The irony is rich. Fox News' Bill O'Reilly, who traffics in biased, vicious, and unsubstantiated attacks on those who don't meet his standards of approval (think Dr. Tiller), attacks a major news outlet as "biased." More irony in that he's doing it on a network that while claiming to be "fair & balanced" is essentially an arm of the Republican National Committee and the religious right. Even more irony in that this supposedly evil, librul news source is used by Fox News. But none of that seems to matter to Bill O'Reilly who, in September, talked about how being kind to others brings good Karma. Well, given his biased, vicious, and unsubstantiated attack on the Associated Press, looks like Karma is going to bite him in the place from whence he draws the kind of verbal dreck that he defecated in last night's "Factor."
Last night, O'Reilly picked up where the famously objective (just kidding) Tim Graham, from Brent Bozell's famously unbiased "Newsbusters" left off. On Monday, Graham ran a piece about how the nasty Associated Press ran a photo of a young girl who appeared to be staring, in amazement, at Mitt Romney's ass. The photo accompanied a story about how Romney skipped out on an opportunity to participate in Nickelodeon's "Kids Pick the President Special." (Something that if done by the president would definitely have been a feature item on Fox News and Fox Nation - "Obama Hates Kids?" or something like that...). So given that "Newsbusters" and Fox News, which sources "Newsbustsers" for it's new "bias alert" segment on the website (more irony there) have a close relationship, it wasn't surprising to see Bill take this bit of right wing inanity and present it as one of his patented screeds against the mainstream media - a core Fox News message.
Bill began by showing the "cheap shot" photo which was taken at a Romney campaign stop. He then cited the accompanying article which "chided" Romney for not appearing on the show hosted by "committed leftist" Linda Ellerbee - a show on which the president has appeared. (According to Graham, Ellerbee hosted a show, OMG, about lesbian parents!) Bill then launched into an attack on the article's author who dared to say that Clint Eastwood's GOP convention performance was "oddball." (Ya think?) He mentioned that she wrote a pro-PBS article without mentioning government subsidies. (Does Fox mention subsidies when they praise various industries?) He cited the former AP chairman of the board's "glowing introduction" of the president at the annual AP luncheon.
Pope Bill then pronounced, ex-cathedra, that the AP is "biased against Mitt Romney" adding the all the AP pictures and articles give Obama "a huge advantage." (As opposed to a widely watched TV News network that pimps for the GOP?)
Bill then showed a Democratic ad featuring "Sesame Street's" Big Bird in which Romney was criticized for his desire to de-fund NPR. Bill didn't mention that the ad is internet only. This was followed by a clip from "The Rumble" where O'Reilly bravely whined about the miniscule amount of money going to the Public Broadcasting Company - a whine that was deftly rebutted by Jon Stewart. Bill blithered about the left's attack on capitalism and how the AP should be concentrating on the "real story of the election" which is the "the battle between capitalism and quasi-socialism." (Always with the Manichean "battle" imagery.)
More O'Reilly pontification (and more irony) with his concluding papal bull: "But the AP and others are now so invested, so invested in re-electing President Obama that fair, responsible and insightful reporting has nearly vanished. And of course, Mr. Obama is benefiting from that."
And Fox News isn't invested in electing Mitt Romney? As Jon Stewart said, Bill O'Reilly is "full of shit."
BTW, wonder what Bill O'Reilly thinks of Fox News' doctored photos and cropped quotes? Or how bout when Fox & Friends not only ran photos of two NY Times reporters which made them look sinister and unkempt; but followed the photos with another showing one of the men's faces superimposed over the body of a dog.
Forget irony. How bout hyocrisy!
You forgot a related question: Does Fox mention any conflicts of interest from their guests—such as a host interviewing her husband in promoting his book? Or when a global warming denier is interviewed without mentioning his generous “research grant” from a major oil company? Or when a “concerned mother” is interviewed over aGay/Straight student alliance without mentioning her ties to the Eagle Forum or some Tea Party group?
I’ve noticed that, whenever NBC News reports a story that involves its parent company (NBCUniversal via Comcast and GE) or any of its “sibling” divisions (like SyFy or Universal Pictures or Bravo), the anchor will state a disclaimer reflecting the potential “conflict of interest.” And CBS does the same thing if a story is about Simon & Shuster publishing or Westinghouse. But NOT FoxNoise. That would be beneath them. FoxNoise holds themselves to a completely different standard.
I think one of the worst things Fox News has accomplished has been teaching their followers how to skirt reality-based thinking by making really bad arguments featuring faulty logic and strong emotional appeal. The Foxies would drag us all over a cliff of ideological lies. But I do think their stupidity will eventually come through to the general public.
