agree that Fox News goes out of its way to perpetuate it's ideology through inuendo, but you can't use a Glenn Beck as an example of irresponsible journalism, because he is in fact, not a journalist.

There is a legitimate argument to be made about the way that corporate TV news packages its product in such a way as to distort the boundary between editorial and traditional news reporting.

This is old news though - its only getting attention now because Glen Beck has a new show offering more of the same.

Very true. But how do you draw the line? Common sense evades far too many people in this country.

You draw the line by not relying on corporate TV news to form your world view, and if you do watch it - you watch it with a critical eye.

I have yet to find an unbiased media source. Corporate news has their own agenda, and then what are you left with? Bloggers? Don't get me started there. I just try to watch and read as much as I can. I really like Link TV. They have a lot of news broadcasts from around the world.

I think we'd all do well to stop looking for the golden fleece and accept that there are no unbiased sources. The bolded is all you can do - but there is a place for TV, radio and blogs within that.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Thats Glenn Beck.... he's about as unbiased as Sean Hannity, Olbermann or Matthews. They are commentators, not news anchors. I do agree that Fox News goes out of its way to perpetuate it's ideology through inuendo, but you can't use a Glenn Beck as an example of irresponsible journalism, because he is in fact, not a journalist.

Bingo! He's an entertainer, at best.

He's a propagandist and is inciting violent reactionaries.

If a violent reactionary right-wing "terrorist" group starts blowing up shopping malls, using Beck's slogans as mission statements - you can bet your life that Beck and Fox will distance themselves as far as they can from it and issue retractions.

Beck might be stoking populist nationalism in Fox' traditional conservative audience base - but again to blame that for "incitement to violence" is like blaming the makers of Doom for the Columbine Massacre.

That's not an accurate comparison. Beck is specifically talking about the President. We'll see how far he can go before the Secret Service step in.