Fox News' outrage at President Obama’s critical remarks about their network is becoming hysterical. It’s not a simple matter of their being pissed at his criticism. No, the President is trying to shut them down. He’s going after the First Amendment just as he went after the Second. And he’s sending the country down the tubes because without a free Fox there is no free America. So, at least, said “legal analyst” Peter Johnson Jr., appearing on Fox and Friends for the second morning in a row.
We have previously noted that Johnson is also Roger Ailes’ personal attorney, and speculated that he might be acting as a stand-in for Fox's chief. Since Johnson also appeared on Hannity last night, and maybe on other shows as well, I speculate that he's speaking for Ailes in this case, and that the F&F segment was part of a Carefully Orchestrated Outrage Strategy.
Brian Kilmeade fed Johnson the appropriately sensational opening lines: "After going after the Second Amendment, President Obama, unhappy with freedom of speech, is going after the First Amendment.” Indeed he is, agreed Johnson, as the chyron shouted FIRST GUNS, NOW FREE SPEECH. “The imperial Presidency playbook is open." The First Amendment is "seriously in doubt,” he added, when the President embraces those that echo his talking points, and brands anyone who seeks to “foster debate” as an “enemy of the state.” GOING AFTER FREE SPEECH, the chyron hollered.
Of course he would, said Kilmeade, right on cue. Obama’s got all the Democrats and all the mainstream media and even a few scared Republicans in his camp – “everyone but Fox and Rush apparently.” BIAS ALERT, the chyron screamed.
Johnson then took Fox's outraged-victim message out to the stratosphere. Obama is not just criticizing Fox; he’s threatening the free press that is the bulwark of our democracy. “Ask Thomas Jefferson,” pontificated Johnson. “Ask Alexis de Tocqueville (I might, gentle reader, but they are both sort of like – ahem- dead. Died without having heard of Fox News, poor guys.) “Look at our history. Without a free press, there is not a free America. Without a free Fox, there is not a free America.... Fox is doing its job. ‘Fair and balanced’ means something, especially in a media that’s in the tank across the board, and the President does not like that.”
Doesn’t it make you sleep better at night, gentle reader, knowing that Fox is standing all alone (except for Rush of course) between you and that imperial dictatorial bully in the White House? After this, I expect that Obama will shut the network down and throw all its staff in the slammer. That's what imperial dictators generally do.
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U Mad? commented
2013-01-31 00:48:53 -0500
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“Brayin” that George Bush was a Nazi wasn’t “news” either, but you don’t mind when the left does it. Its a political view point. I might not agree with your opinions and views but I believe you have to the right to have them. The problem is, your side doesn’t believe anyone should believe anything other than what they tell them.
Average American Patriot commented
2013-01-31 00:44:41 -0500
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Spreading BS is NOT news or a point of view.
Calling President Obama a “radical leftist” is not NEWS.
Demanding his birth certificate and college records are not NEWS.
Brayin’ that President Obama wants to turn us into Europe and that he hates white people, or that he is going to take away the guns of the wingnutz because he was abandoned is NOT NEWS either.
It is PURE BS.
Hey. Don’t let me stop you from your defending that.
Calling President Obama a “radical leftist” is not NEWS.
Demanding his birth certificate and college records are not NEWS.
Brayin’ that President Obama wants to turn us into Europe and that he hates white people, or that he is going to take away the guns of the wingnutz because he was abandoned is NOT NEWS either.
It is PURE BS.
Hey. Don’t let me stop you from your defending that.
U Mad? commented
2013-01-31 00:34:28 -0500
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Im defending their right to have those view points.
Average American Patriot commented
2013-01-31 00:31:32 -0500
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OK.
Slowly.
Take a deep breath.
President Obama didn’t say anything we didn’t know already.
You were here braying about how Fox is the only conservative TV outlet.
President Obama didn’t say anything about incarcerating Jabba the Ailes or deporting Rupert.
But you are here trying to defend the documented record of lies coming from Fox and their collusion with the gNOpigs.
Keep up the good work.
Slowly.
Take a deep breath.
President Obama didn’t say anything we didn’t know already.
You were here braying about how Fox is the only conservative TV outlet.
President Obama didn’t say anything about incarcerating Jabba the Ailes or deporting Rupert.
But you are here trying to defend the documented record of lies coming from Fox and their collusion with the gNOpigs.
Keep up the good work.
U Mad? commented
2013-01-31 00:24:41 -0500
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I don’t get offended if you call someone on a lie. I get offended when you want to take away my rights.
Average American Patriot commented
2013-01-31 00:22:36 -0500
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The Fairness Doctrine takes away my right to broadcast what I want on my radio station.
Yup. You have a constitutional right to lie and spread BS.
Just don’t get offended when we call you on it.
Next!
Yup. You have a constitutional right to lie and spread BS.
Just don’t get offended when we call you on it.
Next!
U Mad? commented
2013-01-31 00:18:37 -0500
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Its not about getting equal air time. You can have all the air time you want. You can get you a radio station and broad cast liberal view points 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. But you don’t have the right to come into my radio station and demand that I air 12 hours of your view points, or 6 hours or 10 minutes. I do not have to air your view points. And that is exactly what the Fairness Doctrine does. It forces me to do something I don’t want to do. You are forcing me to air your view point to my audience in some twisted sense of fairness. I don’t owe you anything. The Fairness Doctrine takes away my right to broadcast what I want on my radio station.
I understand exactly how the FD works. It forces people to do something they don’t want to do. It takes away their right to so something that is their right to do. You are the one that either doesn’t understand how it really works or don’t care how it works because you want to shut the other side up. I don’t have to listen to your side. You don’t have to listen to mine. And you damn sure don’t have the right to make me listen to or air your side.
I understand exactly how the FD works. It forces people to do something they don’t want to do. It takes away their right to so something that is their right to do. You are the one that either doesn’t understand how it really works or don’t care how it works because you want to shut the other side up. I don’t have to listen to your side. You don’t have to listen to mine. And you damn sure don’t have the right to make me listen to or air your side.
Average American Patriot commented
2013-01-31 00:15:21 -0500
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You go ahead and listen to that crap.
Just don’t try to pass McD’s as real food.
Just don’t try to pass McD’s as real food.
U Mad? commented
2013-01-31 00:12:00 -0500
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You don’t have to listen to anything you don’t want, but you shouldn’t expect to take away my right to listen to it, or anyone else’s right to listen to it. The so-called “Fairness Doctrine” takes away rights. When you support policies that take away our basic rights then you’re cheering for the wrong side.
Average American Patriot commented
2013-01-31 00:10:30 -0500
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Dear lard…
(though the liberals get the papers too; maybe the papers should have to have half-and-half too? The New York Times would have to fire half their staff and hire Ann Coulter AND Sean Hannity just to have a shot at balancing it out.)
So, in your deluded hallucinations, those two clowns speak for conservatives.
Cheebuz… Bill Buckley is doing donuts in his grave.
(though the liberals get the papers too; maybe the papers should have to have half-and-half too? The New York Times would have to fire half their staff and hire Ann Coulter AND Sean Hannity just to have a shot at balancing it out.)
So, in your deluded hallucinations, those two clowns speak for conservatives.
Cheebuz… Bill Buckley is doing donuts in his grave.
Aria Prescott commented
2013-01-31 00:10:22 -0500
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Ok, you obviously don’t understand how the fairness doctrine works, otherwise you wouldn’t try to insult my intelligence with that BS “50/50” garbage.
Let’s say a debate gets three segments of airtime, totalling… let’s say 27 minutes. nine minutes each. Let’s say that one segment is just a republican- they could or would only book the Republican. The next two segments they book both, but the Democrat feels they can say their peace in only three, while the Republican talks the other six both times.
In minutes, this seems disproportionate, but the Democrats felt they only needed six of the 18 minutes they were given in the bi-partisan panels. When ABC, CBS, CNN, C-SPAN, MSNBC and NBC Nightly News have panelists from both sides on, they do that. Interruptions are rare, no one tells a guest to shut up, no one cuts the mic, there are no insults, one side isn’t ignored while they patiently wait on a rebuttal, and the time they give is their choice, with the only limit being the total time given to the segment overall.
That is the Fairness doctrine still in action almost 20 years after it was abolished, and conservative media is the only group that doesn’t still follow it as common courtesy. In fact, your insistence that it’s censorship answers my second question nicely, even through your obvious attempt to duck it. That would be hell on earth for Fox News to show that much respect to anyone… but if the other networks evened out (which yes, I would approve of), they don’t have as far to go working on it. Their partisans aren’t as severe, and even MSNBC has their fair share of non-partisans, which is more than I can say for Fox, who only let’s a couple hosts occassionally be fair on one or two segments out of a whole week of broadcasts.
Which brings me to the first of my follow-up questions: Even by your bullshit definition of the doctrine, how is it censorship? Left, right and independent all get equal time. The channel does 9 hours of commentary a day, they can divide it into three hours for hosts of each leaning. On every channel- they don’t like ____ for “x” view, they can go to ____. They don’t like any of them, they can reflect on why.
Oh, I forgot- It’s censorship because the view you don’t agree with gets to talk, too.
Let’s say a debate gets three segments of airtime, totalling… let’s say 27 minutes. nine minutes each. Let’s say that one segment is just a republican- they could or would only book the Republican. The next two segments they book both, but the Democrat feels they can say their peace in only three, while the Republican talks the other six both times.
In minutes, this seems disproportionate, but the Democrats felt they only needed six of the 18 minutes they were given in the bi-partisan panels. When ABC, CBS, CNN, C-SPAN, MSNBC and NBC Nightly News have panelists from both sides on, they do that. Interruptions are rare, no one tells a guest to shut up, no one cuts the mic, there are no insults, one side isn’t ignored while they patiently wait on a rebuttal, and the time they give is their choice, with the only limit being the total time given to the segment overall.
That is the Fairness doctrine still in action almost 20 years after it was abolished, and conservative media is the only group that doesn’t still follow it as common courtesy. In fact, your insistence that it’s censorship answers my second question nicely, even through your obvious attempt to duck it. That would be hell on earth for Fox News to show that much respect to anyone… but if the other networks evened out (which yes, I would approve of), they don’t have as far to go working on it. Their partisans aren’t as severe, and even MSNBC has their fair share of non-partisans, which is more than I can say for Fox, who only let’s a couple hosts occassionally be fair on one or two segments out of a whole week of broadcasts.
Which brings me to the first of my follow-up questions: Even by your bullshit definition of the doctrine, how is it censorship? Left, right and independent all get equal time. The channel does 9 hours of commentary a day, they can divide it into three hours for hosts of each leaning. On every channel- they don’t like ____ for “x” view, they can go to ____. They don’t like any of them, they can reflect on why.
Oh, I forgot- It’s censorship because the view you don’t agree with gets to talk, too.
Average American Patriot commented
2013-01-31 00:04:00 -0500
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You are still here?
If I told you once I told you a thousand times.
The problem with wingnut media is they make their living by flinging out sht and scaring their sheeple.
If Fox and the wingnutz actually reported news, we couldn’t complain.
But when we call them to their face for what they are, LIARS, then they get up set.
BTY, genius. You were here and are demanding to know who funds this web site and WHY we complain about the lies spread by Fox.
We told you. Fox loves to depict President Obama as this Marxist, socialist, Leninist, Kenyan, mooselin, far left Chicago thug radical who engineered his ascent 50 years ago because he hates white people.
And you want us to listen to that crap.
SHUT UP!
If I told you once I told you a thousand times.
The problem with wingnut media is they make their living by flinging out sht and scaring their sheeple.
If Fox and the wingnutz actually reported news, we couldn’t complain.
But when we call them to their face for what they are, LIARS, then they get up set.
BTY, genius. You were here and are demanding to know who funds this web site and WHY we complain about the lies spread by Fox.
We told you. Fox loves to depict President Obama as this Marxist, socialist, Leninist, Kenyan, mooselin, far left Chicago thug radical who engineered his ascent 50 years ago because he hates white people.
And you want us to listen to that crap.
SHUT UP!
U Mad? commented
2013-01-30 23:49:14 -0500
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No one can deny that conservatives dominate radio and liberals dominate tv. It is what it is. Sure there’s some conservatives on tv just as there’s liberals on the radio, but for the most part each dominates their little share of the media (though the liberals get the papers too; maybe the papers should have to have half-and-half too? The New York Times would have to fire half their staff and hire Ann Coulter AND Sean Hannity just to have a shot at balancing it out.)
So if you want half the radio to go liberal you have to also agree that half the tv AND Newspapers have to also have a rebuttal to every political view point. Sounds peachy. Having the government tell people what they can and cannot air on radio, tv and newspapers. Sounds familiar. Sounds like something that happened before years ago that didn’t end well. What was that?
So if you want half the radio to go liberal you have to also agree that half the tv AND Newspapers have to also have a rebuttal to every political view point. Sounds peachy. Having the government tell people what they can and cannot air on radio, tv and newspapers. Sounds familiar. Sounds like something that happened before years ago that didn’t end well. What was that?
U Mad? commented
2013-01-30 22:58:13 -0500
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I answered both of your questions. You just dont want to hear the answers. And its not about ratings. Its about the government forcing an opposing view point onto people that dont want to listen to it.
But ill answer your questions in a different way.
Suppression of free speech: Say a radio station has 24 hours of conservative talk radio. The Fairness Doctrine will force them to air at least 12 hours of liberal view points. What does that do? It takes away that stations right to air conservative view points for those 12 hours. The Fairness Doctrine takes away their right to air conservative view points when they want to. Thats violating their Freedom of speech. They should be able to broadcast what they want when they want. Thats whats so great about this country. But the Fairness Doctrine takes away that right.
Im not really sure what your second question is but Ill assume its about how conservative radio exploded and liberal radio died. Thats the free market. The radio stations started playing what the public wanted to hear, not what the government wanted them to hear. The reason liberal radio fails is because the majority dont want to listen to it. If they did then the script would be flipped and Liberals would dominate talk radio.
Now answer my question: If you think the fairness doctrine is a good thing then shouldnt it also be applied to the TV media? Shouldnt MSNBC, NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN etc all have to dedicate half of their news shows to conservative view points? Shouldnt Rachel Maddow have to cut her show in half and allow the other half to be a conservative rebuttal? Same with all liberal shows on TV. If you support a Fairness Doctrine in radio shouldnt it also apply to television?
But ill answer your questions in a different way.
Suppression of free speech: Say a radio station has 24 hours of conservative talk radio. The Fairness Doctrine will force them to air at least 12 hours of liberal view points. What does that do? It takes away that stations right to air conservative view points for those 12 hours. The Fairness Doctrine takes away their right to air conservative view points when they want to. Thats violating their Freedom of speech. They should be able to broadcast what they want when they want. Thats whats so great about this country. But the Fairness Doctrine takes away that right.
Im not really sure what your second question is but Ill assume its about how conservative radio exploded and liberal radio died. Thats the free market. The radio stations started playing what the public wanted to hear, not what the government wanted them to hear. The reason liberal radio fails is because the majority dont want to listen to it. If they did then the script would be flipped and Liberals would dominate talk radio.
Now answer my question: If you think the fairness doctrine is a good thing then shouldnt it also be applied to the TV media? Shouldnt MSNBC, NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN etc all have to dedicate half of their news shows to conservative view points? Shouldnt Rachel Maddow have to cut her show in half and allow the other half to be a conservative rebuttal? Same with all liberal shows on TV. If you support a Fairness Doctrine in radio shouldnt it also apply to television?
Aria Prescott commented
2013-01-30 22:44:33 -0500
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You didn’t answer either of my questions, U Mad… you just threw a pity party around repeating the ratings game argument.
In case you haven’t noticed, we kind of don’t care about ratings- except when there’s a good case to believe that the way Fox News is acting may be tied to a decline.
As Rachel Maddow put it: Spongebob gets higer ratings than almost any show out there. Does that make it the most accurate portrayal of the ocean?
Oh, and don’t assume anything gets high ratings because people “like it”- Fox News gets a lot of it’s ratings from chain sponsors having their TVs locked to it. People from areas with large numbers of offended demographics petition for them to change it to sports or family programming all the time.
In case you haven’t noticed, we kind of don’t care about ratings- except when there’s a good case to believe that the way Fox News is acting may be tied to a decline.
As Rachel Maddow put it: Spongebob gets higer ratings than almost any show out there. Does that make it the most accurate portrayal of the ocean?
Oh, and don’t assume anything gets high ratings because people “like it”- Fox News gets a lot of it’s ratings from chain sponsors having their TVs locked to it. People from areas with large numbers of offended demographics petition for them to change it to sports or family programming all the time.
U Mad? commented
2013-01-30 21:27:02 -0500
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Conservative radio is supported by the public because the majority of the public want to listen to it. They dont want to listen to liberal radio. Liberals have the same right as conservatives do to have their own radio stations and radio shows. The public doesnt support it though.
What the Fairness Doctrine would do is force conservative radio to air liberal view points. Should the government force MSNBC to provide an opposing view point everytime Lawrence Odonnell or Rachel Maddow say anthing negative about Republicans? Should the government force this very website to publish an opposing view point to everything thats posted on here? Because thats what the so-called “Fairness Doctrine” does. It forces opposing view points onto people who have already chosen NOT to listen to them.
And yes, conservative radio did take off when it was abolished. Because radio was no longer shackled with having to air something that the majority of the listeners didnt want to listen to. I should have the freedom to listen to conservative radio and ONLY conservative radio if thats what i want to do. The government should NEVER tell me what I have to listen to OR that I HAVE to listen to an opposing view point.
Liberals have the same opportunity that Conservatives have on radio. The majority of the people CHOOSE to listen to conservative radio and CHOOSE NOT to listen to liberal radio. Forcing someone to listen to your viewpoint is WRONG.
What the Fairness Doctrine would do is force conservative radio to air liberal view points. Should the government force MSNBC to provide an opposing view point everytime Lawrence Odonnell or Rachel Maddow say anthing negative about Republicans? Should the government force this very website to publish an opposing view point to everything thats posted on here? Because thats what the so-called “Fairness Doctrine” does. It forces opposing view points onto people who have already chosen NOT to listen to them.
And yes, conservative radio did take off when it was abolished. Because radio was no longer shackled with having to air something that the majority of the listeners didnt want to listen to. I should have the freedom to listen to conservative radio and ONLY conservative radio if thats what i want to do. The government should NEVER tell me what I have to listen to OR that I HAVE to listen to an opposing view point.
Liberals have the same opportunity that Conservatives have on radio. The majority of the people CHOOSE to listen to conservative radio and CHOOSE NOT to listen to liberal radio. Forcing someone to listen to your viewpoint is WRONG.
Aria Prescott commented
2013-01-30 21:07:03 -0500
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*And regarding the Fairness Doctrine:
The only reason the left wants it reinstated is to silence Conservative talk radio. Thats it.*
Ok, I’m going to bite on this one by asking two questions:
1) Here is the legal definition of the Fairness Doctrine.
http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Fairness+Doctrine
How about showing me where it says conservative free speech will be limited by it? A station can still be liberal or conservative overall, they just have to present enough of the opposing view to constitute an informed opinion of the other side.
“The doctrine that imposes affirmative responsibilities on a broadcaster to provide coverage of issues of public importance that is adequate and fairly reflects differing viewpoints. In fulfilling its fairness doctrine obligations, a broadcaster must provide free time for the presentation of opposing views if a paid sponsor is unavailable and must initiate programming on public issues if no one else seeks to do so.”
2) Directly related- Do you know the circumstances of the veto against the fairness doctrine in 1987? Regan ran a veto against it when it was renewed and about to be promoted to permanent law. Around the time of the veto, his approval was falling fast:
http://www.nytimes.com/1987/03/03/us/poll-shows-reagan-approval-rating-at-4-year-low.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm
Shortly after he did this, what happened? Opposing viewpoint guests vanished from shows with right-wing hosts. AM radio like Limbaugh began their signature rants.
Leftists and moderates didn’t do that; conservatives did. Can you tell me how popular they were before 1987? Speak up, can’t hear ya.
Ok, I’ll answer for ya… not even on barnyard value. They couldn’t sell without being trash hosts, they couldn’t be trash hosts while it was intact. All a self-fulfilling prophecy for Ronald Reagan to go out on a high note.
The only reason the left wants it reinstated is to silence Conservative talk radio. Thats it.*
Ok, I’m going to bite on this one by asking two questions:
1) Here is the legal definition of the Fairness Doctrine.
http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Fairness+Doctrine
How about showing me where it says conservative free speech will be limited by it? A station can still be liberal or conservative overall, they just have to present enough of the opposing view to constitute an informed opinion of the other side.
“The doctrine that imposes affirmative responsibilities on a broadcaster to provide coverage of issues of public importance that is adequate and fairly reflects differing viewpoints. In fulfilling its fairness doctrine obligations, a broadcaster must provide free time for the presentation of opposing views if a paid sponsor is unavailable and must initiate programming on public issues if no one else seeks to do so.”
2) Directly related- Do you know the circumstances of the veto against the fairness doctrine in 1987? Regan ran a veto against it when it was renewed and about to be promoted to permanent law. Around the time of the veto, his approval was falling fast:
http://www.nytimes.com/1987/03/03/us/poll-shows-reagan-approval-rating-at-4-year-low.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm
Shortly after he did this, what happened? Opposing viewpoint guests vanished from shows with right-wing hosts. AM radio like Limbaugh began their signature rants.
Leftists and moderates didn’t do that; conservatives did. Can you tell me how popular they were before 1987? Speak up, can’t hear ya.
Ok, I’ll answer for ya… not even on barnyard value. They couldn’t sell without being trash hosts, they couldn’t be trash hosts while it was intact. All a self-fulfilling prophecy for Ronald Reagan to go out on a high note.
U Mad? commented
2013-01-30 20:21:27 -0500
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Sure. Except I havent said anything hateful at all, despite having nearly everything i post met with name calling, insults and degradation.
Chris commented
2013-01-30 20:19:22 -0500
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Thanks. You deserve it. You’re like the Karl Pilkington of hateful, retarded, right wing whackadoodles.
