White House dismisses Fox News as ‘ideological outlet,’ renewing feud
By: Susan Ferrechio
Chief Congressional Correspondent
September 21, 2009
President Obama’s Sunday media blitz of five networks deliberately left out Fox News, with the administration calling it an “ideological outlet.”
But by passing over “Fox News Sunday” with host Chris Wallace, Obama skipped over an audience of up to 3 million viewers who tune in regularly to watch the show and its reruns.
Some political strategists are calling the move a mistake.
“Cutting this network out actually sends a larger message of just how sensitive and petty the West Wing has become,” said Republican strategist Ron Bonjean, who was a top aide to former House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill.
The White House indeed took aim at Fox, with a spokesman saying, “We figured Fox would rather show ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ than broadcast an honest discussion about health insurance reform,” referring to the network’s decision to run the popular dance show on its broadcast stations instead of airing an Obama news conference in July.
The news conference ran on the Fox News cable network.
In an interview with Fox News host Bill O’Reilly, Wallace called the administration “the biggest bunch of crybabies I’ve ever dealt with in my 30 years in Washington.”
On Sunday, Wallace interviewed Bertha Lewis, chief executive officer of the embattled Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, which is on the verge of losing federal funding after undercover filmmakers found staffers aiding people posing as pimps and prostitutes.
Obama refused to appear on the show throughout the 2008 election. Wallace had an “Obama Watch” that counted up 768 days from when Obama agreed to appear and his first and only sit-down with Wallace in April.
