Today I came across an interesting article on Yahoo!News (Full story). It outlines how the White House is standing up against erroneous allegations and disregard for "facts" by news networks, particularly Fox News.
I give kudos to the president for doing this. It is his right to defend his honor, as it were. It also was a wise political decision, seeing as how Fox News claims to be the only non-left/non-liberal news network out there, with an audience whom Obama is currently trying to win over.
Can you feel the sarcasm oozing out of that last sentence?
Another interesting move: single out individual journalists within the network. Poor Glenn Beck. The president has called him out. I think it is an unwise move, in the world of journalism, is to get the president angry at you personally. Heck, I think it is an unwise move in any world to have the president identify you as a propagator or falsehoods. Even though the president technically does not have power to destroy you, you can still probably kiss your career, in most circles, goodbye.
Not only has Fox News, with such famous/infamous figures as Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity, been labeled as an anti-Obama network, but it is the only network with whom the president will not appear on air with. Pres. Obama has appeared on every other news network except Fox News. Not even Bill O'Reilly's show, The O'Reilly Factor.
I think that despite the polarized mentalities of the public, in regards to Mr. O'Reilly, one must admit that Bill O'Reilly is still a credible journalist. He has his preferences, granted, but so does every other journalist. The difference is that he is open about them. While he can get fairly impassioned (remember the Barney Frank appearance after Fannie and Freddie?), he still has logical reasoning, sound arguments, guest from both parties, and refrains from comparing Pres. Obama to Hitler, among other things. I personally admire Mr. O'Reilly's courage and "bold, freshness" in speaking out against issues he feels are harming America. Okay, that's it for my O'Reilly endorsement.
That said, I have seen on Fox News, at times, reporters with excessive skepticism in the president's ability to lead the country effectively. Not on the O'Reilly Factor, though he does lambaste some of the more controversial policy decisions, but he never personally attacks Pres. Obama. When you resort to smear tactics, you lose a lot of credibility as a fair-minded journalist, as well as integrity.
I support the president in his efforts to ensure that the truth of what he says is reported to the public, but I do not think it is fair to single out Fox News alone. Other networks are guilty of misrepresenting him just as much, though they do it through servile obeisance and sycophancy, instead of criticism. I find it rather amusing how the president does not appear to be worried about how people revere him like a demigod or how they worship the ground he walks on.
It is my personal belief that allowing such behavior to continue is inappropriate for an elected public servant of the United States of America. He is the president. He is but a man. He is elected by the people, and he is to serve their interests. Many politicians seem to have forgotten that and the president is the last person who should ever be victim of such a shortcoming. I encourage Pres. Obama to speak out against those worshipping him as someone greater than they. He is mortal, he is one of us, and if he is to lead this country, he must develop humility.
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