Video: Fox’s “Four years of hope and change”; Update: “Not authorized at the senior executive level of the network”
posted at 1:21 pm on May 30, 2012 by Ed Morrissey
I don’t disagree with much, if anything, in this video presented earlier today on Fox & Friends. Neither, I suspect, will many of our readers. But does this make anyone uncomfortable at all in regard to its source? Via Greg Hengler, here is a four-minute Fox News retrospective on Hope and Change:
Note that F&F isn’t just playing a campaign ad or a YouTube spot from an outside political action committee. Nor does this come from the production company of one of its opinion-program hosts. The video starts with “Fox and Friends Presents” on the screen, making this an explicit argument from the news channel itself.
Should a news organization produce and publish attack ads like this? I know the initial response will be that other news organizations offer biased perspectives and hagiographies of Obama that go well beyond a single video … and that response is entirely valid. However, we usually criticize that kind of behavior with other news organizations, too. If anyone wanted to look for evidence that the overall Fox News organization intends to campaign against Obama rather than cover the campaign, this video would be difficult to refute as evidence for that claim.
Of course, that doesn’t mean that outside groups and the Romney campaign shouldn’t consider producing something like this on their own. It makes a pretty powerful argument against another four years of Barack Obama, but that shouldn’t be the job of news-reporting organizations, even when we like the message.
Update: Looks like Fox News pulled the video. I’ll see if they repost it.
Update II: I posted the YouTube of it instead.
Update III, 4:25 PM: I had to put this post aside for a while to work on other stories and my show, but a couple of people tweeted me that Fox Nation still had the video up. The main page has it as its headline post, but when you click on the link, it’s dead. Furthermore, the embed video died about 10 minutes after I wrote this post, and I searched the Fox News video site for another 10-15 minutes and could not find it at all there.
Update IV: Twitter follower Jon Eisenberg found a live link at Fox for the video, so I’ll repost it in this update:
One last point: Several people in the comments argue that F&F is an opinion show, and that this is therefore fair game. That would certainly be true if they wanted to play ads run by other organizations as part of their commentary. My point is that this ad was produced by Fox News itself, and it’s clearly intended to campaign against Obama. That’s the problem with this video, and I think it was ill-advised by Fox to have produced and published it. If CBS News produced a four-minute video extolling all of Obama’s accomplishments, or a four-minute video with this dramatic music and animation ripping Romney for his years in Massachusetts and at Bain Capital, we’d be screaming our heads off, and rightly so.
Update V: TV Newser got a statement from Fox VP Bill Shine that hints at some disciplinary action:
“The package that aired on FOX & Friends was created by an associate producer and was not authorized at the senior executive level of the network. This has been addressed with the show’s producers.”
We’ll see; so far, it’s still up on the network’s website.
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Jeez. Guess I won’t send you my résumé.
But you’re missing the point I’m trying to make (unsuccessfully of course). I’m perfectly willing to laugh at Obama, but I voted for the other guys (and gal).
My sense of humor (or lack thereof) is not the issue. The issue is Alinsky tactics against people that are not ashamed of what we consider “bad” behavior. The leftists are proud of the IRS targeting Tea Party groups. They are proud of Candy Crawley lying during a debate for Obama. They love this stuff.
Instead of attacking me personally, why not actually show me a demonstration of Alinsky tactics being sucessfully used against leftists. Or if there are no real world examples, how about a hypothetical.
happytobehere on May 20, 2013 at 5:27 PM
What a moronic comment and commenter!
Schadenfreude on May 20, 2013 at 5:28 PM
You are a vulture, a ghoul, trying to use the deaths of children to divert attention from Obama’s crimes, which include the deaths of hundreds, if not thousands, of Mexican civilians, including children, from all the ObamaGuns from Obama’s Gun Running Merchant of Death Program, his Rolling 9/11 against Mexico.
VorDaj on May 20, 2013 at 5:29 PM
stingray is desperately trying to practice the politics of distraction because it worked in the past. Let him think it still works while this administration takes a pounding and the left turns on itself before our eyes.
Daemonocracy on May 20, 2013 at 5:30 PM
stingray9813 on May 20, 2013 at 5:00 PM
You sound like a scared Obamaton.
Schadenfreude on May 20, 2013 at 5:30 PM
stingray9813 on May 20, 2013 at 5:00 PM
carrion-consuming azzhole
Schadenfreude on May 20, 2013 at 5:31 PM
It appears the prosecutors’ statements about Rosen having potentially committed a crime were aimed at allowing them to proceed through use of a search warrant rather than a grand jury subpoena or other means.
It appears that a judge bought this lie without a shred of evidence.
Unless this judge puts the liar(s) in jail for a good long period under a contempt charge Congress should defund that court.
RJL on May 20, 2013 at 5:32 PM
I don’t think you’re making a point. I think you’re imaging demons where there are none. Being critical of the MSM is not equal to wishing the MSM’s rights were violated or restricted. Being critical is just another part of the 1st Amendment.
NotCoach on May 20, 2013 at 5:33 PM
You should learn to read. The ‘crime’ that Rosen supposedly committed is soliciting classified information from Kim. In other words, the judge found probable cause that something that isn’t a crime, happened.
rightmind on May 20, 2013 at 5:43 PM
Yeap that’s why the world today is ruled by total evil. That’s why the Nazi’s are moving into LA and the communists are taking options on a nice Tampa location. Evil is always destroyed because it destroys itself. It is the nature of evil to eat its own. Even now you can see it occurring in the WH. The press sec is trying to tell people the POTUS knew nothing about it but the consul and tresury did and didn’t tell him. How long do you think it will take for those “fall guys” to give the POTUS up? Sooner or later one of them turns and gives the information to deepthroat. Evil looks out for itself and by doing so it losses in the end. They turn on each other. It always happens. Why? who knows. it may survive for a time when the good do nothing but once good starts to fight evil it ends. Look at any evil regime or evil human activity. Slavary, facism, communism, fuedalism they all destoryed themselves. Sure some lasted for a while others lasted for a blip of time. But in the end they lose. The more good people fights the evil the quicker it ends.
This isn’t sci-fi this is human history. This is the way the world works.
unseen on May 20, 2013 at 5:46 PM
Wait… Are you suggesting they aren’t?
Sure. Different people, but the same ideology IS / has.
Just stealthily, not by the force of arms.
LegendHasIt on May 20, 2013 at 5:50 PM
Yep, me and any moron stupid enough to reply.
Capitalist Hog on May 20, 2013 at 6:31 PM
Why weeks to find this out?
Schadenfreude on May 20, 2013 at 6:42 PM
My wife did some e-mail with Rosen, then noticed that get LinkedIn was visited by DHS
J_Crater on May 20, 2013 at 7:13 PM
I am going to address this in a way you probably won’t like, but that’s not my concern here.
You are a person who suffers from “‘Why?‘ Well, because I say so!” What good advice could someone like you give to a person who’s forced to deal with abusive addicts in denial? Personally, I don’t believe you’d have a clue about such a situation…I think you have a snarky, negative, hopeless & joyless attitude which does not lend itself to creativity nor problem-solving, and I believe that until you can figure out on your own why Alinsky believed in the truth of his Rule #5, there is no common ground between us for discussion on how to best counter leftards.
PS I want give you credit for something – I don’t believe you are a jerk! :)
Anti-Control on May 20, 2013 at 7:40 PM
Can’t say I disagree with anything you wrote. I’m quite joyless about this stuff, I admit. I doubt I’ll be too in your way as you joyfully knock down the Dems and take back the country.
I do understand the concept of “projection”. I do understand that Alinsky probably hated being mocked or whatever. I’m sure that is why he utilized this tactic. What I’m trying to say, and if you have an example of this please provide it, is that I have no knowledge of an actual demonstration of mockery working against the immoral Left. If someone is utterly without scruples how do mock them successfully? It’s easy for a community organizer to ridicule a well meaning local business etc. because the business actually means well! They don’t want to be thought of as horrible people. I think the Left likes to be thought of as horrible, I don’t think it dissuades them, quite the contrary.
But I do actually appreciate the continuous criticism of me personally. I would rather be upbeat about our future as a nation. That’s why I ask about this stuff. Probably a better way to help me be more upbeat is to cite some examples of Alinsky 5 working against the left.
happytobehere on May 20, 2013 at 8:39 PM
“Holder knows where the proverbial bodies are buried…”
He knows where the real bodies are buried, too.
lobo603 on May 20, 2013 at 9:42 PM
So basically, you just come here to treat people in a manner you don’t have the nerve to display in person? And thanks for pointing out the anonymity. Who knew?
Cindy Munford on May 20, 2013 at 9:53 PM
The Obama administration is absolutely right – this scandal is NOTHING like Watergate / Nixon’s scandal…
OBAMA’S SCANDAL DWRFS NIXON’S WATERGATE!
Bring in a bus, & march out in an orange-jumpsuit-clad, ankle & wrist chain-sporting line Obama, Holder, Miller, & anyone else involved – put them on the bus, & take them straight to a federal pen!
I will continue to say it – Obama is an ‘enemy of the state’, an enemy to the Constitution, to the rule of law, & is a criminal — anything allowed in order to push his agenda.
easyt65 on May 21, 2013 at 9:40 AM
It is the COVER-UP that ‘kills’ ya!
Fast & Furious was Obama’s 1st serious FAILURE, & like someone who is more interested in avoiding a personally/politically damaging problem Obama spent his effort hiding/covering it up rather than being open about it & attempting to rectify the problem. The COVER-UP STILL CONTINUES.
It is the COVER-UP that ‘kills’ ya!
Benghazi was yet ANOTHER Obama FAILURE…but this time it was a case of a plan’s ‘execution failure’. Benghazi was a series of either ignorant or planned (D@mn-near criminal) decision-making. Trusting AL QAEDA-BACKED rebels to protect our Ambassador/Americans – especially after 2 previous terrorist attacks, even if a case of stupidity would be a CRIMINAL case of stupidity. Being ‘awol’ during the whole attack, modifying the CIA talking points a dozen times, sending Rice out to the talk shows, making up the story about the vide, refusing to send help…all of these were calculated DECISIONS. They may have been ignorant decisions, but they were decisions just the same. And make no mistake, the cover-up was all about protecting Obama’s re-election chances & Hillary’s 2016 chances. The COVER UP STILL CONTINUES.
You are a product of where you are from & who your friends/associates are.
The IRS Scandal — it’s about an ‘enemies’ list, about intimidation, threats, punishment, control, wiping out the competition. It’s the ‘Chicago Way’. It’s also the Socialist (Frank Marshall Davis / Saul Alynski) Way. It is the Jeremiah Wright hate-spewing, Anti-American Communist-based Black Liberation Theology Church way! It is the way of a man who did not try to hide who he was when he TOLD Americans before the 2008 election that he would fundamentally change the the U.S. It is the way of the man who openly, proudly adopted the historically-documented Soccialist Icon & slogan of ‘Forward’ as his own during the 2nd election.
Obama has proven he is an Enemy of the State, an Enemy to the Constitution, to the Rule of Law, to what this nation stands for, has always stood for. He may have been born in America, but he is no AMERICAN! There is a VERY big difference! For example: Someone BORN in America declares they have NEVER BEEN PROUD OF THEIR COUNTRY, the way Michelle Obama did – an AMERICAN doesn’t do that!
For the sake of his own ‘reign’ Obama cast aside once again the Constitution and our laws to TARGET Americans, to prey upon them rather than protect them & their rights! AMERICAN leaders do not prey upon the American people! Obama may be the American President but he is no AMERICAN President!
easyt65 on May 21, 2013 at 10:14 AM
I’m sure it’s let’s make a deal time in the Democratic camp right now.
lea on May 21, 2013 at 10:45 AM
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