Fox News lives in a nearly apocalyptic world of cosmic dualism in which the godly Fox is constantly fighting the forces of darkness. Chief among those groups deemed anathema is the media which, according to the "fair & balanced" Fox, is constantly bombarding Americans with evil, liberal, and very biased propaganda. Last week, Neil Cavuto treated his viewers to an epic hissy fit about how, according to Neil, the liberal media wasn't treating US Senator Ted Cruz's filbustery thing with the same respect that they gave to the real filibuster done by Texas State Senator, Wendy Davis who, in the godly right wing, is the very spawn of Satan. Never mind the reality that there were major differences between the two political maneuvers. But whatever. Grab some cheese because you are about to be treated to a big glass of Neil Cavuto whine.
While Cavuto is less bombastic and quieter than his fellow Fox bloviators, the content is the same old, same old, right wing propaganda talking points and misinformation focused on whatever trope that Fox is pushing. In Cavuto's case, it was the oh, so popular liberal media is just so unfair. (Some irony there!) And last week, he started the propaganda almost immediately.
He congratulated himself about how he "was on to something" when he appeared on Don Imus' Fox Business show where he talked about - ready for it - the media's "double standard when it comes to covering filibusters." He played video of his commentary during which he asserted that those who "verbally" protest the health care law have just as much as a Texas Democratic state senator" who filibustered a law "she had no hope of winning." And lo and behold "within hours the news sites and blogs were all over the clear double standard."
Cavuto showed headlines that purportedly addressed the "double standard." The only articles which agreed with him were on the right wing Washington Examiner and on Politico. The Think Progress article, about Ted Cruz's "fake filibuster" vs. Davis' "real one," refuted right wing claims of bias against Cruz. While mentioning right wing allegations of bias, ABC discussed the difference between the two filibusters in realistic terms, citing how Davis' was far more restricted than Cruz. The "Dallas Morning News," didn't even mention right wing complaints. Rather, in comparing Davis and Cruz, it reported that Davis "energized her party" while Cruz "divided his." So news sites and blogs "all over the clear double standard" - not so much!
Cavuto continued with the agitprop. He said that while he was "flattered," the "news is hardly flattering or inspiring" because it shows the "blatantly biased mainstream media at its brazen, boken [?], best or even worse." He whined that he wasn't judging the content of the filibusters; but the media's "treatment" of them. He showed a Vogue headline that supposedly showed bias but seemed to be a clear statement of fact: "Stand and Deliver, After Her 12 Hour Filibuster, How Far Will Wendy Davis Run?" But to prove this alleged bias, the next headline was from the evil, librul Washington Post which read "Ted Cruz's Phony Obamacare Filibuster Was Really About Ted Cruz." (And that's wrong, how?)
He whined that Wendy Davis' filibuster "made her a darling" while Ted Cruz's thingie "all but made him a doofus in the eyes of the media." He asserted that Davis "was just as much fighting a loosing cause" which wasn't that much different from Cruz's. (Uh, no)He whined that Cruz is considered a crackpot while Davis "hit the jackpot." And that is a reminder that - wait for it - "when it comes to professing their inherent fairness [actually Fox is the only network that does that] the mainstream media doesn't know jack [Cavuto twisted his rather copious body in discomfort] you know what." He paused before saying "incredible."
Slate's David Weigel, after comparing Cruz and Davis, summed up the "fallacy" behind the "bias charge." In refuting right wing claims of a "double standard" he inadvertently exposes Cavuto's and Fox's double standard: "Davis' filibuster made her a star on MNSBC and in the New York Times, but not on Fox News" where, I might add, Cruz has become a folk hero. Isn't Fox supposed to be "fair & balanced?" Looks like Neil Cavuto is the one who doesn't know "jack shit."
