Look at Valerie Jarrett Fold on Fox News
By Bronwyn's Harbor on October 28, 2009 at 7:45 PM in Current Affairs
Ably assisted by Rabble Rouser Reverend Amy.
Obama’s BFF, or, as Vogue called her, “Barrack’s Rock,” Valerie Jarrett, is continuing the White House’s attack on Fox News. Check out this exchange with Campbell Brown (bonus points if you catch the conundrum when Jarrett is asked about MSNBC!):
More and more media are taking the White House to task for its wholly unfair attempts to censor Fox News. This time it’s the Baltimore Sun‘s TV critic David Zurawik in his newspaper blog post, “Another bad moment for White House in war on Fox.” Laudably, Zurawik gives kudos to his commenters’ observations, and makes a critically important point about a historically key phrase that Jarrett abused:
I see many commenters mocking Jarrett’s use of the phrase “speaking truth to power.” Yes, I agree, it deserves to be ridiculed in this context. What’s the great power the White House is fearlessly standing up to — a cable channel? I think such a phrase from our collective past that has real resonance because it was once loaded with such intergrity, moral authority and wisdom when first uttered, is cheapened when used in such a blantantly and inappropriate political context. Thanks for noticing, folks.
Here’s the beginning of Zurawik’s column:
The White House keeps up its attack on Fox News as biased in this video with Valerie Jarrett, another senior adviser to President Obama making the claim. But watch how fast Jarrett folds when CNN anchor Campbell Brown asks her if pro-administration MSNBC isn’t just as biased. MSNBC is one of the giant holes in the administration’s argument that Fox isn’t a “real” news organization and should be ostracized. Worse, the administration’s acceptance of MSNBC and attack on Fox show how intellectually inconsistent and hypocritical the White House is willing to be in trying to bully the press and shut down criticism. …
Why the White House persists in making this losing argument is anybody’s guess. … And kudos to Brown and CNN for taking the journalistic high road and asking such questions rather than remaining silent on the matter and trying to take advantage of the White House attack on a competitor. ….
The only thing I’ve been able to figure out is that the White House thinks it has such a monster bully pulpit that it can so influence citizens that they will begin to feel uncomfortable watching Fox News and listening to the likes of Rush Limbaugh.
If the White House has that almighty bully pulpit, it could make people ashamed of their news/opinion-gathering habits, and — heaven forbid — afraid to admit to anyone that they watch or listen to conservatives.
The problem with the White House’s message is that it is confusing. Only the primetime Fox shows are clearly conservative. The rest of the time, most Fox News reporting is a lot like any other network’s.
Then there’s the inherent insult in the White House’s message: That BIG BROTHER OBAMA has to protect us by warning us about what to watch and listen to. Hey. I’ve listened to Limbaugh off and on for years, and he’s never persuaded me one way or another.
Like Valerie Jarrett said, “Americans are smarter than that.” Yes we are, Ms. Jarrett.
As it turns out, I have a mind of my own, for pete’s sake. In fact, I often watch some MSNBC TV (but never Olbermann, yech) because it’s something different to take in. But they no more persuade me than Fox News does.
My hunch is that all of you have a mind of your own, too. We don’t need to be forcibly protected from certain forces in a free media by our government, the concept of which has its own resonance, and it is NOT a warm and fuzzy one.
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