CNN haplessly bashes Fox News

image by rees

article from Don Surber
June 7, 2009

The CNN argument is Fox’s rating went up because Bush was president — and then went up because Obama is president. Oh, the excuses are delicious.

First, let me tip the fedora to Ed Driscoll, who plucked a post at Huffington Post by CNN co-founder Reese Schonfeld.

Fox News has been No. 1 for seemingly 100 years now.

It is only 9.

Schonfeld: “Nine years ago, when FoxNews sprinted past CNN to become America’s number one news network, I attributed its ratings gains to the election of George Bush and the triumph of Fox-watching conservatives. I figured conservatives would be savoring their victory while liberals were averting their eyes in disgust.”

OK, got you. Those dumb-ass, gap-toothed hillbillies clinging to their guns (me) watched because Bush was elected, but would stop watching once Bush failed.

But that did not happen. So what is the story this year?

Schonfeld: “There’s no need to throw any more numbers at you – Fox is gaining, CNN is wilting. Why is this happening when the country still seems about 58-42* in favor of Obama? My best guess is the passion of those who detest Democrats, liberals, and in particular, Barack Obama.”

* Obama actually won the election 53-47, not 58-42.

I see. We dumb-ass, gap-toothed hillbillies clinging to our guns watch Fox News because we hate Obama.

Or maybe we watch because we can trust Fox News but not CNN. Oh, I know the conservative hosts well — O’Reilly, Hannity, Beck, maybe Van Susteren. But I also know the real newsmen — Shep Smith and Bret Baier. I can discern between opinion and fact.

Speaking of Beck and Van Susteren, CNN might wonder why their numbers are dramatically higher on Fox News than on CNN.

CNN has lost its credibility over the years by repeatedly favoring the left over the right. Its coverage of the Gulf War was atrocious. Its bureau in Baghdad covered up the crimes of Saddam Hussein.

CNN lost me as a viewer long before Fox News came along. I would watch, get disgusted with the bias and turn the damned thing off.

Schonfeld wants to have it both ways. President Bush brought in viewers to Fox. President Obama brought in viewers to Fox. Guess what? Unless CNN starts playing fair and balanced with the news — until it stops treating conservatives like so many old coots — President 45 will send viewers to Fox, as will every president after that.

Trust.

I can trust Fox. I cannot trust CNN. Even if there were no Fox, I would not watch CNN.

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Major Garrett: Obama Snub of FNC Was Payback!

Major Garrett: I was told Obama might not call on me if Fox didn’t carry his presser

from Hot Air.com
May 1, 2009
by Allahpundit

And indeed, he wasn’t called on. Did that ever happen with Bush? I know he skipped Helen Thomas sometimes because he didn’t like her and/or the tone of her questions, but did he ever punish a reporter because that reporter’s agency refused to give him free exposure? It turned out to be a savvy business decision by Fox, but then, in our new command economy, it’s hard to blame The One for insisting that he get his way.

My question’s in earnest, incidentally. This may be S.O.P. among president/media relations, although even if it is, the thought that Barack Obama might be grouchy because he feels he’s not getting enough airtime these days is simply mind-boggling. Click the image to watch.



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ACORN and the Huffington Post to disrupt Tea Parties?

Tea Party role reversal: how to deal with potential agents provocateurs from the left

April 7th, 2009 11:12 pm
by Roger L. Simon
from Pajamas Media

Back when I was semi-card-carrying leftie, we used to spend a lot of time speculating who was the agent provocateur - read: FBI agent - at the demonstration. Usually we thought he was the most extreme character, the guy most obviously shredding his draft card in full view of the media while tossing a cherry bomb at an American flag already heavily doused in kerosene, maybe adding a little defecation into the mix. The theory was the more “out there” the acts, the more likely the motive was to discredit our “righteous” cause. This often included yet more extreme provocateurs inside the more violent groups like the Panthers and the Weathermen where real bombs, not the cherry sort, were involved.

But times have changed and for once the formerly quiescent right is gearing up to demonstrate on April 15. The left has not had to deal with something like this in recent years. Fuddy-duddy as they and their ideology may be, they have had the demo scene pretty much to themselves for decades. An element of distress (envy? nerves?) is in the air. According to Newsbusters derived from the Cavuto Show and other sources, in a startling role reversal, ACORN and the Huffington Post are planning to infiltrate the Tea Parties.

On Fox News Channel’s April 7 “Your World,” host Neil Cavuto reported that the Tax Day tea party protests on April 15 will be “infiltrated” by their political opponents and led by left-wing activist organizations. He specifically named Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN).

“Only eight days before a nationwide tea party, some over-caffeinated crashers aiming to lay waste to it,” Cavuto said. “Reports of very well-organized infiltrators trying to mix in and rain on this parade. Talk about taxing.”

Of course, in the parlance of a more centrist liberal, this all depends on what your definition of infiltrate is. The HuffPo is planning, like PJTV and Pajamas Media, to send citizen reporters. If that’s true, more power to them. Let a Hundred Flowers Bloom, I always say. But if they intend to participate and shape events while hiding their identities, well, that’s another matter. The same is true of ACORN. I would say to them welcome. Demonstrate, counter demonstrate, do your thing. This is America. But if someone’s out to play the agents provocateurs game, trying to make the Tea Party movement seem to be what it’s not, painting libertarians as racists or similar nonsense, well, that deserves to be exposed and countered vigorously.

So my recommendation to Tea Party demonstrators as a former leftie is to tear a leaf from my old book. Keep your eye out for the most extreme characters and then ask yourself: Is that real? Is that person who he or she says he is? Cui bono, who profits, here from what they are saying or doing? Draw your conclusions (carefully!) and then act accordingly and completely within the law.

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Glenn Beck - The One Thing 3/20