The Obama administration today tried to exclude Fox News from the White House press pool. This attempted act contradicted the spirit and letter of the First Amendment, and the press fought back.
Thursday the White House made "pay czar" Kenneth Feinberg available for interviews to every member of the White House pool except Fox News. The pool is the five-network group that shared the costs and duties of daily coverage of the presidency and has done so for decades.
But in a surprising show of decency, the four other members of the pool -- ABC, NBC, CBS and CNN -- told the White House if Fox were barred none of them would participate in the interview session.
The administration caved and made Feinberg available for Fox News.
This underscores something often misunderstood about the Free Press clause of the First Amendment. The provision is not in the Constitution to benefit reporters. It is there to benefit the public. The right of a free press is necessary to preserve the public's right to know what is going on with their government.
Comments
When are you morons going to get it? Obama is just another politician and Chicago thug. For him, Emmanuel, Axelrod to try and strong arm the news outlets by barring one news organization should scare the **!@ out of you. He's constantly calling for transparency and openess on the one hand, but please don't criticize him. He's a joke, wake up!!
Wow, no comments??? Where are all the high-brow "progressives" howling like enraged chimpanzees? How dare the press corps come to the aid of the "evil" Fox news. Sacrilege,sanctimony BLASPHEME! MSNBC should be the only cable "news" channel to be biased and in favor with dear leader.
I hear cricketts.
All citizens need to stand against this administration as they are trying to dismantle the Constitution. We are on our way to fascism. 2010 will not be kind to the Democrats or Obama, and Obama is a one term President who will be remembered for making Jimmy Carter look like a strong and decisive leader.
If only Fox were a legitimate news organization and not entertaining opinion mongers H. Cox and Independent may have a valid point....
Hello America. Does this not tell you what you need to know and see about the President you were so proud to elect?
How long is it going to take the general public to realize that the pace at which the Obama administration is advancing in every aspect of American life is scary. Obama, are you serious? Are you really retarded enough to challenge a major news network (even if you believe it isn't) on the First Amendment. Did you really think that would end with positive results, whether it be in your favor or against? The moves are amateur at best and very transparent, however, the American public continues to ignore the administrations continual and multi-faceted approach to the encroachment on American rights.
I think obaaaama has been eating too many johnsons. You might want to switch to a good ball park dog. Go Fox news, whoo raaa
I took my grand daughter to see the movie, "Where the wild things are" recently and was impressed with the adolescent behavior of its otherwise grown up-looking characters. I was more impressed that they seemed to behave more like the current Republican Party and many of the Fox commentators. I think the Obama administration might be betting that its riff with Fox will cause a sustained exposure of the current Fox agenda for what the administration claims it is. So it might be a good idea.
Can you imagine FOX taking a similar principled stand in support of MSNBC?!
Fox does not need to be there at the white house any way. Fox should do things that Fox always does well by making up the news like Fox did in the past. Fox is best as tabloid news.
How long is it going to take the general public to realize that the pace at which the Obama administration is advancing in every aspect of American life is scary. Obama, are you serious? Are you really retarded enough to challenge a major news network (even if you believe it isn't) on the First Amendment. Did you really think that would end with positive results, whether it be in your favor or against? The moves are amateur at best and very transparent, however, the American public continues to ignore the administrations continual and multi-faceted approach to the encroachment on American rights.
What is the White House afraid of?
So are you saying the Huffington Post is real news?
The REALLY frightening thing about this is the "chilling" impact that this type of behavior by the White House will have on all the news groups going forward. The possibility of White House retaliation will be running through the minds of all the news organizations as they report their stories. These stories will become less hard-hitting because of fear. It is a scary, scary day when American politicans try to silence the press. That is something you expect in China or Russia, not here. Thank goodness that the other networks showed some backbone. Let's hope they keep that backbone in place.
It's too bad the president doesn't have as much ethics as CNN, NBC, CBS and ABC did by not participating without FOX. It doesn't matter if you agree with the news FOX reports or not. It's about the First Amendment and the white house's blatant disregard for the Constitution.
The corrupt MSM stood up for FOX NEWS in this instance but they did so for self-serving reasons. None want to be next to be given the shaft by Obama.
Nevertheless, the MSM is a mouthpiece for Obama.
The Pew Research Center did a study on the 2008 general election & found that (link below):
MSNBC's coverage of Obama was 14% negative & 43% positive. Their coverage of McCain was 73% negative & 10% positive. No wonder Obama gives them such access. Fox News coverage of Obama was 40% negative & 25% positive. Their coverage of McCain was 40% negative and 22% positive.
MSNBC's coverage was 5X more negative for McCain & 4X more positive for Obama. FOX NEWS coverage was equally negative for both & MORE positive for Obama.
The MSM's overall coverage of Obama was 29% negative & 36% positive. Their coverage of McCain was 57% negative & 14% positive. They were 2X as negative in their coverage of McCain & 2.5X more positive for Obama.
h t t p://www.journalism.org/node/13436
Continued...
Obama knows that the MSM is a mouthpiece for him and he wants it to stay that way. He does not want the MSM to report on what FOX NEWS digs up. Mindless hack liberals lie through their teeth about FOX NEWS, attack them for pretty much the same reasons and make up excuses for the MSM; The excuses that liberals give for the MSM's hackish behavior, though, are bogus.
The main reason why the networks want to FOX to be there is that they are making money and can afford to bring and pay for equipment. I guess telling the truth can be profitable in the long run.
The corrupt MSM's thwarting in this instance was self-serving. None wants to be next to be given the shaft. Nevertheless, the MSM is a mouthpiece for Obama as shown by the following Pew Research Center study:
The Pew Research Center did a study of the 2008 general election (link below):
Those hacks at MSNBC...their coverage of Obama during the general election was 14% negative & 43% positive. Their coverage of McCain was a whopping 73% negative & only 10% positive. No wonder Obama gives them such access. FOX NEWS coverage of Obama during the general election was 40% negative & 25% positive. Their coverage of McCain was 40% negative & 22% positive. FOX News was equally negative for both & MORE positive for Obama.
The corrupt MSM's overall coverage of Obama was 29% negative & 36% positive. Their overall coverage of McCain was a whopping 57% negative & only 14% positive. They were 2X as negative on McCain & 2.5X more positive for Obama.
h t t p://www.journalism.org/node/13436
Continued...
That Pew Research Center study below rips MSNBC and the MSM. Another Pew Research Center Study found that FOX NEWS was more fair and balanced than CNN, too.
Obama knows that the MSM is a mouthpiece for him. He attacks FOX NEWS because he does not want the MSM to report on any info that FOX NEWS digs up. Mindless hack liberals attack FOX NEWS for pretty much the same reasons, and they lie through their teeth about FOX NEWS and make excuses for the MSM. Their exucuses for the MSM are bogus, though.
Obama is a U.S dictator.
tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/10/wh-were-happy-to-exclude-fox-but-didnt-yesterday-with-feinberg-interview.php
once again, fox misinterprets, and calls it news.
sorry folks, no sinister plot.
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