Latest Faux Outrage: ABC's Access to President Obama

I spent a lot of the last eight years being absolutely baffled by politics. I don't mean that I couldn't follow it, or didn't understand what was going on. I just couldn't wrap my head around exactly how some of the big stories of the day played out like they did.

Say President Bush said something stupid. Initially, the news networks might report the stupid thing he said. Then, a larger story might be made about him being taken out of context--even if the full context was used. Then, FOX "News" (or talk radio, or both) might make the story about the evil librul media, who is distorting the words of the President. And that would become the story! And this is just a harmless example. More often, it would be a far more easily proven and more serious matter, being spun despite audio and video evidence to the contrary.

While this sort of thing is no longer quite as common, it is still happening to this day. Take for example the faux outrage about ABC News getting "unprecedented access" to the Obama White House. First, you must take as a given that this is a bad thing. But then, you have to believe that "unprecedented" means "it's happened before, but this is worse." Somehow.

We're supposed to forget the lavish infomercial for President Bush's legacy FOX "News" did back in 2008. That was unprecedented access to the President. We're also supposed to forget FOX's cheerleading for the Bush Administration practically 24/7 for eight years. If there was ever a popaganda organ for the White House, FOX "News" would qualify in every way. Try reading the following headline without bursting into laughter.

[Excerpt]



Rove: I’m Horrified That A News Network Would Be A ‘Cooperating Partner’ Of The White House

On Wednesday, Fox News’ Sean Hannity brought on former Bush White House adviser Karl Rove to gripe about ABC’s upcoming “Questions for the President: Prescription for America,” which will feature President Obama answering “questions offered by audience members ’selected by ABC News who have divergent opinions‘” on health care. Rove called it “unprecedented access to the White House and more importantly an unprecedented use of the White House. . .”

Read more at: Think Progress