With the Tax Day tea party rallies just three days away, outside of the Fox News Channel, the coverage has been lacking. And, it was something that even Washington Post media columnist and host of CNN's "Reliable Sources" Howard Kurtz acknowledged on his April 12 program.
"The folks at Fox News have found something to be for in this age of Obama," Kurtz said. "They are firmly in favor of tea parties. On Wednesday, that would be April 15th - there will be tax protests around the country on the theme of the original Boston Tea Party. TaxDayTeaParty.com says it was inspired by that rant against President Obama's mortgage aid plan by CNBC's Rick Santelli."
However, Kurtz didn't condemn his network and other networks for lack of coverage - but instead explored the notion that Fox News was giving it too much coverage.
"Now, the hosts at Rupert Murdoch's network all make up their own minds, right? But soon the tax protest became a full-fledged Fox fight." Kurtz said.
Kurtz questioned the Fox News Channel hosts for speaking out about the deficits President Barack Obama has ran up, but noted they were less willing to former President George W. Bush for the deficits he ran up. However, as Conn Carroll pointed out for The Heritage Foundation's The Foundry blog - Obama's proposals will far outpace the government deficit spending under Bush.
"These hosts said little or nothing about the huge deficits run up by President Bush, but Barack Obama's budget and tax plans have driven them to tea. On the other hand, CNN and MSNBC may have dropped the ball by all but ignoring the protests."
Perhaps it was an oversight by the folks at "Reliable Sources," but MSNBC has devoted airtime to the tea parties - but only to ridicule them. First MSNBC's "Rachel Maddow Show" on April 9 devoted 13 minutes to lame "teabagging" puns in an effort to denigrate the tea parties. But they weren't to be outdone by Newsweek's Daniel Gross and "Countdown" fill-in host David Shuster the following night on April 10.
So that begs the question - if Fox News deserves a critique in Kurtz's view for promoting their tea party coverage, should MSNBC be critiqued for mocking them? Nonetheless, Kurtz urged the on-air personalities at Fox News to give Obama credit, when credit was due.
"Glenn and company joining the somewhat over-caffeinated tea parties," Kurtz said. "They are commentators who are paid for their point of view, and these aren't Republican Party events - at least not officially. Obviously, they're playing to their conservative base. The test for me is whether these Fox hosts occasionally find something nice to say about President Obama - in the interest of being fair and balanced, of course."
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I don't trust Howie...he is
April 12, 2009 - 18:59 ET by d1carterI don't trust Howie...he is an MSM apologist...
You're right . . .
April 12, 2009 - 19:15 ET by Galvanic. . . And in the smugness of their ivory tower perspective, it's inconceivable that a populist backlash against Obama's spending policies could emerge. After all, it was the MSM that reported Obama's 'grass roots' network. How could any grass roots be disenchanted so early in the 100 Daze?
They'll keep looking for culprits pulling the strings of the Tea Party Movement, and I'm sure they'll link it to their usual targets: Limbaugh, Cheney, Rove, Hannity, et al.
Kurtz and the MSM are in a state of denial, and there's no telling how long it will take to get some reasonably honest coverage. After all their past zeal in asserting the press' "right" to challenge gvoernment authority, they expect Republicans, conservatives, and anyone who is upset with Obama's policies to fall-in behind the Leftist zombies, stay in step., and by all means shut up. Whatever happended to Truth to Power?
Being Fair and Balanced
April 12, 2009 - 19:00 ET by TuariThe test for me is whether these Fox hosts occasionally find something
nice to say about President Obama - in the interest of being fair and
balanced, of course.
Well, I'm sure if the King of America actually did something genuine, good, and nice, then sure. Until then...
Thanks Howard!
April 12, 2009 - 19:07 ET by mbmonahanWe appreciate the added publicity, late as it might be.....
Degree of importance
April 12, 2009 - 19:29 ET by GalvanicIt would be interesting for MRC to analyse the pre-April 15 coverage of the Tea Parties versus the coverage of the Obama family's new puppy. For example:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/11/AR2009041102484_pf.html
Which reminds me, the Obamas have reportedly recieved a Portuguese water dog from Teddy Kennedy. Will the MSM notice the irony?
Galv... They should have
April 12, 2009 - 19:43 ET by bigtimerGalv...
They should have named the pup MJ instead of Bo.
I am already past sick of the dog story.
Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart
I don't ever recall Howie
April 12, 2009 - 19:13 ET by DaBirdI don't ever recall Howie saying:
"...The test for me is whether these CNN, MSNBC, NBC, ABC, CBS, PBS hosts occasionally find something nice to say about President Bush - in the interest of being fair and balanced, of course."
Maybe I'm wrong. But I never remember hearing that.
Not in last 7 years of The Bush presidency anyways.
April 12, 2009 - 19:21 ET by TjexciteLong live George W. Bush
Yeah, CNN travlled to some
April 13, 2009 - 08:36 ET by BDYeah, CNN travlled to some pretty outlandish areas in order to conduct glamourous coverage of the Anti-Iraq War crowd. And the crowds for those were minuscule compared to what is likely to happen on 15 April 2009.
If someone were to measure the crowds of both, th Tea Party will likely devastate the anti-war in a head to head contest.
But the Tea party protestors will bathe prior to their event and will likely not throw things at passing policemen.
Yeah...I caught this segment this morning...
April 12, 2009 - 19:35 ET by bigtimerThe test for me is whether these Fox hosts occasionally find something nice to say about President Obama - in the interest of being fair and balanced, of course."
Yeah Howie...Fox just sits around waiting for your approval with how they operate.
You have a case of doing what your powers-to-be tell you to do ..so you get your paycheck and a pat on the cheek, maybe a big Christmas Ham as a Bonus at the end of the year as CNN keep lagging behind even msnbc anymore.
Of course we all know you both have your agenda to fulfill for your party and the Dear Leader...ratings/advertizing/$$$ be damned.
It would have been wise for you leftists to cover the Tea Parties, instead of denigrating them and Fox...this is Americans speaking out..loud and clear and more to come after Wed. to-boot. July 4th is going to be the big one across the land....
Instead Soros funded sites like HuffnPuff/MM etc are sending spies and agitators out in some of these gatherings to do their best to report bad news and such...they will use any tactic they can to gain attention or be made light of on the other networks...
Well Howie...Sit and Spin....
You ain't seen nothing yet.
Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart
tea party
April 12, 2009 - 19:39 ET by Nearly NobodyYou know I read and watch more news than I should and this is the first time I have seen the tea party link you have posted. Not going to see it on MSNBC that is for sure. Thanks! as late as it is I will post it on my little website.
"Nearly Nobody's News"
They can scream la la la
April 12, 2009 - 21:01 ET by USA4freedomThey can scream la la la hold their hands over their ears, close their eyes, not report it, pretend that it’s not happening. It does not matter what they do. Those politicians will be watching. It will be them, who are feeling the heat.
WE THE PEOPLE, are the ONES that NEVER EVER PROTEST. We are the people that go to work everyday, and come home to our families, pay our taxes and our bills, fight the wars, the silent majority, WE ARE, (SILENT NO MORE)!!!!.
We are &^%$@# mad, and someone is going to pay. That someone is the very people that keep jacking us up. We will take our votes, our money, and our effort to stomp the living $hit out of you in the next election.
Go ahead watch listen to acorn, watch MSMBC, and all the rest, we are coming for you, and we are PISSED.
Ronald Reagan, 1962: I did not leave the Democratic party, the party left me.
Insert: your name, 2008, and the Republican party.
LOL!!!!
April 15, 2009 - 01:13 ET by williams411LOL!!!, good luck with that.
I don't watch Howard that much.
April 12, 2009 - 21:15 ET by pbthinkerI don't watch Howard that much and, if I do, I usually catch a replay on CNN.com. I have yet to see him really nail anyone in the MSM. Talk about fair and unbalanced, he may point out something obvious going on but he's more than willing to have many apologists on board to cover for the critique.
The fact is that this should be news on Thursday, not last week. If this were an anti-war protest and the MSM were pushing it, everyone would be complaining about that also. You could say that Fox News is really biased against Obama and is pushing for a huge turn-out on this rally.
I'll wait and see how the networks cover these protests on Thursday. In the meantime, I plan on going to the one in West Palm Beach and taking pictures, just in case our local rag decides to downplay the turnout or something like that.
Election 2008-God's way of showing us that elections count.
Sounds like sour grapes from the Obama networks
April 12, 2009 - 21:25 ET by Worriedwho apparently are just gleeful over his and Pelosi's tax-gouging.
What do they care if Americans gather for a common purpose? Why do they insist on calling it a conservative/Republican protest? It's a grassroot protest and all Americans are invited to join.
Fox's promos for tea party coverage borders on cheerleading
April 12, 2009 - 21:28 ET by nkviking75I truly appreciate Fox News and I am glad that they recognize the importance of the tea parties. However, the promos I've seen on their air for their coverage on 4/15 sound like they are firmly supporting and sponsoring the events. If they were promos for the Hannity or Beck or O'Reilly shows, I would expect that. But these were promos for their coverage on their objective news shows. Fox's credibility is attacked constantly, usually unfairly. In this case, I think the network is undermining its own credibility.
When you put the clowns in charge, don't be surprised when a circus breaks out.
Wow nkv...I usually always
April 12, 2009 - 21:39 ET by bigtimerWow nkv...I usually always agree with your views that I have seen posted...but...
I look at it from the opposite point of view...I am glad we have a network speaking up for the coverage of what the real American people are taking part in that are mad as heck and don't want to take it anymore...
Thank goodness Fox is advertizing the Tea Parties on the 15th...
Nobody else is going to cover them...
...and that is just what the leftist pols, let alone the rest of the msm wants to happen, trying to portray these as just silly little trivialities ...matters not to the rest of the country....
...So they Think!
2010 isn't that far off....O and his team have just begun with the continued cram it down your throat destruction...nah, this isn't over by a long shot...it is just beginning.
Anyway...no matter what...I'm grateful this will be covered.
Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart
I just want Fox News to approach Tea Parties objectively
April 12, 2009 - 21:46 ET by nkviking75I'm thrilled that Fox News is covering the Tea Parties too. I just think their promos for the coverage sound a bit too much like they're all in favor of them. I want Fox News to live up to their slogan, "We report, you decide."
I don't know if I'm making the distinction clear. I want them to cover the Tea Parties. They are not only recognizing that the events are happening, but they are conveying the reality that they are happening nationwide. I just want their objective news programs to be objective. If they do that, the Tea Parties will be just fine.
When you put the clowns in charge, don't be surprised when a circus breaks out.
nkv... I understand where
April 12, 2009 - 21:54 ET by bigtimernkv...
I understand where you are coming from and what you are saying...I've see the ads too...I just look at it differently, I am tickled by the promos...lettting people know ahead of time what is happening on the 15th with some excitement does my heart good...
...and believe me, I have criticized Fox here and there over time from how I see it in my view-finder in life too.
Anyway...hope you had a great Easter Day....always am glad when I catch you here.
Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart
Ironic?
April 13, 2009 - 09:28 ET by GalvanicWhile the MSM appears loathe to cover the Tea Parties, they dio seem quite interested in ACORN at several levels.
1. ACORN is a Leftist community action organization.
2. The President favors ACORN, which openly supported his candidacy despite its claims of political neutrality.
3. ACORN made headlines last year with its fraudulent voter registration work.
So, if ACORN holds counter-demonstrations at each Tea Party, the MSM may cover the event mainly because ACORN is involved.
If so, it gives the Tea Partiers the opportunity to point out to on-scene correspondents that ACORN -- found guilty of voter registration fraud -- is subsidized by tax dollars (Didn't they get $150 million in the new Obama budget?), while the Tea Parties don't spend a dime of the tax payers' dough.
ACORN may ironically bring the Tea Parties they coverage they've been looking for.
tea parties
April 14, 2009 - 08:30 ET by jessieHJessie R. Hamby I don't give a rats ass what the media think.
A Question For Conservatives
April 15, 2009 - 01:24 ET by williams411Where were the tea party protests when dubya was giving us a recession and a 4 trillion dollar deficit? I guess it doesn't mean much when a president (dubya) takes a surplus given to him by clinton and turns it into a large deficit.
1.) Most conservatives were
April 16, 2009 - 14:53 ET by BD1.) Most conservatives were disappointed in GWB's desire to obtain both guns and Butter during the initial war after 9/11. personnally I think he did it to solidify the homefront from backstabbing by liberals who did not get enough butter.
2.) Clinton did not receive those surpluses based on his policies, rather he had them due to the extended tax cutting policies of Ronald Reagan. Clinto did everything possible to stultify the economy by increasing marginal tax rates.
Besides, SURPLUSES are evil, it means we are funding a revenue stream too largely. Output should eaqual input.