Recent Fox interview renews network’s lagging credibility
Fox News takes a lot of heat. Its “Fair and Balanced” tag is often ridiculed by people of substance and people who lack it on other networks like MSNBC. Much of the criticism goes too far, but a good portion of it is at least somewhat deserved.
Our president and his administration have tried their best to avoid Fox News. They have tried their best to delegitimize Fox News. They have tried their best to win a war with the highest-rated cable news network. On St. Patrick’s Day, they failed.
Possibly related:
- Remember: Women are more than just breasts · Feb 12
- Valentine's Day an overrated holiday · Feb 12
- Campaign finance laws not right for Left, Right · Feb 12
- Contract questioned · Feb 8
- Creationist theme park shouldn't get backing · Feb 8
Bret Baier, the 39-year-old host of Fox’s 6 p.m. “Special Report,” was granted a sit down interview with the president. A lot of people think Fox is not capable of real journalism and were expecting something of a circus full of “gotcha” questions. Those who watched saw anything but.
Baier was direct. He didn’t allow the president to filibuster and dodge questions. He pushed the president to go on the record and take a stand on some key issues. Baier relentlessly questioned the president on the procedural methods of passing the health care bill.
The president didn’t want to say he supported the “Slaughter Solution,” or “deem and pass” as it is less cleverly known, but Baier wasn’t deterred. He wanted the people to get an answer. Does President Obama support the potentially unconstitutional procedures taking place in the House? In this bill important enough to sidestep the law of the land? The president’s answer was yes.
Baier went on to challenge the president on some of the special deals in the bill. They went back and forth and the president defended them, but tried his best not to. He assured us the bill would be posted for days ahead of the vote so we could judge for ourselves.
Baier and the president competed over letters they received from average Americans. Baier used them to challenge the president’s plan; the president used his to deflect.
At the end of the day, Bret Baier, the journalist on the network despised by the left, did the American people a great service. Should this bill pass and either become law or be ruled unconstitutional, the president will have no opportunity to retreat. Baier made sure the president defended some of the most upsetting problems with the legislation on the record.
He made the president answer questions, something he doesn’t really like to do. Baier wasn’t disrespectful, but he didn’t fear the office either. He knows President Obama works for the people and not the other way around.
It was a moment of great journalism, something we haven’t seen in a while. Tough questions were asked and the president was not allowed to dodge.
It was an impressive display from the best evening news anchor in the country. You ought to take notice. Fox News might seem slanted to many of you, but on weeknights from 6-7 p.m., Bret Baier lives up to the “Fair and Balanced” motto.
This president is not without his critics. Beck, Hannity and Limbaugh lead the entertaining side while Will, Noonan and Krauthammer charge from a place of higher dignity. But critics are easier to combat than journalists.
You can fight off Rush Limbaugh, but you can’t fight off Bret Baier. If the president thinks he can continue this war with Fox News and all those who disagree, he’s going to get slaughtered. Bret Baier will see to that.
- |
by rickster
good lord! the fox news interview with the president went like it was being done by a spokesmouth of the republican party. which it was.
everybody else disagrees with you including gerldo.
Flag for moderationby rickster
i had never been to this site before. i guess this was the nonsense they speak of in the banner.
Flag for moderationby Truth
Obama has no credibility.
Lies to pass healthcare, lies lies lies
Flag for moderationby David
Fox’s lagging credibility? Do you believe the propoganda you put out? Or are you just being paid to lie?
Flag for moderationby Tiim
Fox’s news has no credibility. Its an joke. Its gossip, opinion-tament. Not News, it makes real news look bad.
Flag for moderationby DaVoiceman
Most of the responses are correct fox news is more than slanted it’s cartoonish. It’s shameful trash. I won’t waste another word on fox.
Flag for moderationby Catherine Vardeman
Brett did a fantastic job at attempting to hold Obama’s feet to the fire and answer the question without Obama’s mind-numbing meandering. Baier was the ideal candidate for the assignment with his school boy manner. Any criticism of this interview can only be directed at the one interviewed, who was decidedly uncomfortable with being asked questions that required a direct answer, to which he had none.
Flag for moderationby Catherine Vardeman
This article is not based on fact. Obama stated the bill will be posted AFTER the vote. Get it right. You are the journalist. Did you watch the interview?
I follow neither party. They are both broken!
If one cannot cite and justify his position, but continually tells us to ‘trust him, he cares about us’, no plausible reason has been given to believe the words. Proof it. If you won’t, you may be hiding something. Common sense, people. Flag for moderationby Tom
Looking at the interview from both sides, I can see where some may consider Bret being rude with his interrupting the President but at the same time, Bret was keeping President Obama from running the clock out with the Presidents run around instead of being direct and to the point.
Flag for moderationWe need more Journalist with character and not just going with the flow.
by Hal
Neil doesnt sound like he knows what he is talking about. I bet with a little training he could work for Fox News too. Sounds like he would fit right in.
Flag for moderationby EC
I wonder how many of you Fox News bashers actually watch even an hour of fox news? Or do you just base your opinion off of what Olbermann or the huffington post are saying? I’ll put my money on the latter
Flag for moderationby Kenneth Barna
I watched the interview. For those of you who think Mr. Baier did a good job at his (in my opinion) persnickety attitude with the president then congratulations, however, when President Obama responded back in kind with statistics about peoples’ emails I think he showed he knew what he was talking about.
Flag for moderationIn any case, Mr. baier wanted to discuss procedures, and President Obama wanted to discuss the merits of health care, so they were coming at the interview with different perspectives.
Fox News is never fair and balanced. It is so far right that it could be an extension of the propaganda ministry of Joseph Goebbels.
by EC
And MSNBC/New York Times/CNN/LA Times/Washington Post/ABC are not slanted to the far left Kenneth?
Flag for moderationby Kenneth Barna
To EC,
Flag for moderationNo they are not. They are liberal news outlets, but often criticize the Democrats when they think they have taken a wrong position, or are wrong period.
I often watch Fox News to see what the other side is saying, however, I have never heard them criticize the Rebublican party as doing something wrong. They also always play the fear card. Oh my the sky is going to fall unless we (Republicans) get our way. Their only solution to any problem is tax cuts.
So again, the news organizations that you mentioned are left leaning, but not as far right as Fixed News.
by EC
TIME OUT!! You honestly believe MSNBC is not as slanted as Fox? Lord help us! And not all of Fox is in love with the GOP. O’Reilly openly admits that the Iraq war was a mistake and criticizes Bush. The man has also said on air that Obama is a good man and rips apart the “Birther” theory and the people who follow it.
You say that Fox plays the “fear card”. I say MSNBC/CNN/NYT plays the elitist card. Look at their coverage of the tea party movement. Look at what they did to “Joe the Plumber”. They absolutely rip apart any person who so much as questions Obama or his cronies. I thought you libs were supposed to be open minded and accept everyone. In reality, its “Oh we are open minded”-as long as you think like us!
Flag for moderationby Kenneth Barna
Dear EC,
Flag for moderationI will concede your point about Bill O’Reilly on the war in Iraq, I do remember hearing that. If he also attacked the birthers that is good too. However, two points (and there may be more) from one correspondent does not make them fair and balanced.
On the Tea Bag front, these people have been funded and supported by far right people who whip these poor deluded idiots into a frenzy, and then send them out into the streets to do their bidding without being held responsible for those peoples demonstrations. Yes, I am for intelligent debate in this country. I don’t want a bunch of brainless idiots yelling and screaming stupid statements that they do not even know the meaning of, or can give a definition to. On two occasions, people from the Tea Baggers were asked what is communism, and what is the difference between National Socialism and communism. The answer was I don’t know. Yet we are to assume for one minute that these are the people we should be listening to? Give me a break. And if that makes me or MSNBC elitist then I accept gladly.
As far as Joe the Plumber goes I think his ignorance speaks for itself. He also unfortunately, was duped into thinking he was a viable speaker for the right. He was an embarassment to himself and the Republican Party.
We do accept everyone for who he or she may be. What we don’t do is use people and exploit people like the right does. As Will Rogers once said, “I don’t belong to any organized political party I’m a Democrat”.
by EC
First off,I agree with you that Joe was duped but he was being bashed on just for answering the question, before becoming a voice for the right.
Flag for moderationSecondly, its not “Tea Bag” or “teabaggers”. This just makes you sound like a 3rd grader calling people names. If you want an intelligent debate, you should treat the opposition with respect, no matter how big of a “brainless idiot” they may be. It will get you a lot further in life
by JN
EC,
Kenneth hit it right on the head when he talked about the right’s exploitation of their angry base. What he failed to mention, however, was that while yes, many of the talking heads on MSNBC (Maddow, Olbermann, et al) seem to openly pull for the Dems, it almost seems to be the opposite of what’s going on with the right.
It’s not the Republican politicians driving the conversation and being backed up by their news outlet of choice, but rather the Limbaughs, Hannitys and Becks are creating faux rage and whipping these people up into a lather, which then forces Republican politicians to comply for fear of the Tea Party folks turning on them like in Arizona or New York’s 23rd Congressional District.
It’s good for ratings, but it’s bad for the country, when politicians can’t compromise. I think we can all agree that we all would have been better off if the Republicans sat down at the table and negotiated this health care reform. We got it anyway, so wouldn’t it have been better to get some of their stuff in the legislation?
I am a former journalist and a former card-carrying Republican. Frankly, the way Fox News and outlets like American Family Radio spread lies in an attempt to push an agenda on people makes me sick. The way the Republican party has become complicit with it all has made me turn my back on the party.
Flag for moderationby Kenneth Barna
Dear EC,
Flag for moderationI could not have said it better. That was truly fair and balanced.