Say Anything Blog

Which Fox is perfectly happy about.  As Allah notes, “Being number one on the White House enemies list must be worth millions in free publicity.”

Television critic (and liberal) David Zurawik is drawing parallels between the Obama administration’s treatment of Fox and Nixonian paranoia:

I have been writing for several months about how thin skinned the White House has been about press criticism — especially when it comes to the Fox News Channel. I have compared the current administration to the White House of Richard Nixon and Spiro Agnew, and believe me, I did not do that lightly. Nixon-Agnew was a very dark time for the First Amendment. ...

This campaign by the Obama administration is dangerous to press freedom, and it should concern everyone in the press, not just Fox. If you want to get a sense of little regard Team Obama has for the press in general, check out this “Time” magazine article. You have to wonder who else is on this administration’s enemies list.

I think concerns about the freedom of the press and an administration that is clearly intent on bullying (despite some of the most glowing, fawning coverage from the media that any President has enjoyed) are valid and well-made, but I just don’t understand the stupidity behind this.

Declaring war on Fox News like this is only going to galvanize Fox’s position as the voice of the opposition.  If Obama doesn’t like Fox’s treatment of his policies and administration he should shrug his shoulders and deal with it.  That’s how things work in a free society.  But trying to freeze out journalists you don’t like?  That’s patently unfair, and would be a dangerous precedent for any President to set Republican or Democrat.

The Obama administration’s war on Rush Limbaugh hasn’t ended well.  Limbaugh has higher ratings now than ever.  The left’s attempt to boycott Glenn Beck out of existence hasn’t worked.  Beck is more popular now than ever.  The left’s attacks on Sarah Palin haven’t worked out later.  She’s enjoying a level of popularity and esteem that even this Palin admirer will admit is probably beyond what she’s actually earned.

Just stop whining, liberals.  There are people in the world who disagree with you, and you can’t (and shouldn’t try) to silence them.