White House: What is this Fairness Doctrine of which you speak?
posted at 2:47 pm on February 18, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
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I guess the question of Obama administration policy on the Fairness Doctrine depends on which aide one asks. After getting vacillation from press secretary Robert Gibbs and top adviser David Axelrod, a more junior member of the Obama team insisted that Obama still opposes a return of the Fairness Doctrine:
President Obama opposes any move to bring back the so-called Fairness Doctrine, a spokesman told FOXNews.com Wednesday.
The statement is the first definitive stance the administration has taken since an aide told an industry publication last summer that Obama opposes the doctrine — a long-abolished policy that would require broadcasters to provide opposing viewpoints on controversial issues.
“As the president stated during the campaign, he does not believe the Fairness Doctrine should be reinstated,” White House spokesman Ben LaBolt said.
I’d like to hear a little more about Obama’s opposition to reimposition of FD on talk radio. Would he block such a move by Congress with a veto? Or would he replace an FCC commissioner who attempted to reimpose it?
That’s not an academic question. We have had several members of Congress talk approvingly of reimposing equal-time requirements on talk radio, including Senators Tom Harkin, Debbie Stabenow, and Representatives Maurice Hinchey and Dennis Kucinich, among others. Just in the last two weeks, we have seen a veritable avalanche of support from Capitol Hill for the Fairness Doctrine or its equivalent.
The latter is probably the real risk. Obama opposes the Fairness Doctrine, because as he said last summer, it distracts from ownership diversification and other issues like net neutrality that would presumably deliver the same result, only in another guise. I’d like to hear that the White House will actively oppose any attempts to regulate political content on broadcast airwaves. That kind of a statement would make it much harder for a later climbdown from Team Obama.
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Listen to Glenn Beck. He has a pretty good idea how this will take shape. Of course, the won’t call it the Fairness Doctrine. They’ll use some other euphemism so it won’t seem to impinge on our freedom of speech. . . but it will be worse than the FD.
DrStock on February 18, 2009 at 4:38 PM
there is a loophole big enough for a semi to drive thru this if anyone cares to look at it. A Jr. WH press weenie saying that his Unicorned Obamic Majesty (pbuh) “does not believe” the FD should return is not the same as saying Obama will make sure it doesnt happpen.
News item, circa January 2010: “WH spokesdrone Ben LaBolt said today that there was no contradiction between his February 2009 statement and the legislation signed by the President last night fully re-instating the so-called ‘Fairness doctrine.’ ‘Look at what I said back then,’ La Bolt said yesterday. ‘I said that Obama didnt believe back then that the FD should be brought back. I didnt say that he would do anything to stop it, wingnuts.’”
Mike D. on February 18, 2009 at 4:44 PM
It’s just SUCH a glaring example of Obama’s dishonesty. “I am opposed to the Fairness Doctrin”. KNOWING that he’s going to accomplish the same effect with localization, licensing, etc.
marklmail on February 18, 2009 at 4:45 PM
Just words.
Wingo on February 18, 2009 at 4:47 PM
Faster than any president I’ve seen yet.
Durham68 on February 18, 2009 at 4:49 PM
It truly is a shame that the left demonized the word “chimpy” to speak about GWB because with those ears, the filthy liar truly is a man who should be called “chimpy” and that picture on this thread shows that he isn’t even the smartest chimp in the zoo.
highhopes on February 18, 2009 at 4:56 PM
Thank you, Treacher and Jammie.
myrenovations on February 18, 2009 at 5:00 PM
RACIST!!
right2bright on February 18, 2009 at 5:01 PM
Word is, he doesn’t listen. He only swaggers around like George Jefferson and trumpets he won to all who challenge him into thinking a little harder than usual. I haven’t seen a hint of compromise in the son-of-a-bitch.
RepubChica on February 18, 2009 at 5:05 PM
Perhaps we would know more of Obama’s feelings on the Fairness Doctrine if he would stay in the White house long enough to tell us. He was in Arizona today and I heard he’s going to Canada next week.
What is up with that?
becki51758 on February 18, 2009 at 5:21 PM
Perhaps we would know more of Obama’s feelings on the Fairness Doctrine if he would stay in the White house long enough to tell us. He was in Arizona today and I heard he’s going to Canada next week.
What is up with that?
becki51758 on February 18, 2009 at 5:21 PM
It’s just another day in the life of Obama’s four year, taxpayer funded party. Er- I mean his four year, taxpayer funded, Presidential Lark.
anniekc on February 18, 2009 at 5:25 PM
Leadership we can believe in!!
becki51758 on February 18, 2009 at 5:32 PM
Well, if we are going down that road of having to ignore the filthy liar’s ears and resemblence to primates, then we should also be upset about the description of Obama graying while in office…. Clearly that suggests he’s getting more white the longer he is the liar-in-chief.
highhopes on February 18, 2009 at 5:36 PM
GWB took heat from the left for spending the month of August in Texas. That’s going to be the month that the filthy liar stays in DC and rests up from all the road trips.
highhopes on February 18, 2009 at 5:38 PM
Total bullsh*t. He wants it and will use ever manner of lingustic trickery and catspaws to get it.
rrpjr on February 18, 2009 at 5:52 PM
I wish President Obama a long and healthy life, but want him out of office ASAP! 2012 can’t come soon enough.
1/20/2012, the end of uhmm errr ahhh, an error.
M-14 2go on February 18, 2009 at 6:05 PM
Don’t anybody kid themselves: This stand has an expiration date also. Whether he outright changes direction on the Fairness Doctrine specifically or just orders the FCC to enforce “localism” or uses his ACORN groups to pressure stations out of business, it will happen.
PastorJon on February 18, 2009 at 6:09 PM
Obama also said he would not allow any lobbyist to work in his admin, we see how that’s working. Liar. Liar. Pants on Fire.
Posters (of students with duct tape over their mouths)should be posted in every dorm of every college.
TN Mom on February 18, 2009 at 6:50 PM
There are two postings today on Resistnet.com that are bone chilling.
One is a lady named joan who contacted her Town Board and Chief of Police concerning an economic crisis…..
The other posting concerns a Kenyan..Islamic takeover of America by Obama.
I know logically that these are just postings by anyone, but they give you the creeps…
nondhimmie on February 18, 2009 at 7:02 PM
I’m not trying to be the Henny-Penny to anyone’s Chicken little here, but this ain’t the seventies, folks. While the idea of government imposing their version of “balance” upon talk radio remains abhorrent to me and free thinkers the world ’round – we do have this thing called
. THEY CAN TAKE OUR MICROPHONES, BUT THEY WILL NEVER TAKE OUR OPINIONS!
malcolmania on February 18, 2009 at 7:26 PM
Ever hear of Hate Speech? Next on the agenda is Hate Thought. Pol Pot would be proud.
BobMbx on February 18, 2009 at 7:30 PM
I agree completely. But as long as the censorship is done under the guise of “policing the public airwaves”, there is not much that can be done, vice eliminating the FCC. Which, btw, wouldn’t be a bad idea. When the speech they don’t like moves to a media beyond their control like cable TV or satellite radio they first have to get through the hurdle of judiciary precedent. I suppose one way around the attempt to quash speech is to place a jar of urine on the desk during a show and talk about its meaning every now and then. Then you can claim yourself as an art show. Lord knows the libs love their art!
BobMbx on February 18, 2009 at 7:42 PM
My only consolation is the filthy liar can’t keep this up for four years without his true corruption and evil being self-evident. Even the propaganda of the MSM can’t hide the truth forever because the filthy liar and his crowd lack the subtlety required. They are going all out as quickly as possible. Sooner or later some of this will catch up to the filthy liar and screaming “racist” and “partisan” isn’t going to help the rat bastard traitor.
highhopes on February 18, 2009 at 7:49 PM
I heard on the radio I can’t remember where that basically they will use ACORN to do the dirty work. I think Obama knows he is the public face and power who says “Who me?” and they are the ones who will flood radio stations and town meetings and hearings to demand equal time. That 4 billion to ACORN will be used. They will get on the radio to talk about “poverty issues” then start to respond to their “critics” and then they will demand more and more air time to send out this message and respond to critics. Then if anyone dares challange them they are in for trouble becasue then they are trampling on rights and spreading discourse…. you get the picture. Meanhwile Obama isn’t involved with rspect to the FD.
Conan on February 18, 2009 at 10:09 PM
I wish someone would do one of those Alfred E. Neuman pics of Obama, with the caption, “Who, me?” and then under that a list of all the stuff he’s done and who actually did it.
Fairness Doctrine-FCC
Hiring Lobbyists-Emmanuel
No Bipartisanship-Harry Reid
No Transparency-Nancy Pelosi
Etc
Etc
Etc
It would make a great poster
gordo on February 19, 2009 at 12:18 AM
Of course he opposes the Fairness Doctrine; he supports the creation of local community boards to insure diversity of ownership and subject matter for the public good. That it’s the functional equivalent of the Fairness Doctrine is beside the point. It’s just not the Fairness Doctrine. Once you’ve learned to parse words under Bill Clinton it becomes really easy to translate these things.
Fred 2 on February 19, 2009 at 2:22 AM
That kind of a statement would make it much harder for a later climbdown from Team Obama.
I swear, Ed, you still don’t get it. Must be your eternal optimism. Do let us know when all your hopes and dreams for Obama’s shining presidency lie crushed and broken at your feet. I look forward to mocking your pain. And if I’m wrong…hell, what am I saying?
SKYFOX on February 19, 2009 at 5:40 AM
YOu cant believe anything comming out of any liberals mouth..
Obama is both a liberal and a laywer..
What the heck do you expect?
Honesty
The truth
good intentions
Following that pesky document called the constitution?
What are you Frigging insane?
jcila on February 19, 2009 at 3:29 PM
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