The netroots is good for a variety of things, but the most important is probably for how it holds the media accountable, fact checks, and offers a non-corporate perspective on world events. Our mere existence helps shift the media to the left (towards the truth, actually). In this context, the successful campaign to get Nevada Democrats to drop the FOX News sponsored debate is probably the biggest win of all time. John Edwards dropped out of the debate first. Then, last night, Fox News Channel chairman Roger Ailes made a joke comparing Barack Obama to Osama bin-Laden. That prompted Bill Richardson to drop out. And the Nevada Democrats caved in and canceled the event.
The point of this is to make it as clear as day that FOX News is not an ordinary news outlet, but a propaganda machine that serves the interests of the Republican Party. It’s hard to see any future Democrats cutting deals with FOX News. The Presidential debates will be another matter, as the GOP nominee may insist on having a debate on FOX. The Democrat should refuse. No Democrats should go on FOX News as guests. No one affiliated with the party should claim to speak for the party on their programs. Alan Colmes should get a job with a different outfit. In short, the Democrats should treat FOX News as little different from Pravda, or Cuban television. If you don’t want to be a tool of the opposition, don’t appear on their media outlets and lend them credibility.
Any concern that FOX has high ratings should be knocked down. They will not maintain high ratings if they have no access and cannot create the facade that they are fair and balanced. The loss of the debate in Nevada was the result of a massive grassroots campaign.
According to MoveOn, more than 265,000 people signed a petition sent to the Nevada State Democratic Party.
This can be done again and again, anytime the Democrats flirt with FOX News. Kudos to everyone that worked hard on this campaign.
YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE HAW!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and Edwards was the only candidate brace enough to drop out from the get go.
I was extremely happy with Edwards also when he did this and didn’t wait until the netroots got through to the rest of the dem party..he had the good sense to take a stand on his own.
And I’m wondering how Rupert Murdock’s good buddy Hilary is feeling about this smack down of Faux.
It’s called leadership. Edwards has that moral compass Bill Moyers talked about instead of the weathervane that most candidates seem to be.
That speaks well of Edwards. I lean towards the candidates who show genuine leadership. It’s always tough to be first on anything. Way to go, JE.
I haven’t picked a horse in the race yet, but I’m watching and listening. And whoever shows the most leadership early on will probably get my vote. JE is a nose ahead of the pack for that, in my book.
Direct From The Campaign:
Now it’s time for Democrats to stand together and send a clear message to Roger Ailes, Fox News and all the rest of them: bias isn’t balance, but turning tables is fair:
http://johnedwards.com/r/7159/395755/
The truth is, Fox News can “report” whatever they want. And when it works for us, we’ll deal with them on our terms. But this campaign is about responsibility and accountability, and we need to send the message to Fox that if they want to be the corporate mouthpiece of the Republican Party more than they want to be an impartial news outlet, they shouldn’t expect Democrats to play along.
You can send that message by contributing today, and remind Fox News that in this election, Democrats won’t take their spin lying down:
http://johnedwards.com/r/7161/395755/
Thank you for standing up for what we believe in.
Jonathan Prince
Deputy Campaign Manager
John Edwards for President
P.S. — If the folks at Fox wonder why nobody thinks they play it straight, they should take a look at what Roger Ailes said about debates in 1988 when he was a top Republican spinmaster for then Vice President Bush: He told the Washington Post, “I don’t know that we need to do more than one [debate]. There’s no reason to think we’d need more than one.” And he told the New York Times, “I don’t think you learn anything about the issues” from debates. So please send Roger Ailes a message: Hypocrisy isn’t fair and it isn’t balanced; it’s just hypocrisy–and we’ve had enough of it from you.
It’s time for these Democratic candidates and party leaders — all of them — to show actual qualities of leadership and larger vision than their obvious abilities to raise large sums of dough on the campaign circuit, or herd Democratic majorities in support of the next piece of legislation coming down the pike.
It’s time they stood and spoke as one, proclaiming loudly, publicly, and often that Fox “News” is NOT a legitimate news organization, but an infotainment channel devoted to packaging rightwing propaganda and is inherently unqualified and unsuitable to host presidential candidates from either party, let alone the Democratic Party, in a substantive and meaningful debate on the issues facing this country in the ’08 election.
This episode of flirtaion with the faux news network, treating it like it possessed bona fides of journalism, is shameful in itself. My confidence in the “presidential judgement” of anyone who considered appearing in the defunct debate is diminished.
Joe Lieberman’s persistent appearances on Fox Noise with his sniveling assaults on other Democrats provided my principal impetus for working against the toad. He miraculously disappeared from Fox appearances for the entire period of his primary and general election campaigns, only to resurface on it like the foul blight that he is after winning the general election courtesy of the Publican Party. No Democratic leader, politician, candidate, or consultant should ever grace their programs. If Fox Noise wants to insult the Democratic Party, which they will do every chance they get, let them do it against an empty chair. Fighting straw men is the best they can do and they do it by choice. They’ll talk over you anyway, so why bother to give them any credibility as well.
way to go, charlie brown!
damn Booman..take no prisoners.. Fox = Pravda = Cuban Television. Only thing is Fox is worst, because they claim to be bias-free.
Bart tells a therapist:
Ouch!
to start DVRing “The Simpsons” — and I think I’ll start picking up the past seasons on DVR…
Damn, that show has brilliant writers!!!
Keith Olbermann is gonna split his face grinning on Monday’s show…
I hope the Democratic Party holds this line and doesn’t cave to those who think there’s a vast audience of impressionable swing voters out their in faux news land. The facts are FauxNews has been losing viewers steadily since before the last election.
Bravo to John Edwards and to the moreon.org organizers who followed his leadership in this matter. It’s beyond time to stop catering to rightwingnuts.
Well, I say go John Edwards, with W.Clarke no one will be able to tell you that you aren’t strong on national security.
Concerning the south-south issue well, look at the Clinton -Gore ticket it was a winning team, the caucasus of the democratic party in the northern states seems to be more loyal to party affiliations than the southerners are, so that shouldn’t be a problem.
Well, they’ll (still) always have Lieberman (except on the Sabbath, but then if somebody else will push the elevator buttons for him-and insert his nose into Ailes’ butt so he doesn’t have to do it himself.)
I’m extremely delighted by the news — and that’s the truth! — But I still don’t understand why Fox can’t be sued for maliciously publishing defamatory statements that have blackened the names of democrats and exposed me to public contempt and ridicule. Or why can’t Fox be arrested for committing acts of sedition? After all, they’re responsible for the divisive political partisanship that has infected our country by pernicious republican, liberal hating pundits inflaming the passions of god monopolizing Christians — who are always ready to crusade — and possibly endanger my life… Well, I was just wondering…