Veteran White House correspondent Helen Thomas, who has covered every president since Jack Kennedy, advised the White House to abandon their attacks on Fox News today. She attributed the administration's visceral reaction to the cable outlet to a naive sense of invincibility generally held by new presidents (video embedded below the fold).Asked by Joe Scarborough of MSNBC's 'Morning Joe' what "we want our president to know and do," in reference to the title of her new book, Thomas immediately replied "stay out of these fights... They can only take you down. You can't kill the messenger."
Thomas's coauthor, CQ reporter Craig Crawford, added that "presidents are better off, Joe, when they punch up and not down."
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The White House punched down at its hardest yet this weekend, when Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and chief political advisor David Axelrod derided Fox News on the Sunday talk shows.
Emanuel said the cable network is "not a news organization so much as it has a perspective." Axelrod claimed that the channel's programming is "really not news, it's pushing a point of view."
Thomas explained that Presidents generally enter office with a sense of invincibility. "They feel so empowered, they can say anything, do anything." Such a sentiment would explain the White House's apparent shock that Fox would consistently question their major initiatives. As Thomas added, Presidents "soon get slapped back."
The attacks from Axelrod and Emanuel signal a shift in the administration's anti-Fox message to the higher echelons of the executive power structure. Last week, White House Communications Director Anita Dunn spearheaded the campaign against the news network until she admitted--in jest, she claims--that Communist China's brutal former dictator Mao Ze Tung is one of "my two favorite philosophers."
Pundits seized on Dunn's words, including Fox's Glenn Beck, who this morning claimed that "now that we've exposed Anita as yet another radical in the White House, they're going to need to jettison Anita Dunn, especially after what we show you tonight. She'll have to go away, because we're asking too many questions about Anita. So now we get up to the big boys."
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where's the news?
October 19, 2009 - 14:47 ET by sajc05if anyone really gets their news form fox or msnbc then they are NOT well informed people. their is NO real investigative journalism anymore anywhere. I don't care about balloon boy, I don't care about american idol sex scandals, or any other corporate junk these guys throw out there as "news" to keep the masses entertained.
I'd like to know where the journalism is on real issues like... where did the trillion dollars that the fed came up with and dished out go? to who, and what did these entities do with it? Why was Goldman's competitors allowed to collapse while Goldman was given hundreds of billions of our money? which congressmen are given millions from corporate interests while saying they represent the "people"?
but fox, msnbc cnn are all the same corporate entity that gives us bs news like "the balloon boy" or michael jackson wall to wall coverage, while our country gets sold to the highest bidders and our dollar and economy collapse.
fox or msnbc aren't worth anyones time to argue about because they are jokes in terms of reporting REAL news.
I'm glad of FNC as some kind
October 19, 2009 - 15:19 ET by notonmywatchI'm glad of FNC as some kind of counterpoint to CNN/Network propaganda,
But 24 hour news offered the opportunity for more informed people. But all they do is a 15-minute newscycle, and it's true that often consists of car chases & dumb stuff. You still need to go out and find real information.
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Graphical conservative commentary - animations & pictures for posting on forums: http://ubama.org/chu...
counterpoint to CNN
October 19, 2009 - 16:19 ET by JDWCNN has been attacking Rangel most of the year. The articles have included both perspectives and were well written.
Her point demonstrates an insight for her party, something Obama is incapable of understanding.
JDW
DAILY WAVE
I didn't know ACORN was getting a lot of money
You are correct, they all suck! (equally!)
October 19, 2009 - 18:37 ET by MightyMouthYou have to scan the "new" media to find the truth! That includes Rush, Drudge, basically the internet... the one free news zone there is! Just "trust but verify"!
<edit> OMG! NEVERMIND!
"The bureaucracy is growing to meet the needs of the growing bureaucracy"
sajc05
October 19, 2009 - 19:36 ET by seesalrunNow THERE are some questions someone - anyone - should ask.
I hope some commentator out here notes it, repeats and memorizes it, and the FIRST chance they have to ask ANYONE of substance those questions - America may just wake up.
Trouble is, main stream journalism is truly dead. The media elites will take us down with themselves, they still pay for play and trust their masters.
It's a great show Mr President
October 19, 2009 - 14:48 ET by 10ksnookerKeep it up ... We want to see who you really are.
Beck is promisig new details this week. Set your VCRs.
VCR? :-) J/k Yeah
October 19, 2009 - 15:24 ET by Six String SpiffVCR?
:-) J/k
Yeah he's one HELL of a dude, aint he?
Dunn the bug
October 19, 2009 - 15:00 ET by Jerry MackNow that Dunn the bug has been squashed, they bring out the rats.
This is what happens when
October 19, 2009 - 15:10 ET by Chris NormanThis is what happens when you combine arrogance and immaturity.
The "Mainstream" Media: By liberals. For liberals.
The Executive Branch of the
October 19, 2009 - 15:21 ET by Ten7sThe Executive Branch of the Federal Government is being run by people with less common sense than Helen Thomas!
God help us.
Wow, she's got a point.
October 19, 2009 - 15:14 ET by Saint ZeroMost veteran journalists (of any persuasion) seem to be coming down on the "Quit Obama, you're looking silly" side of this debate.
Nobody has the guts to tell
October 19, 2009 - 15:41 ET by mattmNobody has the guts to tell this yap that she has been grossly over-employed for decades.
Instead of giving advice, you should just be reporting on what a thin-skinned weenie boy* we have in the White House, but then that would be beyond your capacity....
*Anyone taking this as a racial inference is a prejudiced bigot.
Risen from the rank of mere
October 19, 2009 - 16:05 ET by notonmywatchRisen from the rank of mere leftist plant to revered elder lib..
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Graphical conservative commentary - animations & pictures for posting on forums: http://ubama.org/chu...
" She attributed the
October 19, 2009 - 17:02 ET by MikeB" She attributed the administration's visceral reaction to attacks from Fox ..." Excuse me? Attacks? In what way has Fox "attacked" Obamalama and the Dingdongs? Fox has covered stories on and about Ear Leader and his sycophantic horde that the rest of the so-called "news" networks either neglected or covered up. Where were the news networks when it came to ACORN corruption? I must admit even Fox dropped the ball on that one. What would happen if all of the news outlets demanded to see a certified copy of Obama's birth certificate? Or his college transcript? How about Geithner's tax returns (or Rangel's for that matter)? Where was the network coverage of the TEA party protest in D.C.? Just because Fox doesn't fellate Obama like the rest of the "fourth estate" (fifth column, more like) doesn't mean they are attacking him. Fox comes closest of all the networks of being fair and balanced.
"A communist is someone who reads Marx. An anti-communist is someone who understands Marx." Ronald Reagan
She attributed the---
October 19, 2009 - 18:24 ET by matthewdeanDamn straight !
MD
"I may not agree with what your bumper sticker says, but I will defend to the death your right to stick it." (Unknown)
maybe this way?
October 19, 2009 - 18:28 ET by jon_torlinI would assume given the way she's been over the years with Bush that some of the hard questions she's asked him and his spokespeople, she would consider those "attacks" that she's proud to make. A hard question, a question that has some fact-checking behind it (*GASP*), putting someone on the spot could be considered an attack.
Heck, I'll call it an attack by Fox to do some fact checking because they weren't going to take the White House's nonsense lying down. One of the dictionary.com's definitions of attack is : to direct unfavorable criticism against; criticize severely; argue with strongly and that's what Fox News is doing, they don't take things at face value and turn it back on them.
Say what you will about Ms Thomas, I don't think she's gone after another news organization, no matter who they are. Does anyone know?
-Jon
Yeesh...
October 19, 2009 - 18:27 ET by SlyrrWhen even THIS troll under the bridge is telling you you've gone too far..... Ten to one Obama still won't listen, neither will anyone else in his communist cabal.
Can anyone say 'hubris'?
That's a good point! How
October 19, 2009 - 18:38 ET by Free StinkerThat's a good point!
How bad do things have to be when Helen Thomas is the voice of reason? OMO!
Slyrr~
October 19, 2009 - 18:47 ET by Kat Outta the BagOf course he won't listen...he's the almighty who knows everything!
White house vs Fox
October 19, 2009 - 18:50 ET by charlietexasHelen Thomas is right but gosh I hope they keep it up. They look so childish and stupid. That is exactly what they are. So...keep it going Obama, Axelrod, Dunn, et al. I can hardly wait for the 2010 elections
Whew!
October 19, 2009 - 20:15 ET by SkipperMLMAll I can say is Mika is looking foxy...
More on the controling White House
October 19, 2009 - 20:49 ET by CO2MakerJustice Sotomayor says the White House picked out here clothes for the confirmation waltz.
Sotomayor Says White House Even Picked Out Her Clothes | NBC Connecticut
In a related story, Dave Lecherman slammed Sarah Palin for her fancy-schmancy wardrobe the campaign bought for her last year.
Thats alright
October 19, 2009 - 20:55 ET by general companySame folks picked out this and this
My Gov. thinks I am dangerous, so be careful
"Television is a freak show" Bernie Goldberg
The picked out Sotomanure's
October 20, 2009 - 00:14 ET by Seabeach4348The picked out Sotomanure's clothes? What are they gonna do if the horse gets cold?
Sotomanure?
October 20, 2009 - 00:23 ET by R D HelmLOL-Works fer me.
-Dave
Our elected representatives have failed us.
Helen is part of the
October 19, 2009 - 22:46 ET by RR GOPHelen is part of the problem.
Wonder if she stays in on Halloween so little kids don't ask her where here broom is?
One of the 34% who thinks George W. Bush was a great President. One of the 86% who wants to bring back the stock and pillory.
He won't quit attacking,
October 19, 2009 - 23:14 ET by HockeyKidHe won't quit attacking, though. He's too NICE!
"Beauty is only skin deep, but liberal's to the bone." - me
Perhaps Helen is just auditioning...
October 20, 2009 - 01:40 ET by gopcongress...for a job with NewsBusters. I wonder if Brent has noticed.
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Moderate... Democrat... Liberal... Progressive... Socialist... Communist—The progression is clear as day.
The
October 20, 2009 - 09:36 ET by jessieHThe white house started this fight. The people & Fox are going to end it. He may own the rest of the media but he doesn't own Fox. The media has become turncoats.