We at News Hounds have monitored well over 6,000 hours of FOX News Channel programming with an eye to documenting right-wing favoritism and Bush administration support in particular. We started out as the first filter for Robert Greenwald’s “Outfoxed,” when most of us had never before watched FOX News (being serious-minded and intelligent women).
We were appalled at the tactics, some blatant and some very subtle, employed by the on-screen staff, the producers, and the management. Clearly the “news” network was and is nothing more than a propaganda tool for the right-wing of American politics.
Having been through the presidential election of 2004 and the mid-terms of 2006, we have become adept at identifying FOX targets and the methods used to tear down the Democratic contenders and prop up the Republicans.
One month after the mid-term election, FOX revved up their pre-emptive strike force to begin undermining serious Democratic contenders. To no one’s surprise, Barack Obama was an early target and Campaign Carl (Cameron) lobbed the first smearballs. Cameron endeavored to portray Obama as an elite, privileged liberal with ties to FOX villains George Soros and the Clintons and barely outlined a real estate deal of Obama’s, saying the Senator “rubbed elbows with some shady political characters.” A week later the three stooges at Fox and Friends re-hashed the “dicey land deal”, and in their garbling of the facts made false insinuations about Obama’s intent to defraud. The mainstream media echoed the damaging rumor, dubbing the non-scandal “Barackwater” (how original), but Senator Obama has not been accused of any wrongdoing.
Tactic: smear.
But what can we expect from the crew that also made the “Huuuuuge!” announcement that Obama attended a madrassa as a child? FOX’s Big Story picked up the story later that day and, citing right-wing rag Insight magazine, added that Hillary Clinton’s camp was behind the revelation. This falsehood was allowed to simmer over the weekend, and on the following Monday a quick correction was made on the morning show, although it was framed as a clarification from the Obama campaign and not a correction of shabby reporting on the part of FOX. This smear job earned FOX News a direct dressing down from Obama, yet the next day when a guest on Neil Cavuto’s show “Your World” repeated the whole package – twice – the FNC vice-president did not correct her. Five days later the misinformation remained on Sean Hannity’s website, which is linked to directly from FOXNews.com.
Tactic: lie.
FOX News continually diminishes Senator Obama’s seriousness by showing (and leaving up) the photograph taken of him in a bathing suit in the surf in Hawaii. Much has been made of his physique – how can he look so good and still be a smoker? If he doesn’t win the White House, will he make beach movies? After learning that Obama does not like the picture, John Gibson kept it up and asked if Obama is getting testy, and will he crack? This line of questioning went hand-in-hand with the stunning news (available in Obama’s book) that he is a cigarette smoker and wants to quit. FOX is delighting in the prospect of his failing and one guest even suggested that would be a money picture, Barack behind the Capitol building sneaking a smoke.
Tactic: mock.
FOX has been handling the issue of Obama’s race by trying to downplay his African-American heritage, which will surely appeal to a large number of black voters. Because a major factor in determining the 2008 race will be turnout, the prospect of a huge African-American turnout is anathema to FOX/Republican management. FOX has suggested that he is not black enough, nearly white, really. Anchor Jon Scott suggested he practices reverse-racism, surrounding himself with white advisors. Bill O’Reilly demanded an accounting of what Obama has done for black America from guest Al Sharpton, who is not working on the Obama campaign and did not come prepared to answer such a targeted question.
Tactic: divide.
Once Obama officially announced his candidacy FOX gave him two well-known treatments: some shows all but ignored the announcement, focusing instead on Republican candidate Rudy Giuliani, while others ramped up the attacks. Obama is “no fan of Wal-Mart” (read “bad for business”), he would have opposed Lincoln on slavery and the Civil War, he is a terrorist-enabler, and anti-troop. They had a field day, days, with his comment that the troops lives have been wasted, harping on the one word and ignoring the quick apology and remorse.
Tactic: diminish, attack.
So after two months of these constant hit pieces, this drip, drip, drip of anti-Obama propaganda, who does John Gibson blame when Michelle Obama publicly states that “rivals” are giving her husband a hard time? Gibson says that Mrs. Obama “is blaming what amounts to a vast left-wing conspiracy” for the “attacks.” Really!
The tactics will continue: little revelations and slips of the tongue blown all out of proportion, further airing of unprofessional or unserious photos, conflating his youthfulness with immaturity, anything they can to undermine him. Keep in mind that while all this tearing down is going on, FOX will build up the Republican candidates until it is revealed who is the annointed one for 2008.
