FOX News and the White House - Questions for Dunn, Emanuel & Axelrod

Sheryl Young
I recently encountered some people who were talking about how horrible FOX News is. I asked them, "Really? What show did you watch?"
Well...uh...I don't watch FOX but from what I hear..."
"Where did you hear it?"
"Uhhhh..."
"Might you be talking about a FOX opinion show and not FOX News?"
"Uhhh...what's the difference?"

Exactly. All the hype about FOX News not being News is because people mostly center in on two explosive opinion commentators - Beck and Lumbaugh. However, that's not all FOX News is about. Since President Obama's spokespersons have been shutting FOX News out of the White House, here are some questions I would have asked them if I were the interviewer in these situations.

Anita Dunn, Obama's former Campaign Advisor and now White House Communications Director, remarked on CNN "Reliable Sources," that FOX is very 'selective' in the stories it reports.

My questions for Ms. Dunn regarding this statement:
1. Excuse me, are you the same Anita Dunn that explained in January how the Obama Campaign controlled the media before and after the election in order to determine what the voters heard? (See YouTube videos here or here.)

2. Is FOX's 'selection' of stories like when ABC, CBS and NBC reported on abortion provider George Tiller's murder day and night for weeks but didn't even touch the story about the pro-life activist who was killed? Thatkind of selection? Or their vast coverage of every liberal march on Washington but their consistently low coverage and downplaying of conservative marches? Thatkind of selection?

Ms. Dunn has also implied that FOX is just an arm of the Republican party.

My questions for Ms. Dunn regarding this statement:
1. If FOX is just an arm of the Republican party, why did FOX broadcast the immensely popular, 13-season show, Hannity & Colmes with conservative Sean Hannity and liberal Alan Colmes sharing the stage and having well-spoken guests from both sides?

2. Are you the same Anita Dunn who said you sometimes went to alternative media sources? - I see...so if Fox News is a Republican tool, wouldn't you consider them alternative media to the Democratic sources you prefer? NO? Oh, I see, you don't consider them media at all.

On CNN State of the Union (see videos here and here), White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel said FOX isn't news...it's just perspective.

My questions for Rahm Emanuel:
1. So other news stations never give their opinion or perspectives? How about ABC's 20/20 or NBC's Dateline?
2. You mean no major station's news anchor has ever, on the air, clearly announced their preference for a certain candidate or side of an issue?
3. And newspapers like the New York Times don't come out and endorse one candidate or cause over the other? Gee. I didn't know that.

President Obama's advisor David Axelrod told ABC "This Week" that FOX is just geared toward making money.

My question for Mr. Axelrod: So ABC, NBC, CNN, CBS, MSNBC - they're all non-profit charity organizations? Now I understand.

This FOX blackout is such a sham. Somebody, please wake me up from the political hypocrisy.

Sources:
Anita Dunn interviews: CNN "Reliable Sources"; YouTube video 1; YouTube video2 (of many examples).
Rahm Emmanuel interviews: CNN "State of the Union," (actual Transcript); YouTube video 1; YouTube video 2 (of many examples).
David Axelrod interview: ABC News This Week (actual Transcript); and Fox News.

Published by Sheryl Young - Featured Contributor in Politics

Freelance writer since 1997; Featured Political Contributor for Yahoo!; Tampa Tribune Community Columnist/Blogger; Chicken Soup for the Soul; Amy Foundation National Writing Award; happy wife, proud step-mom...  View profile

46 Comments

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  • Bridget L. Young11/11/2009

    It's sad to read about what Obama is doing. Choosing which news outlets can report/cover stories is EXACTLY what they do here in China. Wake up America!! You are like the frog sitting comfortably in the slowly rising temperature of the pot of water!!

  • C. L. Collins11/4/2009

    Great artcile, Cheryl. I would love to ask them those questions too and then challenge the Marxists answers.

  • deonils11/1/2009

    you certaionly stumped her Cheryl --greta article and well-argued. If u are right, it is easy to argue well for the facts. Shalom and Blessings

  • Bobbi Leder10/30/2009

    It's pretty obvious that FOX is right winged and CNN is left winged which is crazy - when did news become an op/ed show?

  • Sheri Fresonke Harper10/30/2009

    Interesting :)

  • Tracie Walker10/29/2009

    Very good points. :)

  • Moeursalen10/29/2009

    You are the un-Maureen Dowds, Sheryl.

  • David Peterson10/28/2009

    Fox News should focus on REPORTING NEWS without bias. The White House should focus on speaking to the American public, without regard to which news media is covering the story. I'm disappointed with both of them.

  • Jedley Manimtim10/27/2009

    Moeursalen brings up a good point. Good job, Sheryl

  • Moeursalen10/27/2009

    Aside from Alan colmes, there are many other Democrat liberals who appear regularly on Fox News--Bob Beckel, Kirsten Powers, Susan Estrich...I could go on but few people are interested in the facts anyway, so.... The administration goose is cooked on this one with libs like Clarence Page condemning the club-footed White House strategy of press intimidation. It's hilarious. I hope the White House keeps on attacking Fox and being too chicken to appear for interviews. It's so desperate...

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