The next Democratic President should decalre war on Fox News

[bluestateguy]

There is no constitutional right to to press access, and we have a lot of media outlets in this country anyway. Fox News needs to be taught a lesson, as they have accumulated too much power and influence. It is much more powerful now than it was during the Clinton Administration.

My suggestion for the next Democratic President: cut off Fox News from White House communications entirely. Take away their White House press access, instruct all Cabinet secretaries, White House aides and congressional Democrats to shun Fox News. Finally, stick the FCC on Fox like a swarm of bees.

Even if such actions generate some sympathy for FOX, the result will be that more people will assume that FOX's coverage of a Democratic Administration must be slanted because they have a grudge. Gradually FOX will be pushed out of the mainstream of news.

[Muddleoftheroad]

1. The next Democratic president

Should immediately alienate all the media and pave the way for an early impeachment.

Oh, sorry, THAT is what you said.

Fox News is the enemy, granted, but you still have to deal with them or risk pissing off the entire media.

[sendero]

5. how much worse...

... could they get? I agree with the original poster.

Those who think you can fight fire with a feather duster have not been paying attention.

[Muddleoftheroad]

12. A lot more

You don't understand the media if you support this. Even LEFT WING journalists would turn against us with these tactics. This idea comes from the self-immolation playbook.

[CarlBallard]

2. No

We need to craft our arguments so that even nutjobs who watch Fox can understand what we're saying. I also don't like the idea of someone in government denying a news network coverage because they don't like how they're portraying events. I think that'll work against us in the long run (and the shor run) and anyway it just doesn't sit well.

[CatholicEdHead]

3. Wrong

Wrong, it will not work. Censoring Fox will not work. It will only set up a future where all left of center leaning outlets can be shut out.

They have to be seen as having no creditbility. They are doing a good job by themselves recently.

If anything we have to bring back the media "Fairness Doctorine". Force all stations to give equal time like in England now.

[mitchum]

6. You're right-"...bring back the media Fairness Doctrine"

Hey, welcome

[ewagner]

10. Agree

Welcome...although I'm still a relative newbie myself....:toast:

I agree that would be the wrong tone. It would only give the RW conspiracy theorists amunition to use against us. Hell, they already think there is a secret "liberal agenda" that we're trying to impose on the rest of the country.

What I think we really need is a good solid corps of articulate talking heads who can go on fox and Clear Channel outlets and pound our views home over the raucus voices of the RW commentators.

Thoughts?

[Dehumanizer]

4. No, I believe in a free press.

I don't care if it's a fair network or Fox News, the bottom line is that we must let all opinions/interpretations be heard. I hate Fox, but there's really nothing you can do about it.

[bluestateguy]

7. Fox is free to be on the air and say whatever they want

I will fight to the death for their right to be on the air.

But they do not have a "right" to a White House press pass, or a "right" to sources in the Administration, or a "right" to attend the White House Christmas party.

[julka]

8. there are more :"subtle" ways to achieve the goals you mention

access is the game for these hookers, and it's easy to single out individual reporters and networks.

look how Andrea Mitchell squawked about not getting Armitage to talk, when he was on Fox. they stonewalled her badly, and some say that's why she's actually doing some reporting for a change.

gotta watch the hubris, though.

let's hope Howard Fineman is correct, for the first time, on that one.

[Melsky]

9. Just hold a big fat press conference

and expose all the Fox bs. Call them on it. Have fox at the press conference. Fight faux with facts!

[Jack Rabbit]

11. Go ahead and slma them, but be subtle about it

I agree with those on this thread who believe that such an overt display of ill will will backfire.

Fox is no more a news network than Hustler is an art magazine. But it more easily passes in disguise. Let them have their place at the table. Then serve them the scraps.

[Classical_Liberal]

13. We are supposed to be like Tony Blair accoring to the DLC

and other insider dems. That means we should like Murdoch's butt.