As Fox News prepares to interview Barack Obama tomorrow night, during prime time, TV journalist Michael Wolff details a meeting between Barack Obama, Fox News president Roger Ailes, and News Corporation president Rupert Murdoch in which the Fox execs promised to lay off the Democratic presidential candidate.
According to Wolff's telling, this was more than a mere tete-à-tete, this was a full-on diplomatic meeting (initiated at Murdoch's request), conducted only after preparation and with preconditions from the Obama campaign.
The apparent purpose? To smooth things over in the event that Obama defeats John McCain:
Early in the summer that Obama relented and a secret courtesy meeting was arranged. The meeting began with Murdoch sitting down, knee to knee with Obama, at the Waldorf-Astoria. The younger man was deferential—and interested in his story [...]
Then, after he said his piece, Murdoch switched places and let his special guest, Roger Ailes, sit knee to knee with Obama.
Obama lit into Ailes. He said that he didn’t want to waste his time talking to Ailes if Fox was just going to continue to abuse him and his wife, that Fox had relentlessly portrayed him as suspicious, foreign, fearsome—just short of a terrorist.
Ailes, unruffled, said it might not have been this way if Obama had more willingly come on the air instead of so often giving Fox the back of his hand.
A tentative truce, which may or may not have vast historical significance, was at that moment agreed upon.
"A tentative truce?" A truce "which may or may not have vast historical significance?" What, exactly, does that mean? One hopes it doesn't mean that Fox News is going to start covering Obama the way their competitors, especially MSNBC, cover Obama.
To this point in the campaign, Fox News has been at the forefront of coverage related to Rev. Wright, Father Pfleger, Annenberg-gate, Ayers, etc., etc. Though new media has begun to break the monopolistic liberal stranglehold, numerous stories would never see the light of day were it not for Fox News.
In this article, Wolff's liberalism repeatedly comes out. He uses lots of hyperbole "this coldest of men," and seems to want to call him a misogynist.
For the first three months of our interviews, he never addressed a word to or even looked at my research assistant, Leela de Kretser, who was at each of the sessions, and ignored her questions—perhaps because it’s not necessary to acknowledge a girl, or possibly because it was embarrassing for him that she was, at the time, a pregnant girl.
This seems to be of a piece with the type of liberal projection we've seen since McCain named Palin as his VP. Ah, liberal hipocrisy.
But more than anything, the storyline that emerges is of Rupert Murdoch, modern day robber baron (who owns Fox News, chief outlet of the right-wing attack machine). He doesn't use the word, per se, but the verbiage is the same as the Rockefeller, Carenegie, Morgan narrative--moderned-up. It's revealed when he writes of Murdoch's new wife, Wendi. "He’s captivated by her ambition (their pillow talk, one might suspect, is business)." Of course it is. That's what robber barons do.
And it also comes out when Murdoch talks politics.
Just before the New York Democratic primary, when I found myself undecided between Clinton and Obama, I said to Murdoch (a little flirtation, like a little gossip, softens him), “Rupert, I don’t know who to vote for—so I’m going to give you my vote. You choose.”
He paused, considered, nodded his head slowly: “Obama—he’ll sell more papers.”
Considered in this light, the tentative truce between Ailes and Obama makes sense. If Obama sells papers, he probably also sells ad time.
Worth noting: earlier in May, Murdoch lavished praise on the "rock star" Obama. Was Murdoch laying the ground work for the meeting he later had with the Democratic candidate?
Though Fox News consistently ranks at the top of cable news in the ratings race, Murdoch has demonstrated consistent willingness to do what it takes to put greater distance between News Corp. (and Fox News specifically) and its competitors.
(h/t: TVNEWSER)
Update 18:33pm ET | TVNEWSER reports on Howard Kurtz's follow-up to Wolff's Vanity Fair write-up of a meeting between Ailes and Obama. Kurtz's reporting makes the timing of Obama's O'Reilly appearance appear even more shady than before:
The talk turned to "The O'Reilly Factor," and Obama said he would appear on the show before the election. Ailes says he told the senator that there would be no "embarrassing or underhanded stuff" in the interview and that if he had any overall concerns about Fox's treatment in the future, he should call Ailes directly.
Murdoch has a history of mending fences with political adversaries whom his news outlets have strongly criticized, from former British prime minister Tony Blair to Sen. Hillary Clinton. An executive familiar with Murdoch's thinking, who declined to be identified discussing private conversations, said Murdoch sought the meeting because he is fascinated by Obama but that the two still have serious policy disagreements.
This smacks of a news outlet hedging its bets and desperate not to be shut out by an Obama presidency. But the price of placating Obama? One can imagine the Obama campaign saying, 'you want access? Have O'Reilly interview Obama during McCain's night at the RNC.'
We can only hope Fox News and O'Reilly didn't agree to pre-scripted questions in addition to the promise of no "embarrassing or underhanded stuff."
—Jacob S. Lybbert is an editorial associate at NewsBusters.
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Comments Policy
Oh great...preconditions
September 3, 2008 - 16:24 ET by BlondeBambi requires preconditions to meet with FoxNews....but of course, he'd love to just bump into Imadinnerjacket with no preparation whatsoever.
Yep, that's a CIC (oops, I meant change) I can believe in.
NOT!
David Gregory, do you know which damn network you lie for? ~ Uncle Jimbo, @Blackfive
If BOR and Fox knuckle under to that SOB......
September 3, 2008 - 17:04 ET by BEGRUNTfor ratings etc. and agree to ANY prescreened questions....that tears it with me and BOR!!! He will be the biggest hypocrite in history, and I will have zero respect for him and Fox news. Another question, why Thursday???? Why would they agree to that??? It is an obvious attempt to upstage McCain........
"If a man does his best, what else is there"?
General George S. Patton Jr.
Well, he's already got CNN
September 3, 2008 - 16:43 ET by d1carterWell, he's already got CNN and NBC so what the heck, he's shopping for Fox now. I just wonder if he will have Bill O's questions before the interview...
Maybe not....
September 4, 2008 - 21:48 ET by motherbeltI just wonder if he will have Bill O's questions before the interview...
Maybe not, but I'm thinking he'll have something else of Bill's by the end of it....
Mrs. Clinton, do you know where your lockbox is ???
Affirmative Action?
September 3, 2008 - 16:51 ET by Copperhead RidgeIs Fox practicing Affirmative Action with the chosen one? What the heck is the kind of journalism that negotiates with a candidate to put him on the air?
My respect for Fox is waning.
I have a friend who is a sportswriter. The coach of a local university basketball team took exception to the "tone" of one of his columns and banned my friend from the locker room. My friend, a pretty tough-nosed journalist, ripped the coach in every one of his columns for about three weeks. The coach finally acquiesced and allowed my friend to do his job.
There were no negotiations. The coach realized who had the power.
I'm not saying if it was right or wrong what my friend did.
Years later my friend and I were sitting in a restaurant. The coach, who had moved on to another university, came in with some assistants. They took their table, and the coaches realized who my friend was. I thought things would be kind of tense. The coach came over with a pitcher of beer, and we laughed and joked about the whole incident.
Once again, Barry Hussein will get a pass from a media outlet. The guy is going to become president without having to answer any tough questions. Do we really want the leader of the free world to face less scrutiny than a 17 year old girl from Alaska?
Oh goody...we get to watch
September 3, 2008 - 17:17 ET by bigtimerOh goody...we get to watch Fox kiss Barry's a$$.
I wondered how long it would take them to bend.
Instead of when he needs them, making him go begging to them, they are doing the opposite.
Surprise me...not in the least...I lost all respect for Fox long ago, during Katrina.
I'll watch it, I'd be a liar to say different, but this isn't surprising...BOR has all but begging Obama forever now..it has been embarrassing.
May be someday we will have a real conservative network, that is proud to say they are as such...maybe.
I gave up long ago.
"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh
bt, I'm beside myself right now!!! ANGRY as hell
September 3, 2008 - 17:28 ET by BEGRUNTJust when I thought maybe, just maybe, there was ONE news outlet left with even a smidgen of integrity........Fox news and BOR pull this!!! I'm mad as HELL!!!!
"If a man does his best, what else is there"?
General George S. Patton Jr.
It's all about BHO Blow
September 3, 2008 - 19:02 ET by Eileen RightIt's all about BHO
Blow Hard Obama & Blow Hard Oreilly.
BHO Show
September 3, 2008 - 19:10 ET by Sergeant ROCKThis is make or break for O'Reilly. I have a suscpion that he fold like a tent under the halo of the Lord Obama.
PALIN/McCain 2008
SR... ...well he
September 3, 2008 - 19:18 ET by bigtimerSR...
...well he sure did with Jesse Jackson after going after him night after night for a year or more...
He'll be worse with Obama.
"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh
bigtimer
September 3, 2008 - 19:25 ET by Sergeant ROCKIf that happens, I can guarantee you that I'll never watch his show again. Not a big fan, but I do enjoy the Dennis Miller segments and some other stuff.
PALIN/McCain 2008
Obama will get a pass from
September 3, 2008 - 19:26 ET by Eileen RightObama will get a pass from now on, all because he was brave enough to come on the factor.
His whole interview will probably be about the two great evils, Big Oil and the clintons.
O'Reilly and oil
September 3, 2008 - 20:29 ET by Sergeant ROCKFunny that you mention oil. I remember one night where he ran a poll on who's to blame for the high price of gasoline and it was something crazy like 60% or so blamed Congress. When he was reading the results he mumbled that he 'was with the 13% that blamed big oil'. lol
PALIN/McCain 2008
It's all because, when all
September 4, 2008 - 21:50 ET by motherbeltIt's all because, when all is said and done, the name of the game is "Access."
Palin has the Obama camp
September 3, 2008 - 18:58 ET by BlazerPalin has the Obama camp so shook up he decides to go and recieve his hard hitting, no holds barred interview on the biggest night of the RNC conv. from the most ravenous right wing pundit on the airwaves ?
Yea right, although no doubt he is extremely frightened of Palin.
This is a big win for Barry and cheap pandering by FNC. The "Messiah" will look gutsy and ballsy staring down the rights evil hitman who will make him look mainstream and lob softballs at him just like he did Hillary, and the evil "Faux Noise" will truly appear "fair and balanced" to their newfound liberal viewership and advertisers.
"'You see guys, you had it all wrong, we are "fair and balanced, I mean look we not only just polished your messiahs halo, but we polished his knob too !"
Because as we all know, no way would Obama step away from the sheltering arms of he liberal media and onto the firing range, without promises and pre-conditions. Barry doesnt' need FNC, he gets more than enough lavish unconditional praise heaped on him now.
Shame on you Murdoch, shame on you Ailes but above all,.......SHAME ON YOU BILL O'REILLY ! Some of us allready knew you were spineless blowhard sellout with no scruples.
.........oh and by the way, buh-bye Fox News, along with your integrity, you just lost this viewer.
p.s. of course if O'Reilly tears Barry a new one, I'll be back to apologise, but I wont' cross my fingers or hold my breath.
"You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious. "
- Ben Kenobi on Liberals, and the MSM.
" The Cake is a lie."
Another pass
September 3, 2008 - 18:59 ET by In_AweAs someone said on another blog:
"Obama has received more passes than Jerry Rice."
Obama has recieved more
September 3, 2008 - 19:49 ET by BlazerObama has recieved more passes than a Hooters girl with breast implants.
"You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious. "
- Ben Kenobi on Liberals, and the MSM.
" The Cake is a lie."
Yeah, this pretty much
September 3, 2008 - 20:28 ET by ckc1227Yeah, this pretty much seals the deal for me as far as O'reilly goes. His excuse tonight was if he didn't do it Thursday night, he wouldn't get another chance to interview Obama. A man of character would have said "thanks, but no thanks". I suspect the "fix" is in.
Used to watch Bill every night, but had cut back recently due to some of his nonsense. Will cut back completely now. I won't even tune in for the Great One's interview. Cutting out Fox as a whole may not be far behind.
Barack Obama Served Federal Court Papers
September 4, 2008 - 19:51 ET by Lame CherryFor the public record no matter what Rupert Murdoch is up to:
SERVICE OF LAWSUIT CHALLENGING SENATOR OBAMA’S RIGHT TO BE A CANDIDATE
FOR PRESIDENT BECAUSE HE DOES NOT MEET THE QUALIFICATIONS HAS BEEN
COMPLETED
( Lafayette Hill , Pennsylvania – 09/04/08) - Philip J. Berg, Esquire,
the Attorney who filed suit against Barack H. Obama challenging Senator
Obama’s eligibility to serve as President of the United States, has
received confirmation from his Process Service Company that the
Democratic National Committee (DNC) and Senator Barack Obama were
served today, September 4, 2008, with the legal documents pertaining to
Berg vs. Obama, Civil Action No. 08-cv-4083. The DNC was served at
12:00 p.m. and Senator Obama was served at 1:00 p.m. The U.S.
Attorney’s Office accepted service on behalf of the Federal Elections
Committee (FEC) on or about August 22, 2008.
*NOTE: Somehow these papers were "lost" in the Postal Service and only the FEC received their's.
The papers were sent under process server and delivered to Barack Obama.
A teleconference hearing will now take place before a Clinton appointed judge.
If this proceeds, Barack Obama will have to deliver up a legal birth certificate proving he is a United States citizen and should have to answer why his live birth was registered at two hospitals and the further reason in Hawaii he is registered as Barry Soetero that would mean he is an Indonesian citizen if not a British subject if he was born in a British protectorate.
This is the PUMA people at work and one would think it is worthy of mention.
*HIC IACET ARTORIVS REX QVONDAM REXQVE FVTVRVS
RULES FOR RADICALS...
September 4, 2008 - 21:10 ET by danybhoyIf you look at Obama's history, you will see he has gone through the process of having his opposition disqualified & thrown off the ballot. He then get's to run unopposed to an easy electoral victory. It's a classic Saul Alinsky tactic. Obama comes off as a nice guy, but he is a hardline Chicago Machine Politician who knows how to play rough.
I think the same Alinsky style tactics should be in play by the GOP against Obama & the Dems as a whole. The progressives who have hijacked the DNC are a threat to the America that we all know & love. The 2 times that the Dems/progressives have had total control without the threat of a fillabuster, we got the New Deal & the Great Society. The 2 biggest expansons of gov't in history. Give Obama, Reed, & Pelosi the chance, & they will do the same thing. It's in their DNA, they love to take your money & spend it to expand their political power.
"...it's still We The People, Right?" Megadeth
Typical of Obama - Michelle made The View hosts agree to
September 4, 2008 - 23:26 ET by Dee Bunkconditions also but Cindy McCain didn't. The Obama's are the biggest threat to free speech ever.
I did reluctantly watch the first part of the O'Reilly interview tonight and it was okay. It' wasn't super tough but he didn't let him off the hook. He got him to admit that the surge was a success and that should be big news because he's never said that before.
The Clintoon's are known
September 5, 2008 - 10:56 ET by FishFace222The Clintoon's are known for this, too.
In a way, I think it benefits Republicans that they take the tough questions. It sharpens their debating skills and prepares them for future tough questions and debates.
Right fishface - the Clintons are just as Bad - The Obama's are
September 5, 2008 - 11:24 ET by Dee Bunkvery similar to the Clinton's actually
Give me a Freakin' break!!!
September 5, 2008 - 00:22 ET by fed upAfter tonite's part 1 BO interview, and after O'Reilly's post-interview discussion with Monica and Jane was wrapping up, O'Reilly prounounced that Obama is no wimp....he said he looked in his eyes and could see that he is no wimp, he is tough. WHAT?
Guess I'll start my Fox News withdrawal tomorrow.
Thx for trying to screw us
September 5, 2008 - 02:18 ET by obxrayThx for trying to screw us Rupert, yep gotta have those adds sold. I swear, you can't trust anyone.I want Obama to go on Fox but not with this truce BS.
Did anyone notice that ABC nightly news had three days of showing lobbiest partying at the GOP but only had a couple of small stories of the DNC lobby party.And why didn't they talk about their producer being arrested on public property for taking pics. at the DNC Lobby parties.Hell that should have been a major story on every network.Just one big ass yawner I guess.
Lawyers+Obama+MSM=1
BOR
September 5, 2008 - 02:42 ET by well99Sometimes I wonder about him.Most times any more.
OWNED
September 5, 2008 - 08:52 ET by MrltavernFox sucks. I feel like I've got no where to for my news but the internet. This makes sense though. After all, Murdoch owns Fox, the Post, the Wall Street Journal and possibly the NY Times so, I guess to his thinking, he should own the President as well.)
Mr.L
Isn't this interesting...
September 5, 2008 - 09:44 ET by c5thenIt seems that Obama needs preconditions to meet with FOXNews, yet he says that he doesn't need any to meet with the leaders of Iran, North Korea, Syria, Hezballah, Hamas, etc...
The day that "politician" became a career choice is the day we started losing the Republic. Let's get it back! Alan Keyes '08.
The "interview"
September 5, 2008 - 10:10 ET by iveseenitallI watched the first segment of the interview with Barry. When it came to Iran the guy was stumped. O'Reilly asked what his Plan B would be if Iran says "F-You" in your talks with them. Barry gave the flimsy excuse that he didn't want to "tip his hand". The fact is he doesn't have a Plan B. The man is an incompetent puppet of others who are bent on destroying America. Check out how he got into Harvard and the Arabs and black-nationalists who were behind that fiasco. And that's just the beginning. But Alas, I fear even O'Reilly won't probe into who this guy is. And don't bother writing to Bill; he'll just call you a "right-wing nutjob". There is no "free press" left in America. Sad.
NEVER,NEVER trust a "liberal"
clever obama
September 5, 2008 - 10:31 ET by fed upHis remark that he didn't want to "tip his hand" reminds me of his remark "it's above my pay grade". And it effectively stopped O'Reilly's probing. It's almost funny watching O'Reilly try to look tough on Obama.
It seems
September 5, 2008 - 10:56 ET by NorthCoasterthat any decision is above his paygrade.
Take Fox News with a grain of salt
September 5, 2008 - 11:57 ET by ltdDon't be fooled by Fox News. They want their viewers to think they're fair and balanced, but take their reporting with a grain of salt. They are like the rest of the media only not quite as bad. They have a tendency to omit plenty of news that they don't think we viewers should see. What they DO produce might be more fair and balanced than the other networks, but they do OMIT plenty. I have to watch other networks to find out what's really going on. Then I tune in Fox only to find out they've skipped the fact all together or only skimmed over it once. The other night I had to tune into C-Span to watch Mitt Romney's speach and Mike Huckabee's speach. I noted that at the same time, Fox was showing Sean Hannity talking with someone from Obama's campaign. Now tell me folks..............if you're a conservative tuning in to watch the Republican convention, which person do you want to listen to, Romney or BO's campaign worker???????? I have also noted that they are hiring more and more liberals as consultants. I would advise all viewers to beware of Fox and watch that network with a measure of suspect. They established themselves as leaning to the right so they could build their audience. Now that they have a greater market share than other networks, they're slowly but surely moving left. I am very upset with Fox lately. I SAY BEWARE OF THE TROJAN HORSE.