« State Department Refusing To Say Whether Pelosi Trip Violated Logan Act | Home | Harkin May Get Pass From GOP For Reelection »
Obama Pulls Out Of Fox/CBC Debate
Barack Obama is pulling out of the Fox/Congressional Black Caucus debate, Ben Smith reports. With John Edwards not going, this latest development should mean the debate is dead -- effective immediately.
Still no word from Camp Hillary on whether she plans to attend.
Update: Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton has just confirmed this on the record, emailing me the following: "We just thought CNN was a more appropriate venue. We will be doing the 6 DNC debates and the CBC/CNN debate in January."
Advertisement
Love those comments at the Politico. Seems like a 'fair and balanced' type of place.
April 9, 2007 4:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
yeah, seriously. you catch mike allen's interview on drudge radio?
April 9, 2007 4:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Terrific.
Hillary, of course, won't say. Or will say so last.
I know we're not supposed to perpetuate this talk about her being "calculating," but I think that Edwards took a big risk here, and, to an extent, Obama did to.
I guess maybe the correct term for Hillary is "risk-averse," and not "calculating." But it's a fine line...
Dissent Protects Democracy.
April 9, 2007 4:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
What I am hoping for, if the Dems win the White House, is that the Dem President will throw Fox out of the White House News Room on the grounds that it is a partisan operation. I imagine that is what Fox is afraid of and probably other media types also.
Mrgavel
April 9, 2007 4:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
Whopeee!!
April 9, 2007 4:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm sorry, but choosing not to go to the debate seems more of a political calculation than actually going. It may have been risky to opt out, but it was very much a politically calculated move that fits in with Edwards and Obama's apparent campaign strategy. For Clinton it seems: "Damned if you do. Damned if you don't." No matter what she does, it always seems to be painted in these discussions in a negative light.
April 9, 2007 4:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Nice, this whole thing will collapse now. One more big nail in the Fox "News" Channel coffin.
April 9, 2007 4:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
Do you guys think any of this is making a difference?
I'm not being flip--I mean, seriously. On the one hand, I'm thrilled that ballsy Dems are taking a stand on principle that FOX is bogus as a news network. I've never seen that before in my life.
What I'm wondering is, do you think that this will slowly erode any sort of reputation FOX may think it has as a serious news outlet? They'll always have a big following of the Kool-Aid drinkers, but I'm wondering about the country in general. Will people who normally don't think too much about this sort of thing start, um, THINKING?
And, if so, will it start to have an impact? In the only way that really, really counts in this world: RATINGS.
Any guesses?
April 9, 2007 4:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
Deanie Mills, it WILL make a difference if it remains part of a pattern. Democrats have to be consistent over time in rejecting Fox "News" Channel as having any kind of legitimacy as a nonpartisan outlet, in addition to openly attacking it for its daily right-wing propagandizing.
But if this rejection of FNC turns out to be a temporary blip, a short-term brouhaha, and Democratic public figures again embrace it as an equal to other news outlets, then it will not have made a difference except as a memory that our party leaders once came oh so close to "getting it" only to fail.
April 9, 2007 4:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
Not easy being the Mistress of Darkness and trying to be elected president. :-)
My son's Transylvanian girlfriend would have a better chance.
Best, Terry
April 9, 2007 4:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
good for Obama; good for the Dems.
April 9, 2007 5:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
To understand the ratings, look at the demographics.
Fox News' audience skews older. Their ratings aren't translating into advertising dollars because advertisers target the 18-54 age bracket. Their viewership are basically senior citizen hardasses who would never change their minds about a Democrat if 100 Democratic debates appeared on the network.
FNC has been hemorrhaging in the ratings for a few years now, and it's mainly because old people tend to die faster than those in the 18-54 demographic. If they can't get younger viewers (by, as an example, hosting a Democratic debate) and fast, they'll continue to take on water. I couldn't be happier to see something drown in all my life.
April 9, 2007 5:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Probably not right now. But imagine if all the Democrats were to simply freeze out Fox. And now imagine the Democrats winning some more elections. Fox continues to be shut out. Fewer people watch. Fox dies a slow death, or, improves its coverage.
This is all pie in the sky right now, but it needs to start somewhere.
We've needed someone to point out the emperor's new clothes that is the "Fair and Balanced" Fox News for some time now. This is a start. A lot could come of it.
Or, the Washington insiders will sigh about how "partisan" everything has become, and the status quo will remain. But at least Edwards and Obama refusing to legitimize Fox is a start.
April 9, 2007 5:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
Their audience is older?
I'm curious--is there information on geographical characteristics in ratings information? Does anyone know this?
If their audience is trending older, that may explain the voting preferences of Fox audiences--who were more Republican than the typical Republican voter, if I'm remembering this information correctly.
April 9, 2007 5:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
I enjoy it when wingnuts complain and ask me how'd I'd like it if Republicans refused to have anything to do with media outlets other than FOX. I say here's the knife fellas and there's your nose. Have at it.
April 9, 2007 5:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Interesting, jpspencer, what you said about FOX news skewing older.
I'll never forget when my 76-year old step-mother said, "There's someone you might enjoy watching. He's very fair-minded, I think. You should check him out.
His name is Bill O'Reilly."
That's the first time I ever figured maybe I shoulda been an actress, what with my calm demeanor and quiet, "Oh, that's okay, dear..."
April 9, 2007 8:45 PM | Reply | Permalink