White House: FOX 'bias' not sole concern: The Swamp
The Swamp
Chicago Tribune

Summer town halls were 'distoring the truth' as well, Valerie Jarrett says.

Posted October 27, 2009 11:15 PM
The Swamp

by Mark Silva

Tonight on CNN, the cable network where the White House communications director first called cable-dominating FOX News an "arm of the Republican Party,'' a senior White House adviser maintained that FOX indeed is biased.

: "So do you think FOX News is biased?'' CNN's Campbell Brown asked Valerie Jarrett, a senior adviser to the president.

"Well, of course they're biased,'' Jarrett said. "Of course they are'' - though it didn't take her long here to qualify that comment.

"OK,'' Brown asked, "Then do you also think that MSNBC is biased? (We didn't hear her ask the question about CNN, which is trailing in the latest ratings as FOX has gained steam with a White House feud that's been good for business)

"Well, you know what?'' Jarrett said. "This is the thing. I don't want to... actually, I don't want to just generalize all FOX is biased or that another station is biased.... I think what we want to do is look at it on a case-by-case basis. And when we see a pattern of distortion, we're going to be honest about that pattern of distortion. ''

The White House has been "very public about their feelings about FOX News,'' Brown noted. The president himself said, during an interview with CNBC earlier this year, that there is one TV network in particular that has a practice of running critical stories about him - and they have quite a "megaphone.''

"What we're saying is, is that we want the public to understand what's going on,'' Jarrett told Brown. "When we saw the kind of distortions this summer, particularly directed at seniors, over health care reform, it was really outrageous.

"And I think what the president said in his message before Congress is, we're going to speak directly to the American people and make sure that they understand the truth,''she said. "And so, certainly, if we see somebody distorting the truth, we're going to call them on the carpet for that.

"But we don't want to take our focus away from the core issues that are so important to the American people. Now, when there's all that chatter and distortion and false information, we have to disseminate -- we have to distinguish between truth and fiction. ''

But it's only FOX that the White House has singled out, Brown suggested.


"That's actually not true,'' Jarrett said. "I think that what the administration has said very clearly is that we're going to speak truth to power.

"When we saw all of the distortions in the course of the summer, when people were coming down to town hall meetings and putting up signs that were scaring seniors to death, when we have seen commercials go up on television that are distorting the truth, we're actually calling everybody out,'' the president's adviser and friend said.

"So, this isn't something that's simply directed at FOX,'' she said. "We really just want the American people to have a clear understanding. There's so much at stake right now. We really don't have a lot of time for nonsense and distortions.

"The American people are also smarter than that. Let them reach their own judgments based on the facts. Let's just take health care, for example. Reasonable people could differ about the right approach. So, let's have a conversation about that. Let's not scare people by telling them that things are going to happen that are actually not even on the table. Let's just talk about the facts.''

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Comments

Fake News Channel will always win the ratings game, they're not a real news outlet


Any news outlet (Faux) that would feature Crazy Glenn Beck is not a news outlet, it's a comedy channel.


I wonder what Beck's next gimmick will be?


An hour long special on eating lead paint chips? 30 minutes of pro-paint chips people, and 30 minutes of anti-paint chips people?


Or maybe he'll discuss the pros and cons of putting your hand in the toaster. He can bring in Orly Taitz, foremost expert on hand-toaster interactions, and Michael Scheuer on how Obama's Hitleresque government is trying to take away your freedom to stick your hand in your toaster whenever you want.



Faux News knows all about creeps - they hire them and call them "fair & balanced political commentators".


Bill O'Reilly hit with Sexual Harassment suit
.
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/1013043mackris1.html


Glenn Beck - long history of extremist rhetoric
.
http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/glenn-becks-long-history-extremist-r



"OK,'' Brown asked, "Then do you also think that MSNBC is biased? (We didn't hear her ask the question about CNN, which is trailing in the latest ratings as FOX has gained steam with a White House feud that's been good for business)

"Well, you know what?'' Jarrett said. "This is the thing. I don't want to... actually, I don't want to just generalize all FOX is biased or that another station is biased.... I think what we want to do is look at it on a case-by-case basis. And when we see a pattern of distortion, we're going to be honest about that pattern of distortion. ''


WOW REALLY. Could not answer.


So, Valerie the Stooge can't say that MSNBC is biased. Why? Becuase that network is so in the bag for Obimbo and does whatever the administration tells it that she can't admit it.
In reality, the Obimbo shaministration can keep up their war with Fox News. Fox's ratings are going up and up while Obimbo's numbers are falling. For a guy who said, "there are no red states, no blue states, but we are the United States," he sure is showing his true colors. The man is no different than his good buddy, Hugo Chavez. His shaministration is corrupt, dirty, deceitful and unAmerican. He and his shaministration are on assault against this country. They are attacking small businesses, corporations, industries, news outlets, the American people, the coal industry, the food industry, the energy industry, the banking industry, the investment industry, the insurance industry, doctors and hospitals. To take a cue from a fellow Swamper:
END THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION NOW. SEND THEM PACKING.


Real news outlets don't hire whackjob freaks like BillO the Clown, Seany Hannity and Goofy Glenn Beck to represent them.


Beck has become a cartoon character. You can pretty much guarantee that every afternoon, you can tune in and find Beck saying something so stupidly outrageous, so detached from reality, so unhinged in its lunacy, that you just have to shake your head. It's not really a very funny cartoon, though.



Fox News' rhetoric echoes Ailes' long history of race-baiting.


Under its president, Roger Ailes, Fox News routinely employs racially charged appeals to foment opposition to the Obama administration and other progressive figures, such as Glenn Beck's comments that President Obama is a "racist" and "has a deep-seated hatred for white people or the white culture." Before launching the Fox News Channel, Ailes worked as a media consultant for several Republican campaigns where evidence shows he similarly appealed to racial fears and biases for political gain, and as executive producer for Rush Limbaugh's television show, during which Limbaugh made several controversial statements.
-
http://mediamatters.org/research/200910270001



Faux News is marginalized by a huge majority of the population. It's probably marginalized by most of the smarter Republicans too, but they still like to use Faux News to train their idiot base. Republicans with money and power use, manipulate and punk the ignorant Republican base rubes who can't think for themselves. What's left of todays Republican base are nothing but stupid people who vote against their own self interests because they do what they are told to do by the likes of Faux News and Mullah Rush.


Here's a "how to" video on how Faux and other right wing "news" outlets go about their daily business:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQnmxW-UyKo



It's kind of hard to feel sorry for Fox. When you have to put "Fair & Balanced" under your logo, as a form of damage control because of all the stories you make up, you have no one else to blame but yourself.


Fox deserves to be called out. They're not a news outlet, they're the media arm of the Republican party.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDR47EKTrCQ



Keith Olbermann, Ed Schwartz and Rachel Maddow are biased but the White House believes it is a bias they can learn to love because it is a bias in favor of the Obama agenda.

If George W. Bush had tried to bar MSNBC in a similar fashion when he was President the main-stream-media would of gone crazy.

I can see the headlines in the New York Times and the Washington Post decrying his attempt!


Hmmm....let's see. Was it Fox news that was right about Van Jones? How about Acorn. Yes on both.

Did Fox News create a fake letter, no, that was Dan Rather on CBS.

Did Fox News report the fake statements supposedly made by Rush? No, they checked their sources and couldn't verify them.

CNN actually interviewed the guys from the fake US Chamber of Commerce news briefing. That's legit news, alrighty.

It was CNN who reported on a fake CPR video of a supposed injured Palestinian child.

Then there is Keith Olbermann who lies more than a cheap rug. Followed by Madow, who does likewise. Amazing how they are totally ignored as "biased."

Was it a Fox News reporter who proudly proclaimed they had a "Chill running up their leg?"

Then there is the false massacre of 60 people in Iraq by Reuters.

Yeah, Fox News is just terrible, until you've looked into all the others.


"Let's just take health care, for example. Reasonable people could differ about the right approach. So, let's have a conversation about that. Let's not scare people by telling them that things are going to happen that are actually not even on the table. Let's just talk about the facts.'' VJ

Val, have you mentioned this to Pelosi & Reid? It seems as though they missed the memo.


The only distortions that Valerie Jarrett, Senior Adviser to the President, is talking about seems to be coming from the Obama White House and not Fox News. I wish Obama and his Staff realize that our country is facing more important issues than to wast valuable time and have a petty and childish fight with Fox News. The White House needs to grow up and start governing the country.


Of course, there is a bias, President Obama is assaulting the inner sanctum of Corporate America, their Boardrooms. He is exposing the Bandits in the Boardrooms of Corporate America and who are the mouthpieces for Corporate America ? Why, none other than, Corporate Media !! It doesn't take a " reporter " from Fox Noise, to figure that out !
Listen, what President Obama is attempting to do, reigning in the Corporate Culture, that has run roughshod over our nation, for the last 50 years, it is understandable, he is under siege !! Just ask fair-minded listeners, and viewers, if the story being presented on national corporate noise, is fairly presented, or is it bent to " insinuate ", " ridicule " or " discredit " any statements, programs or goals of President Obama. I think you have no alternative but to answer in the affirmative, for the most part, when it comes to reporting on his administration's efforts !! He wants to subdue the greed in America, he wants to subdue the friction between various sectors of our nation and he wants all Americans to be treat fairly and allowed the same opportunities, that others, a privileged few, have enjoyed for decades, if not centuries !! We, all know that there are vested interests, that have been in place for decades, that are prepared to fight against these noble goals of President Obama and if you can't admit to that verifiable observation, than you wouldn't know the truth if it whacked you in your reason !!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.


It is very surprising that a slum lord that has bilked millions from the CHA, put up uninhabitable apartments and bailed when scrutinized would consider the people that called her on it biased. Just fear mongering that seniors will face billions in Medicaid cuts. Just fear mongering that the House was forced to remove provisions for death panels from their legislation. How do we know when this administration is lying? It usually starts with "let me be clear." Someone needs to call out this incompetent fool and the only ones doing it are on Fox. Maybe after the other media outlets keep getting scooped time and again they may get their information from other sources besides Gibbs-Goebels and the other thugs employed by the facist in the white house.


White House Advising Slum-Lord Fluent in Political Hack Double-Speak.


So the size of the megaphone concerns them....


Hey Hans....Did you know the provision you call "death panel" was put in the bill by a Georgia republican? Hmmmmm!

somehow fearmongering always leaves out facts.


Let's look at the background of the men running the major news organizations:
'
Jonathan Klein (CNN), worked for WLNE in Providence, R.I. before becoming a broadcast producer for CBS News.
'
Steve Capus (NBC), worked for WCAU and KYW in Philadelphia before becoming an executive producer for NBC News.
'
Sean McManus (CBS), worked for ABC News before managing sports broadcasting for CBS.
'
David Westin (ABC), clerked for Nixon appointee and dogged moderate Lewis Powell before working as in-house counsel for ABC.
'
Roger Ailes (FOX), served as a political consultant for Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and Rudolph Giuliani.


Ahhhh, bill r., if you are so into facts, please explain how a Republican got the "death panel" in a bill that has been totally run by the Democratic party? The Republicans have been totally left out of the health care bills.

Somehow facts always escape those loons from the Left.


John D:

ABC News' Z. Byron Wolf reports: During a town hall meeting in New Hampshire Tuesday, President Obama made sure to point out one Republican proponent of end of life counseling to argue there are no "death panels" in health care reform bills in the House and the Senate.

"The irony is that actually one of the chief sponsors of this bill originally was a Republican -- then House member, now senator, named Johnny Isakson from Georgia -- who very sensibly thought this is something that would expand people's options," said the president in Portsmouth, N.H. Tuesday. "And somehow it's gotten spun into this idea of "death panels." I am not in favor of that. So just I want to -- (applause.) I want to clear the air here."


Not even “Fake News” Bill O'Reilly believes the crazies, how funny.

http://belowthebeltway.com/2009/10/29/bill-oreilly-slams-orly-taitz/

Was the $20K fine enough? Maybe when Taitz becomes a real lawyer she will appreciate what just happened. I wonder if she is a mail order bride, just like her law degree? She is perfect reporter material for “Fake News”, where unfounded rumors and innuendo reign supreme , unlike a our US courts of law, where you need to present documented facts, not half baked lies (prepare for more failures).

When flies get too close to the lights they get burned, Taitz just got burned, thing is, like a fly she will continue, no end in sight. Poor little Birthers they are haters not debaters.

A lawyer, dentist, realtor and black belt, WOW I must say a JACK of all trades master of none.


LOL! I love it. Outlets like the Communist News Network or the Los Angeles Times, which any open-minded person would notice are extremely skewed to the left, don't come under any fire because but they support the current powers that be. And an organization that tends to be skewed to the right is automatically blacklisted. To all the people leaving comments agreeing with Obama, sorry you are just proving your own biases. That's fine and good, but just admit you're either close-minded or hypocrites.
As for Obama, he's starting to look more and more like Hitler every day. Suppression of the press when it doesn't agree with him, attacking doctors who don't support his bills, telling people how they are supposed to sneeze, the list goes on...


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