Fox News' Viewpoint "Destructive" for U.S. Growth, Obama Says

President Obama weighed in on Fox News in a recent interview with Rolling Stone

/ CBS

In this month's cover story for Rolling Stone magazine, President Obama weighs in on the cable network Fox News, saying that while he can't object to the network carrying out its constitutional right to freedom of the press, he thinks it promotes a perspective that is "ultimately destructive for the long-term growth" of America.

"Look, as president, I swore to uphold the Constitution, and part of that Constitution is a free press," Obama laughed, in response to a question from Rolling Stone publisher Jann Wenner about whether or not Fox News was "a good institution for America and for democracy."

"We've got a tradition in this country of a press that oftentimes is opinionated. The golden age of an objective press was a pretty narrow span of time in our history. Before that, you had folks like Hearst who used their newspapers very intentionally to promote their viewpoints," Mr. Obama said. "I think Fox is part of that tradition -- it is part of the tradition that has a very clear, undeniable point of view."

Mr. Obama, whose relationship with the cable network has in the past been rocky -- former White House communications director Anita Dunn at one point called it "the communications arm of the Republican party" -- made no concessions in regard to his dissatisfaction for the content of the network's coverage.

"It's a point of view that I disagree with," Mr. Obama said in the interview. "It's a point of view that I think is ultimately destructive for the long-term growth of a country that has a vibrant middle class and is competitive in the world."

"But as an economic enterprise," Mr. Obama conceded, "it's been wildly successful. And I suspect that if you ask Mr. Murdoch what his number-one concern is, it's that Fox is very successful."

Indeed, a recent Politico/George Washington University Battleground Poll revealed that the influence of Fox News on American voters runs deep: In a survey of 1,000 registered "likely" voters polled in September, 81 percent said they relied on cable news channels like Fox, CNN, and MSNBC as a source of political information. Of that 81 percent, 42 percent said they were mainly getting their information from Fox, while only 30 percent named CNN as their primary source of information, and 12 percent said they mainly watched MSNBC.

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The poll also indicated that many voters disagree with Mr. Obama on the impact that Fox commentators have on American political debate:

Forty-nine percent of those polled said they thought Bill O'Reilly had a positive impact on political discourse, 38 percent said the same of Glenn Beck, and 36 percent of Rush Limbaugh. Only 5 percent of respondents had not heard of Rush Limbaugh, and 12 percent were unfamiliar with Bill O'Reilly.

In contrast, Rachel Maddow - a leading liberal commentator and host of MSNBC's Rachel Maddow show - received only an 18 percent approval rating in terms of her impact on American political discourse.

Fifty-five percent of respondents had never heard of her.

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Lucy Madison is a political reporter for CBSNews.com. You can read more of her posts here. Follow Hotsheet on Facebook and Twitter.

[Dave_P6]

"People ask me, 'What are you going to do to develop jobs in your state?' Well, that's not my job as a U.S. senator." - Sharron Angle, May 14, 2010*****DEMOCRATS: PLEASE GET OUT AND VOTE FOR DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES IN THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS AND TELL YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS TO DO THE SAME...The polls show we have a fighting chance of keeping the majority in the Senate and the House: http://www.electoral-vote.com. Please don't let these victories slip away, vote this November!

[apuan777]

Toolbag

[cabarrusdotcom]

And slip they did, because of the apathetic attitude of our fellow Democrats. The party needs to move into the current century and use this marvelous tool called the Internet. Republicans are all over it; why aren't the Democrats? We have put another solid president in office and we need to get off our butts and support him or go on another nose dive.

[Rodeo_Joe]

One out of 5 Americans still believe the Sun revolves around the Earth.

The Weather Channel uses too many fancy words.

And then there's Fox, ... ( Twilight Zone Music fades in)

[Pinky212]

I tune into Fox when I want a good chuckle for the day. Much of what Beck says, especially, is humorous, and even more so because he actually acts like he believes what he's saying. Sometimes, though, I simply get to feeling like retching, and have to switch to another channel. Hannity's sarcasm and downright disrespectfulness is too horrifying to watch on a daily basis. I hope he's a praying person who gives thanks daily for the 1st Amendment. Without it, he likely just wouldn't exist anymore. Some people can only take just so much before their disgust turns to anger and then to rage. And we see daily what happens when people are rageful. Just watch Beck to get the idea. lol

[dezzyhunter]

Yah, Obama is too damn nice!

The only thing that Obama has to do in order to shut up the mouths of the Republicans at Fox is call Eric Holder's office and the F.B.I. and order them to deliver to his office Sophia Stewart's legal file regarding the theft of the Terminator movie franchise copyrights. Thereafter, Eric Holder can easily bring a lawsuit against Fox for RICO violations for stiffling competition and the theft of the "Terminator" movie franchise copyrights from the legal owner being Sophia Stewart. It will prove just how destructive Fox really is as a Monopoly.

Fox can't deny the theft of the "Terminator" movie copyrights, because Harlen Ellison's name is on the credits of the actual film, but his name is definately not on those copyrights. Obama can have Eric Holder order the F.B.I. to probe the Judge in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court of California regarding his failure to alert the government pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 4 regarding those Termiantor copyrights. If Obama did this it would cost Fox over $4 Billion.

That's how you make a fool shut the hell up.

[noloyalisti]

I like it, I think you could charge Fox Propaganda Channel with crimes against humanity. For keeping people so stupid they don't even know when rich people and big corporations are stealing from them. I'm surprised Fox Views watchers can even feed themselves.

Something like 3/4 of Fox viewers thought that Saddam Hussein was involved with Al Quada. Even after Bushoccio denied it on national TV. LOL, News for Dumb Fox.

[dezzyhunter]

Yah, Obama is too damn nice!

The only thing that Obama has to do in order to shut up the mouths of the Republicans at Fox is call Eric Holder's office and the F.B.I. and order them to deliver to his office Sophia Stewart's legal file regarding the theft of the Terminator movie franchise copyrights. Thereafter, Eric Holder can easily bring a lawsuit against Fox for RICO violations for stiffling competition and the theft of the "Terminator" movie franchise copyrights from the legal owner being Sophia Stewart. It will prove just how destructive Fox really is as a Monopoly.

Fox can't deny the theft of the "Terminator" movie copyrights, because Harlen Ellison's name is on the credits of the actual film, but his name is definately not on those copyrights. Thereafter, Eric Holder can issue marching orders to the F.B.I. to probe the Judge in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court of California regarding his failure to alert the government pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 4 regarding those Termiantor copyrights. If Obama did this it would cost Fox over $4 Billion.

That's how you make a fool shut the hell up!

[noloyalisti]

Fox Propaganda Channel: the Pravda for the right wing and the Top 2% and the fascist Republican Tea Bag Party.

Fox keeps you stupid.

[OIF_to_USC]

Hmmm, I guess the shoe can fit the other foot too? Seems Obama's viewpoint is even more destructive, and more costly, to the U.S. economy than anything FOX can say or do. Odd what some people will say when their back is to the wall.

[noloyalisti]

Where did you get that idea? The Republican under Bushoccio added $5 trillion to the national debt in 8 years and left a $1.4 trillion dollar deficit and a depression for Obama and the Dems.

[hdohio]

Beck and Limbaugh have a positive impact? Those people must have just put down their bongs before they answered the survey.

[frostedheat54]

Reading this news article made me laugh and shake my head. Obama wants to control anyone or anything that gets in his way or says any truth against him!! Fox News ROCKS!!!! Obama wants a control put on the Internet, states government, using the guise of terrorism, etc. Next, we will be paying taxes on when we breathe!!!! Wise up folks, or bow to the king of personality complexes!!!!!!