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Paul pulled in NH
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Location: Blogs Broken News |
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| Posted by: Bill Thompson |
1/7/2008 4:47 PM |
Other than Shepard Smith giving the nightly news report, I gave up watching Fox News a few years ago. Once upon a time their "fair and balanced" mantra meant offering exposure to conservative voices that had been shunned by the big media outlets --- all part of the big liberal media conspiracy to rule the world that had worked out so swimmingly since until very recently, Republicans ruled Congress for a dozen years, boasted four of the last six occupants of the White House and dominated legislatures and governor's mansions across the country, except in the Northeast --- and that was a good thing.
In short, the more voices, the better.
But in the last couple of years, Fox has taken on the chore of shilling for the Bush administration, operating more like the White House propaganda machine than a bona fide news outlet. Other than illegal immigration, they found no reason to criticize a president who almost two-thirds of the country believe is doing a crappy job.
Fox's recent handling of Congressman Ron Paul only confirmed that my instincts were right. Paul is arguably the only "conservative" left in the race for the GOP presidential nomination, a moniker that has been so bastardized by George Bush's ideological drive and alliance with and support from the neocons that it teeters on the brink of irrelevance. And Paul assuredly is the only one in either party who strenuously and repeatedly calls for abiding by the Constitution, and living under the limited government it established, that has allowed our wonderful country to flourish for nearly 220 years.
Yet Fox refused to include Paul in the New Hampshire debate the network sponsored on Sunday, prompting the New Hampshire Republican Party to pull its sponsorship of that event. Fox's stated reason was its makeshift studio couldn't accommodate Paul and Congressman Duncan Hunter, who was also excluded.
New Hampshire GOP chief Fergus Cullen said in a statement, "The first-in-the-nation New Hampshire primary serves a national purpose by giving all candidates an equal opportunity on a level playing field. Only in New Hampshire do lesser known, lesser funded underdogs have a fighting chance to establish themselves as national figures. Consistent with that tradition, we believe all recognized major candidates should have an equal opportunity to participate in pre-primary debates and forums."
“The New Hampshire Republican Party believes Congressmen Ron Paul and Duncan Hunter should be included in the FOX forum on Sunday evening. While we understand that FOX News continues to move forward it is with regret, the New Hampshire Republican Party hereby withdraws as a partner in this forum.”
Good for the Cullen and the New Hampshire Republicans.
For years, conservatives whined about being shut out by the major media to the point they created their own outlets, with Fox News being the most recognizable among them.
Now Fox rejects Ron Paul, a guy who A) raised $20 million last quarter (nearly as much as Hillary), B) got triple the votes of Rudy, Fox's anointed candidate, in Iowa, and C) outpolls Fred Thompson, who was invited to Fox's debate and even sends out hitmen to bad mouth him because they want to censor his message --- one that happens to disagree with the overall neocon message Fox promotes.
In fairness to Fox News, ABC News also excluded Paul and other candidates from the debate it sponsored. That's expected, as well as gutless and wrong, too. But it only proves that Fox has become what they used to hate.
Here's hoping Ron Paul smokes the field in NH. |
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Re: Paul pulled in NH |
By Wolfgang on
1/10/2008 5:16 PM |
| Excellent commentary, and points well made, Mr. Thompson. Thank you. |
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