Obama, rightfully claiming that Fox isn't at all 'fair and balanced', has repeatedly denied invitations to appear on any Fox News programs. This is much to the chagrin of Fox News which, due to the growing national disapproval of the Bush administration and their policies(69% disapproval, the highest in history), has seen a not-so-bright future. And since January, when the Obama started hitting the fan (so to speak), Fox has been drooling to get a piece. They've also been attempting to tear him to shreds since he so soundly discredits them and their "news" organization. They've hit the "OMG his middle name is Hussein!!", the "didn't he go to a Muslim school as a child?", the "is he too black/black enough?", and the "is he patriotic enough because he doesn't wear a flag pin/have his hand over his heart during the pledge of allegiance?" buttons often and hard. And since the whole Jeremiah Wright flap and Weather Underground associations broke, they've been lapping it up!
(To clarify the above points, in order: so what?; yes he did - for one year while living abroad; what does that even mean?; it was the national anthem, not the pledge!)
Then, five weeks ago (or so) came this - Chris Wallace (host of Fox News Sunday) initiated what they started calling an 'Obama watch', complete with '24'-style clock. Ultimately Wallace's problem is that Obama (in 2006) had agreed to appear on his program, and then after the network attempted to politically smear him he didn't really feel like giving them a ratings boost.
Now, today, comes word that this Sunday Obama will appear on Wallace's Fox News Sunday. This has upset a lot of people on the blogosphere (and elsewhere) who were hoping Democratic candidates would continue to snub/boycott Fox News. However, I imagine that the candidates realize that this is a politically untenable scenario and so we, as liberals, must face our demons head on.
However, this doesn't mean complimenting them up and down (as Terry McAuliffe, senior Clinton advisor did Tuesday night - so much so that they turned it into a promo!). Rather, they must be challenged to report the unbiased truth, without resorting to smear jobs. Someone must hold them accountable. Apparently that's Obama's goal. One of Obama's advisors was in communication with a blogger over at TPM and claimed that Obama plans to "take Fox on" when he appears on the program:
We are clear-eyed about Fox’'s role in the dissemination and amplification of Republican talking points this election. They have been the tip of the spear when it comes to repeatedly broadcasting some of the most specious of rumors about Obama. He is going on their Sunday show to take Fox on, not because we have any illusion about their motives or politics in this election.If this is true, it ought to be fun to watch. If not, it'll be another sad day of pandering. I'm excited to find out which it is...
SUNDAY, SUNDAY, SUNDAY!
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