The administration continued its effort to marginalize Fox News yesterday by attempting to deny access to Pay Czar, Kenneth Feinberg, when it welcomed reporters from the White House media pool with the exception of the embattled network. The representatives from the other networks thwarted the President’s plan by refusing to interview the Pay Czar if Fox News was not equally granted access. The White House bureau chiefs of the four other major outlets granted access decided collectively to boycott the interview if Fox News was not included in those permitted to speak to the Pay Czar on the day that he announced dramatic regulations for salaries of executives working for companies that received stimulus money.
Obviously, unless you have been asleep for the last two weeks, you know this is simply the next step by an administration hell-bent on discrediting and marginalizing the Fox News Network. Senior White House officials have been everywhere spreading the word that the administration viewed the network as a political opponent rather than a news organization.
The continued posture by the White House has left many wondering if potential legal action will be taken by the Network as it appears the administration may be treading in dangerous waters close to infringing upon the freedom of the press. It certainly appears that they are behaving in a very preferential manner toward the various networks having put Fox News on a virtual Time-Out until the first of the year banning members of the administration from appearing on the network.
Three words: Pompous, petty, and pathetic.
But is this a sign that the mighty Popular Rule of President Obama is finally crumbling around him? I would venture to guess that it is not. Rather, it is more likely that this was such a misstep by the White House that even the mainstream media – who would love to crush Fox News in a similar fashion – cannot allow the administration to be the one with the sledge hammer, because if this administration can go after Fox News, the next Republican administration could potentially follow a similar pattern and turn on them.
I do think it is commendable that the other networks handled this matter so respectfully, but while I commend them, I do not exonerate them for their past actions or those they will surely commit once this battle between Fox News and the White House has subsided.
UPDATE: Major Garrett of Fox News just clarified the events that led to the controversy yesterday. He said it was the Treasury Department that attempted to exclude the network. Once the other networks in the White House pool refused to go along with the effort to shut out Fox, Treasury Representatives contacted the White House (Anita Dunn) and access was granted.
Reaction from the Hill…
Rep. Mike Pence, chairman of the House Republican Conference, said conservative commentators speak more for Americans than the national media outlets that have targeted them for criticism.
“Goaded on by a White House increasingly intolerant of criticism, lately the national media has taken aim at conservative commentators in radio and television,” the Indiana Republican said on the House floor. “Suggesting that they only speak for a small group of activists and even suggesting in one report today that Republicans in Washington are ‘worried about their electoral effect.’ Well, that’s hogwash.”
This sickens me. If the Bush administration would have engaged in these tactics there would be cries for impeachment and investigations launched into potential constitutional violations. This is nothing but tyranny by an dictatorial administration. It is time for Americans to rise up and do something about this.
This administration isn’t a real adminstration and I’m no longer going to treat it as such.
Ha. Love the comment.
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