Juan Williams Decries 'High Tide' of Media 'Kowtowing' to Obama

Photo of Brent Baker.
By Brent Baker (Bio | Archive)
June 20, 2009 - 15:16 ET

The media are so far into the tank for President Obama that even the fairly liberal Juan Williams decried:

We are going towards a weekend of high tide for kowtowing to the Obama administration. He's all over CBS this weekend and then he's going to be all over ABC. I don't know what's going on with big media in this country.

The brief assessment from Williams, a news analyst for NPR and former Washington Post reporter, came in response to Chris Wallace's request for ten-second “lightning round” offerings at the end of Friday's Special Report with Bret Baier on FNC.

Williams was referring to how CBS's Sunday Morning will be centered on Harry Smith's Father's Day discussions with Obama and “Obama's role as First Dad,” with more of the interview to air on Monday's Early Show; while ABC News will spend Wednesday broadcasting from the White House, culminating in a prime time special, “Questions for the President: Prescription for America.”


Comments Policy

All comments are owned by whoever posted them and are subject to our terms of use. They should not be assumed to represent the views of NewsBusters.

Viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.

  I'm appalled that Juan

June 20, 2009 - 15:36 ET by MidAmerica

  I'm appalled that Juan Williams could be so personally selfish as to use his position as a journalist to maintain his own professional integrity and not fall on his sword for obama.

MA... I more than Second

June 20, 2009 - 15:45 ET by bigtimer

MA...

I more than Second that motion!

Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart

For he's a jolly good fellow...

June 21, 2009 - 09:58 ET by Joe Blogs

Juan Williams is about the only Liberal I do respect. He carefully thinks through issues, always making plausible arguments that can actually be analyzed for validity, and respectfully disagrees with Conservatives.

He'd make a much better liberal black president than Obama, whi is just Al Sharpton with elocution lessons.

Good for Juan Williams...integrity !!

June 20, 2009 - 15:45 ET by Paarl

But I still wonder how Brian Williams gets his crooked head so far up Obama's skinny arse...the physics is amazing !!!!  ;>)

 

Paarl of Rhodesia

Shocking!

June 20, 2009 - 15:48 ET by DontFeedTheTrolls

Juan got the shock of his life when nothing more than simply appearing on FNC caused some of his liberal 'friends' to turn on him. The onion started to peel at that time.

D

Keep the ILLEGALS out, join NumbersUSA to send free faxes to your reps.

Expected questions by ABC

June 20, 2009 - 15:59 ET by BKeyser

Expected questions by ABC for the President:

  1. How can WE convince America that Obamacare is absolutely necessary, regardless of the cost?
  2. Isn't it true that without Obamacare, 47 million Americans will die in the next year due to insurance companies refusal to offer coverage?
  3. This isn't a question Mr. President- I just want to say that that is the coolest jacket I've ever seen.
  4. Mr. President, how do you cope each day knowing that there are still Republicans in Congress?
  5. Mr. President, how is Elvis, and have you seen him lately?
  6. Mr. President, keeping in mind the rising national debt, do you feel we can continue to pin this on W. until things eventually turn around and you can take credit?
  7. Wouldn't it be wise, Mr. President, to make the health care bill something in the range of 8 to 10 thousand pages thereby insuring that no one has either the inclination, or time, to read the whole thing?
  8. Mr. President, Charlie Gibson is looking for a position within your administration. Is there anything available? Say, something along the lines of the cush job Brokaw got?
  9. Is Jake Tapper getting on your nerves yet? You want us to replace him?
  10. Finally Mr. President. We here at ABC are keenly aware of your absolute perfection and thank you for time with us and of course, for saving the country. And, admitting just a bit of bias here, we think we're better served to push your agenda than NBC. After you've successfully blackballed FoxNews from future White House access, could you work on NBC? CBS is a joke, as you know, and Katie Couric poses no threat to any news organization, but NBC, with their GE connection, seems to have greater access than we do, that's why I mention it.

With batted eyelashes and a curtsy, ABC news closes the Obamamercial.

You forgot Ponytail Guy's

June 20, 2009 - 18:03 ET by motherbelt

You forgot Ponytail Guy's question:

As President, you are the "father" of us all....what other plans do you have, to take care of us, your children?

 

I didn't think it was physically possible, but this both sucks and blows.  -Bart Simpson

 

   I really hope and

June 20, 2009 - 18:44 ET by red_dragon311

 

 I really hope and pray you are joking about this.  

 

 

FINALY A REAL CANDIATE FOR PRESIDENT!!!!!!!!!

http://zod2008.com/index.htm

Alas, red dragon....ponytail guy is for real.

June 20, 2009 - 21:58 ET by motherbelt

It was in 1992, a guy with a ponytail asked President Clinton about how he planned to "meet our needs."

Here's a rundown 

 

I didn't think it was physically possible, but this both sucks and blows.  -Bart Simpson

 

What you won't hear

June 20, 2009 - 19:27 ET by Dan Diego

Mr. President is your "Prescription for America" an endorsement of assisted suicide initiatives?

Notice that as Obama's poll

June 20, 2009 - 16:04 ET by kg

Notice that as Obama's poll numbers drop the media works harder at propping him up. 

"DumbAssity of Dope"

kg.... ...they always

June 20, 2009 - 16:09 ET by bigtimer

kg....

...they always do...no matter how skewed the questions, polling irregularities/balance, dem vs rep etc....and somehow 'poof' they make the messiah rise again...

Amazing eh?

...and trust me they will keep this up with the lying polls until after the election in 2012.

Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart

Juan Williams

June 20, 2009 - 16:24 ET by KC Mulville

He's as liberal as they come, but he's sane.

It doesn't mean I necessarily agree with him. But it does mean I take him seriously when he offers criticism. He deserves a listen. If he has a fair comment, I'll listen.

If more liberal

June 20, 2009 - 17:17 ET by gmaniac1

If more liberal commentators were like Juan Williams, we'd be much better off as a society.

 

When the people fear the government it's called tyranny, when the government fears the people it's called liberty!

I've watched Juan since

June 20, 2009 - 17:21 ET by bigtimer

I've watched Juan since Crossfire....an honest liberal talking head speaking his mind....not allowed if he doesn't follow the liberal play-book.

Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart

Flip-floppy

June 20, 2009 - 17:31 ET by BKeyser

The one thing I notice about Juan, since he's on more than one FoxNews program, is how he seems to be reasonable by one thing relatively insignificant, but incited about something else; sometimes during the same broadcast. It's almost as if he catches himself being too moderate at times, and then has to ramp up the liberalism. I can't cite an example at the moment, but the thought has struck me watching him on Bret's show vs. O'Reilly's show. He's opposite Mary Katharine Ham a lot on O'Reilly and one night he'll be agreeable, and another argumentative.

There seemed to be a noticable liberal uptick after NPR called him out and said that Fox couldn't identify him with them any longer- apparently, he wasn't far-left enough for NPR.

BK... You saved me

June 20, 2009 - 17:40 ET by bigtimer

BK...

You saved me hundreds of keystrokes.....that is exactly how it has been with Juan over the years...

Heck, I can remember when I thought his blood vessels would burst on Crossfire.

His problem is he is seeing the 'real light'....he doesn't really know how to handle that, except keep his job secure....know what I mean...and who can blame him in some ways with things that have been thrown his way.

Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart

Yeah BT

June 20, 2009 - 17:46 ET by BKeyser

I think he's pretty genuine, for a lib that is ;-b, but being a lib on Fox must come with its dangers from the committed left- unless of course you're Bob Beckel or any other lib associated with the Mondale campaign, in which case you're already an outcast!

BK... Just as a quick

June 20, 2009 - 17:57 ET by bigtimer

BK...

Just as a quick aside....Beckel was truly helped out by Fox big bad right wingers when he was in the gutter with his life, divorce, booze etc...I cannot remember if it was Shawn or whoever that helped him get a job with Fox....but they did, whoever it was.

You never hear stories like this if it was reversed, just like Imus helping Barnicle find his way back via msnbc and his show...dang it all anyway.   ;-)

Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart

Seems I remember hearing about that BT

June 20, 2009 - 18:02 ET by BKeyser

not sure who specifically helped him, but it does jar my memory a bit. I think it might have been Sean. Beckel's sure an abnoxious ass though, at times. His partisanship reaches heights only surpassed by people like Phil Donahue and Charles Grodin- two other frequent guests on Sean's show.

I think it was Sean too

June 20, 2009 - 18:07 ET by bigtimer

I think it was Sean too Bk....and as far as Phil and Grodin....how right you are.

I cannot understand for the life of me, why Sean has on Sharpton all the time....I see him, I mute it an shake my head, there are plenty of other black leaders that are liberal to put on than Jackson or Sharpton...does not the msm keep up with us out here in the real world?

Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart

bt - you said it before I typed it - thank heavens for the

June 20, 2009 - 19:48 ET by Cape Conservative

MUTE button ;-)  I love to hear Sean's commentary and listen to some of his guests, but I refuse to listen to the likes of Sharpton! Once I no longer had to regularly listen to Alan Colmes, I thought I'd be okay with the show...but sometimes 'fair & balanced' just doesn't cut it with me.  I sure don't see any of the other networks working along that line!

This comment comes from a proud Tea Party attendee, otherwise known as a RWRE!!   It is no dishonor to be in a minority in the cause of liberty and virtue ~ Sam Adams

 

I watched this segment

June 20, 2009 - 20:12 ET by doug1950

when it aired and told my wife then, "Juan is having an epiphany right this minute" The look in his eyes says it all. He now knows Obama does not know what in the hell he is doing and the media, whose job it is to reveal the ugly along with the truth has not been doing their jobs. He wants desparately for Obama to succeed but he has realized that is has about as much hope as a chicken in a hobo camp.

cheese

June 20, 2009 - 16:59 ET by LSawyer

 "Father's Day Discussions with Barak Obama"... wow that sounds so interesting... glad I have DVR... Oh wait, I'm already recording something about celebrities I actually care about... emphasis on "celebrity." 

 

If I wanted a celebrity for a president, I would've chosen Harrison Ford thanks to that stunning performance in "Air Force One."

 

www.endthebias.com

Keep it up, MSM

June 20, 2009 - 17:58 ET by KellyR

We're going to OD on BO, and in very short order.

He wasn't elected to be 'rock star,' he was elected to fix the economy.  It seems he's more fixed on the former than the latter... 

 

And if I read one more time about how 'cool' he is and the

June 20, 2009 - 19:53 ET by Cape Conservative

jivey step he has, I will VURP (h/t CoolArrow)

A president of the United States should NOT be concerned with being 'cool' - especially in the economic crisis we are presently in the midst of!  And I thought his killing a fly with his hand was definitely NOT COOL!  A president of the United States of America and he pops a fly with his bare hand....GROSS!  And then has the nerve to brag about it!  Very UNCOOL, Mr. P

This comment comes from a proud Tea Party attendee, otherwise known as a RWRE!!   It is no dishonor to be in a minority in the cause of liberty and virtue ~ Sam Adams

 

'fairly' liberal Juan Williams????

June 21, 2009 - 11:19 ET by 1611LilacLady

I don't know if you mean he's a 'fair' liberal or mildly liberal . .

BUT, let me tell you he's as far left as you can get . . he's in the Carter camp of liberal.

Back when I used to watch Special Report with Brit Hume . . during one roundtable they were discussing the now thankfully dead Arafat.

Juan spoke up and praised him as an idol. He was like Chris Matthews when he speaks about the illegal President!

Brit politely interrupted Juan's platitudes and in essence reminded him of the horrible things he did and the PLO..

Juan, ever the liberal, did the 'Yeah, but . .' and kept going.

Then the only time, when I watched the show, Brit's emotions flared. He rose from his seat, leaned over the table toward Juan, enraged saying, "How can you say that . . . .?" I thought he was going to punch Juan Williams. Unfortunately, he didn't.

It was only then that Juan, ever the cowed liberal, toned down.

Don't believe Juan Williams. He's just another left-wing extremist.

 

Isaiah 5:20a Woe unto them who call evil good, and good evil. . .  KJV