Addressing the nation on his weekly television show on Sunday, the Venezuelan president laid out plans for his next crusade, ordering his governors and mayors to draw up a “map of the media war” to determine which media are “in the hands of the oligarchy.”Chavez said that “if it weren’t for the attack, the lies, manipulation and the exaggeration” of the private media networks, the Venezuelan government would have the support of at least 80 percent of the population. Recent polls have put Chavez’s popularity at a little over 50 percent. [...]
Chavez frequently criticizes opposition-aligned television stations and newspapers, at times holding up copies of the papers during public addresses to ridicule articles that criticize him.
There is an organized campaign now afoot, a carefully planned, well-funded systematic assault on talk radio and Fox News that involves at least seven major liberal American religious denominations. All of whom are apparently planning to spread the gospel that talk radio and Fox News personalities are spreading hate speech. This message will be spread to their parishioners’ children, in adult education materials, in sermons and through lay leaders — people like me.And to back it up, they are trying to invoke the legal authority of the FCC. After having a cozy, private lunch with a sympathetic FCC Commissioner on September 30.
Which brings us last, but certainly not least to: The White House.
The Obama White House is now quite specifically using the presidential bully pulpit to de-legitimize Fox News.
Note how this works:
• White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel says: “…the way we, the President looks at it, we look at it is it’s not a news organization” and that Fox is not “a legitimate news organization.”
• White House senior adviser David Axelrod says Fox News is “not really a news station.”
• White House Communications Director Anita Dunn says: “What I think is fair to say about Fox — and certainly it’s the way we view it — is that it really is more a wing of the Republican Party,” said Anita Dunn, White House communications director, on CNN. “They take their talking points, put them on the air; take their opposition research, put them on the air. And that’s fine. But let’s not pretend they’re a news network the way CNN is.”
(h/t Michelle Malkin)
And this attack is not limited to mere chilling words from the White House, but goes to calling on all other (center-left) media to disassociate with Fox News because Obama doesn’t like their opinion programs
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs on Tuesday pointed to two top-rated opinion shows on Fox News as the reason why the Obama administration has castigated the network as an illegitimate news organization. [...]The White House also appeared to stand by its effort to urge other networks to isolate and alienate the channel. Gibbs said Tuesday that it’s up to the White House Correspondents Association to decide whether Fox News should continue to be part of the White House pool which covers President Obama.
Quite the busy bee, Obama is not done with his enemies list
The uneasy relationship between the Obama White House and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has steadily eroded over the past several months, with the business group’s opposition to health care and climate change legislation triggering an all-fronts backlash from the administration.The administration is now trying to neutralize the Chamber by doing an end-run around the group and dealing directly with its members.
During remarks in early October, President Obama named and shamed the Chamber for opposing a consumer protection agency.
I wish I could say at this rate we are soon to be a banana republic, but I think I’d then have to denounce myself as racist.
Comment by Neo on 10/21 @ 1:29 am #
Tip of the day … Rahm Emanuel and David Axelrod aren’t real news makers .. merely political hacks
Comment by Salt Lick on 10/21 @ 3:30 am #
Cue Snowcone’s passing handwave, “Obama is just our black John Adams. Alien and Sedition acts, etc, etc.”
Comment by alppuccino on 10/21 @ 4:14 am #
According to Obama, Obama has a gift. He could sell shit-sandwiches to anorexics. And now that he’s FBPOTUS, he doesn’t even need to toast them.
Comment by serr8d on 10/21 @ 5:23 am #
FIRST! (Oh, and a smaller version in the Pub).
I gave him a meaner countenance. A B+, though… )
Comment by Rusty on 10/21 @ 5:26 am #
I think I preferred the world not liking us. It’s embarassing when the world is laughing at us all the time. Barrak has tied our shoe laces together.
Comment by newrouter on 10/21 @ 5:32 am #
who put the “kick me” sign on baracky’s back?
Comment by Eben on 10/21 @ 5:40 am #
I think our Partner With Godⓡ is guilty of several Hate Crimes.
Oh noes! What does we do now!
Comment by TheGeezer on 10/21 @ 6:46 am #
All this shit is so depressing.
The flyover part of the country won’t buy it, but these Chicago-Thug tactics nevertheless provoke concern.
I can hardly wait until 2010. At least we may elect a gridlock government then and maybe investigate Obama’s possibly unconstitutional activities.
Comment by Starcaller Nishi on 10/21 @ 6:53 am #
I think Frum and Wolff are correct on this.
Rahm is making FOX the face of the GOP just like he did with Rush.
Wolff: I am revising my theory of what the Obama administration is doing in its frontal assault on Fox: I think they want us to take sides. Are you a Fox person or not a Fox person? And I think they want to identify Fox as the standard bearer of American conservatism. If you’re a conservative, you’re for Fox (ie, is that who you want to be?).
Frum: It’s a perfect convergence: What is good for Fox is good for Obama, and what is good for Obama is good for Fox, and their mutual victim is the Republican party.
The end result is both FOX and Obama are effectively stripping the rusting hulk of the GOP for parts.
Comment by Darleen on 10/21 @ 6:56 am #
Kate Mengele,
I see your capacity for self-delusion hasn’t abated.
Comment by JD on 10/21 @ 6:58 am #
We care what Frum and Wolff (Olbergasm’s buttoboy) have to say about Fox and R’s why?
Go back to your padded room, eugenecist.
Comment by Darleen on 10/21 @ 7:00 am #
If you’re a conservative, you’re for Fox
Patently silly. If you believe in the Constitution, you’re for Fox. One would pray that wouldn’t just be “conservatives”.
Comment by JD on 10/21 @ 7:00 am #
You should have quit after “I think” nishit, because it was at that point where we knew you were delusional.
Comment by takeshi kovacs on 10/21 @ 7:01 am #
Fox is an inperfect vehicle, it is one part respectable Luce Press,one part
Hearst populist. But who else has even dared to try to decipher the myriad, totalitarian, eugenicist (that gives you
a tingle up your leg, right) assaults on our republic. Frum of course was and is still willing to keep silent
Comment by Carin on 10/21 @ 7:04 am #
You know, we’d really be better off with a news media that was approved by the President.
That’s the way to protect us.
The fact that Obama dislikes it is a sign that it’s doing it’s job.
Comment by Darleen on 10/21 @ 7:04 am #
good lord, I just read the rest of Wolff’s dribbling…. weapons grade stupidity. How the hell does that male function during the day?
Comment by B Moe on 10/21 @ 7:05 am #
Because that worked so well for them.
Comment by JD on 10/21 @ 7:14 am #
That’s no male, Darleen, not in amy traditional sense of the word. Eunuch, perhaps. Wolff is about as manly as meya, Krugman, MadCow, and Reich.
Comment by JHo on 10/21 @ 7:17 am #
Darleen, in nuggie’s little pond laser-like analysis of any passing chub is cause for proclamation. A liberal friend recently admitted preferring progressive-flavored kool-aid. In both cases the emphasis is on how to win and in neither cases is concern given to the ethics or principles. In gimme some land, it’s all the tactics.
It falls to us ‘Thuglicans to see the brilliance in the strategy as pointed out and to simultaneously miss the point of it all. Has nuggie starfighter ever debated the principle of a thing?
Comment by SGT Ted on 10/21 @ 7:25 am #
This isn’t about “like” or “dislike”, this is about freedom of the press. But, then I don’t think collectivist bigot crackpots like nishi appreciate individual freedom.
Comment by sdferr on 10/21 @ 7:44 am #
Would someone say the first name of this Wolff person, so I can get a fix on the who of it? I ain’t clickin’ into a cesspool anytime soon.
Comment by sdferr on 10/21 @ 7:48 am #
Nevermind.
Comment by Pablo on 10/21 @ 8:06 am #
Yah, he’s really, really good at shaping public opinion. For instance, he wants everyone to think he’s a douchebag, and they do! He’s like a walking, talking Thought God, and America is in his thrall. This must be an anomoly, or ten.
Comment by sdferr on 10/21 @ 8:09 am #
Shhhhhhhhush, Pablo, let ‘em pursue their unicorn in peace man. Rainbows are coming.
Comment by JD on 10/21 @ 8:14 am #
Wolff is one of Olbergasm’s regular poofters, sdferr.
Comment by sdferr on 10/21 @ 8:18 am #
There is another deranged left campaign aimed at the destruction of a threatening political figure going on today as well, in which Michael Wolff makes an appearance:
At whom, you ask? At Liz Cheney. What was it said about “lucky in his enemies?”.
Comment by sdferr on 10/21 @ 8:33 am #
“…an organized campaign now afoot, a carefully planned…”
How the hell can it be “carefully planned” when it is doomed to failure before it even starts, I wonder?
Comment by Matt on 10/21 @ 9:06 am #
I think the point here is from liberals point of view, its ok to demonize the oppositions news network. Sure, Fox is slanted, especially compared to the letter networks. IF its ok to demonize the opposing news network, I think liberals should be concerned- with a republican president, Fox would be the only news network allowed into briefings. Hell, I thought Bush should have kicked out the NY Times a few times when they kept leaking security information which was putting our troops at risk.
So I ask a simple question to our liberal friends- is it ok for the president to demonize a news network who’s coverage is seen as unfavorable to said president ?
Comment by sdferr on 10/21 @ 9:13 am #
“…the oppositions news network…”
You’ve already ceded the win Matt. The question is, is there anything that can be said to be true which can be the possession of anyone no matter the party? If not, then you haven’t lost anything. If yes, then there is no such thing as an “opposition’s news network” and we’ve all lost.
Comment by geoffb on 10/21 @ 9:26 am #
I hate to sorta side with Nishi but Obama is working on a polarization. It’s an Alinsky thing. Wolff however like Obama apparently is buying their own manufactured
propagandaspin.When you do a polarization you must be certain that your side will have the power to come out the winner. They must believe that they will. Nishi does, Wolff does, Obama does. My belief is that they are delusional. We shall all see in the end.
Comment by JD on 10/21 @ 9:28 am #
Stating nishit is delusional is like stating water is wet.
Comment by mojo on 10/21 @ 9:28 am #
Bananas don’t grow well here. So we won’t even have that.
Comment by sdferr on 10/21 @ 9:30 am #
Wait a minute mojo. I’ve got fine growing bananas right out back not 50 feet from the carport.
Comment by JD on 10/21 @ 9:35 am #
Sdferr lives in a banana republic.
I am going to take a moment to denounce everyone. Bananas, and all …
Comment by sdferr on 10/21 @ 9:36 am #
And Charlie Crist is our caudillo.
Comment by Spiny Norman on 10/21 @ 11:50 pm #
JD,
Wolff is one of Olbergasm’s regular poofters, sdferr.
Olberdouche has fluffers?
Oh, nevermind…
Comment by T Christopher on 10/22 @ 10:42 am #
“One of the amendments to the Constitution… expressly declares that ‘Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press,’ thereby guarding in the same sentence and under the same words, the freedom of religion, of speech, and of the press; insomuch that whatever violates either throws down the sanctuary which covers the others.” – Thomas Jefferson
http://republicanredefined.com/2009/10/22/obama-fox-news-like-talk-radio/
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