Group calls on Dems to leave Fox debate out in cold

[babylonsister]

http://alternet.org/blogs/peek/50198/

Group calls on Dems to leave Fox debate out in cold

Posted by Evan Derkacz at 11:01 AM on April 5, 2007.

"If the KKK... had a cable news network, would it be appropriate to collaborate with them?"

The 75,000 strong Color of Change organization's efforts to urge the Congressional Black Caucus not to host a Democratic presidential debate with Fox have thus far been futile. The group argues that Fox News "consistent marginaliz... Black leaders and the Black community." The video is HERE (at link) for those who aren't convinced.

Now, joined by Jesse Jackson and a bevy of publications and bloggers, ColorofChange is urging the DNC, which sanctions only six Democratic debates, to sanction the CBC/CNN debate and not the CBC/Fox partnership.

That would effectively make it an unofficial debate.

ColorofChange has all the quotes here, but below I cherry-pick:

*"FOX moderating a presidential debate on issues of importance to Black Americans is literally letting the Fox guard the henhouse – FOX should be rejected." -- Jesse Jackson

*"Fox News is not a 'fair and balanced' source of information or political debate, and it has repeatedly proven itself hostile to the interests of Black Americans... Case in point: Fox's recent sustained stain campaign against presidential candidate Barack Obama-they place undue emphasis on his middle name 'Hussein,' say he went to a fundamentalist Islamic school and question his religious affiliation, suggestively characterizing his church as having 'unusual doctrines.' And the network's framing and interpretation of Black (and Brown) issues and culture are often bigoted and lacking in any attempt to truly understand and present a fair picture." -- Afro American Newspapers Editorial

*"Anyone who has been watching the news the past few years should know that Fox News is nothing but a right-wing platform for conservative Republicans. So if that's the case, why were the Democrats even thinking about holding a debate on Fox News in Nevada? I understand the whole idea of reaching out to the other side, but Fox News is not just the other side. They are the opposition. It's one thing to debate Bill O'Reilly or the Fox News anchors. Everybody knows what's going on there. It's another thing to give Fox News a forum it doesn't already have where they can pretend to be 'fair and balanced.' But if the Democratic Party gets it, why doesn't the Congressional Black Caucus?" -- Keith Boykin, blogger and former Clinton official

*"Please help us Lord." -- Superspade

*"If the Ku Klux Klan or Council of Conservative Citizens had a cable news network, would it be appropriate to collaborate with them on hosting presidential debates, particularly when one of the candidates is black, a CBC member and a consistent target of the network's hatred and misinformation?" -- Jack and Jill Politics

[Ganja Ninja]

1. Why do the Democrats keep doing this?

FOX is the enemy. Do not give them any sense of legitimacy what so ever. Leave them to their Republican masters. Boycott them completely.

[in_cog_ni_to]

3. Ditto!

No Democrat should EVER appear on that network. Letting them host a debate is beyond stupid.

[BuyingThyme]

2. Jesus Lord, why don't Dems understand what Fox is?

[MindPilot]

4. on the other hand, Fox is the only place a lot of people get their "news"

It's not a matter of "reaching out to the other side" it's a matter of getting our message in front of as many eyeballs as possible. A debate on FOX would be the only way many would ever hear or see a Democrat not being derided by a "news" anchor.

[babylonsister]

5. It's the derision by the Faux talking heads which undoubtedly will

follow the debate that concerns people.

[mitchtv]

7. also "when did you stop beating your wife?" questions

substance will take a back seat to scandal.

[hwmnbn]

6. They will be derided by the pre and post....

commentary. They will have the director's choice of camera angles, cut-away shots, editing capabilities, and ultimately control of rebroadcast content. That is too much power to give them. You are handing them the editing knife to cut you in any direction they want.

Fox news will NEVER give the dems "fair and balanced" coverage. LOOK AT THEIR TRACK RECORD.

The dem message to those eyeballs will be transmitted thru the repug filter. That is NOT good.

I say a complete dem boycott of Fox is the way to go.

[MindPilot]

9. You are right of course, But it's damned if they do; damned if they don't

so they might as well do. Fox will do all that stuff and probably more, but I see no advantage in handing them an additional "Democrats are pussy fagots too cowardly to come on our network" club to beat us with.

[Rosemary2205]

8. IMHO anyone who's sole source of "news" is Fox is beyond reaching.

I doubt there's even 1 chance in hell any Democrat could get a vote from those people.