Fred Thompson Accuses Fox News of Bias Against Him
Posted on November 25, 2007
Been gone for the holidays, so thought I’d jump back into things tonight for a few. The latest buzz is about Fred Thompson accusing Fox News of bias against his run for President.
He said he is running second in national polls and has been leading or tied for the lead in South Carolina for “a long, long time.”
Thompson, in a firm, but measured tone, scolded Wallace: “…for you to highlight nothing but the negatives in terms of the polls and then put on your own guys who have been predicting for four months, really, that I couldn’t do it, kind of skew things a little bit. There’s a lot of other opinion out there.”
Krauthammer and Barnes regularly appear on Fox. Krauthammer is a syndicated columnist and Barnes is executive editor of The Weekly Standard.
Wallace denied to Thompson that “Fox has been going after you” and asked, “Do you know anybody who thinks you’ve run a great campaign, sir?”
Thompson responded, “It’s not for me to come here and try to convince you that somebody else thinks I’ve run a great campaign.” He added that National Review magazine has praised him for issuing detailed policy proposals on Social Security and immigration.
Following the sharp exchange, a smiling Wallace said, “I’m glad I asked the question because I got a heck of an answer.”
So is Fox biased? Allahpundit doesn’t think so, however I disagree. I’ve had the impression, ever since Carl Cameron’s snotty remarks at the Iowa Fair about him wearing gucci shoes, that Fox is in Guilliani’s pocket. As Ron Chusid points out, the connections between Roger Ailes and Rudy Giulinai are well known. I agree with Dan Riehl:
Actually, Fred is correct here, unfortunately, so is Wallace. Thompson’s coverage on Fox has been mostly negative, but it’s been that way everywhere else, too. So it isn’t only Fox. And Fred is correct as regards the positive mention at NRO for putting out detailed proposals. The problem Fred has is that detailed proposals don’t win elections. You can bemoan that if you like; nevertheless, it’s true.
Excuse me while I do bemoan this attitude in America. It is unfortunate, but true. As I’ve pointed out with Duncan Hunter before, it is more about a popularity contest with too many Americans than policy or principle.
I’m not sure whether this was a smart move on Fred’s part or not. At first I thought it seemed a move of desperation. However, like others, I’m now leaning towards other ideas.
I believed that Thompson should open the attack. He now has done so. Again, my first impression was ‘he must be desperate’ but luckily I often think twice before posting a piece. I consider it a sign that he’s finally doing what he has to do. He has to fight. He has to be aggressive.
A good development. Will he keep it up?
Is a more aggressive Fred Thompson an answer to the critic cries of lazy and lackluster? Will it work? We will see.
» Filed Under 1st Amendment, News, Politics As Usual, Video
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5 Responses to “Fred Thompson Accuses Fox News of Bias Against Him”
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Any candidate who is willing to take on the MSM (regardless of whether it includes Fox News) is scoring points in my book. This is a battle of ideology as the MSM deems THEY should promote it. The MSM believes they are the only authority to tell the public what we should think of candidates and issues.
How many of them are really promoting the policies of Thompson and how many of them are promoting him as “lazy” or a lackluster candidate? Kudos to Fred.
You’re speaking my language, Jay. Fox and many of the commentators are in Giuliani’s pocket with a mild Mitt streak.
To me, this all comes down to the immigration issue. Not as my main issue but as the issue that the Republican Party has decided is the hill they want to die on. People like Fred Barnes (the Weekly Standard, the Wall Street Journal, Bob Novak, read Beltway Insiders)) were the ones disseminating the “Anti-amnesty righties are racists” meme. Find the candidate softest on immigration enforcement and they will anoint him.
They do the same thing to a lesser extent with Romney’s Mormonism. The Beltway establishment is playing the Bigotry card against their own people thinking that they can guilt them into an unprincipled position.
Been gone for the holidays
way to destroy christmas
I agree with you, Jay. It also occurred to me tonight that it would be interesting to get an opinion on the ACLU from the Republican candidates.
As an aside, as a Fred supporter, not a staffer, I spend most of my time trying to fight the RP/Bowers-associated google-bombing against his websites. Fun….not.