Fox News Boss Hits Edwards' Boycott

Roger Ailes Criticizes Presidential Hopeful's Decision To Skip Debate Co-Hosted By Fox News

(CBS/AP)  Fox News chief Roger Ailes said any political candidate who blacklists a news organization is making a "terrible mistake."

His remarks followed Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards' decison to skip a Nevada debate co-hosted by Fox News.

Liberal activitsts say the news channel has a conservative bias and are urging Democratic presidential candidates to boycott the debate, which is also sponsored by the Nevada Democratic Party.

"Any candidate for high office from either party who believes he can blacklist any news organization is making a terrible mistake about journalists," Ailes said.

Ailes, who did not mention Edwards by name, spoke at a Radio and Television News Directors Foundation dinner in Washington on Thursday night.

"Recently, pressure groups are forcing candidates to conclude that the best strategy for journalists is divide and conquer, to only appear on those networks and venues that give them favorable coverage," Ailes said.

Ailes said that candidates "who cannot answer direct, simple, even tough questions from any journalist runs a real risk of losing the voters."

Earlier this week, Edwards' campaign said the involvement of Fox News was part of the reason the candidate was passing on the Aug. 14 debate in Reno.

Online activists and bloggers quickly hailed Edwards' decision as a victory in their campaign to urge Nevada Democrats to drop Fox News as a partner.

MoveOn.org Civic Action says it has collected more than 260,000 signatures on a petition that calls the cable network a "mouthpiece for the Republican Party, not a legitimate news channel."

The two Democratic presidential frontrunners, Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama, have not indicated whether they will attend the Nevada debate. Fox boss Rupert Murdoch threw a Senate fundraiser for Clinton, and is said to have a good relationship with the former first lady.

Democratic Party officials and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid initially touted the partnership with Fox News as an opportunity to reach out to a different bloc of voters.

But in a letter posted Wednesday on the party's Web site, Democratic Party Chairman Tom Collins said Reid now shares activists' concerns and "has asked us to take another look."

Collins said the party would invite a "local progressive voice" to participate on the debate panel, which also would include a reporter from a local Fox affiliate, a national Fox News reporter and the moderator.

The party also invited the local Air America affiliate, a liberal radio network, to air the event live. C-SPAN will carry the debate after the Fox News broadcast and PoliticsTV.com to carry the live Fox News webcast feed on its site for one-time viewing, he said.

MoveOn Civic Action spokesman Adam Green dismissed the offer as "a lame proposal that would have multiple Fox personalities joined by one lone Air America panelist. That's a rigged, unfair and unbalanced debate."

"The Fox debate should just be canceled and a more legitimate news source should be found," Green said.

Nevada Democratic Party spokeswoman Kirsten Searer said Edwards is the first candidate to formally respond to the invitation. New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson has said publicly he plans to attend.

Searer said the decision to partner with Fox, which will pay for some production and promotion costs, is part of Nevada Democrats' overall plan to bring new voters into the presidential process and its new early caucus, scheduled for Jan. 19.

[marcodele]

Another good reason to like John Edwards. He's not a hypocrite and he's not going to expose himself to the Neocon Network only to boost their sagging ratings. Fox News is finally getting the attention it deserves: none.

[perception5]

This trial lawyer who is the process of building a 28,000 plantation home in North Carolina is a "empty suit". Here's a guy that's for "poor people" but has nothing in common with them. But he does have a lot in common with far left-wing DNC groups like Moveon.org and mob-run unions. I'm glad Edwards is running on a platform of "bring America" together......... He is "Exactly" what America doesn't need.

[musty2u]

Oh please don't let him skip places. That means he will be back in North Carolina. And, we haven't called him. Remember, we fired him! A total hypocrite. His center on poverty?..puhleease. He is nothing more than an ambulance-chasing scammer. You think Bush is bad? You didn't like Clinton? The guy is nothing but a hair-pin.

[forthepeaple]

so look at what the so called dream general has been saying today.. help help get me out of here.. as all americans die for nothing it murder in the first degree for presindent bush and cheney and rumsfeld.. it is time for all america to stand up and change it vote for david a belanger for president, and vote for only americans for america for all seats in washington..

[hurleyboo]

Sounds like Johnny Boy is afraid to get some hard questions to answer.

[mikelynes]

CABLE NEWS RACE
LIBBY VERDICT NITE
3/6/07 VIEWERS

FOXNEWS O'REILLY 2,297,000
FNC HANNITY/COLMES 1,701,000
FNC GRETA 1,451,000
FNC BRIT HUME 1,427,000
FNC SHEP SMITH 1,317,000
CNN KING 974,000
CNN COOPER 819,000
CNN DOBBS 797,000
MSNBC OLBERMANN 722,000
CNNHN NANCY GRACE 588,000
MSNBC HARDBALL 563,000
CNN PAULA ZAHN 491,000

So much for 'sagging' ratings on FNC

[gdtexan]

John Edwards is a hyprocrit by using the liberal news media to report his liberal thinking and getting the most biased, Move On to support him. Of all of the media, Fox is the only one who will give both sides of the story. Democrats do exactly what they accuse the conservatives of doing. Pay attention.

[dallison7]

If nothing else comes of this, Edwards is calling a spade a spade in the case of Fox News. It is about time they were exposed for what they are... 'the voice of fascism'.

[neutralinmo]

Strange a national candidate is running from media he may have bias to.

[gigi0406]

Should Republicans refuse to debate on the pro-liberal/socialist cable networks like CNN and MSNBC? Won't make any difference - hardly anybody but libs and terrorists watch them anyway. Conservatives and independent Americans watch FNC.

[mjrichards53]

marcodele is whistling in the wind. Fox isn't getting attention? mikelynes posted the Nielsens that belies that.

It is the Left's dream that Fox News will dry up and blow away, but it won't happen. I personally wouldn't mind if Fox's insipid morning program went the way of the dinosaurs but the network will remain and it is good that it will.

I thought it hilarious in the story that a "progressive" sponsor would be alright with the local Democrat Committee in the interest of providing free speech. Can you spell H Y P O C R I T E ... I knew you could

[michaelm07]

John Edwards has a lot of supporters outside of North Carolina where we know him. He a very accomplished and career driven guy with a strong wife and driving force behind him, sort of like a Hillary type. But in reality he was an ambulance chaser who won a big case against the city of Raleigh. After making a LOT of money as a personally injury lawyer he eventually ran for the Senate, he got in but couldn't get re-elected. The 'poor boy' story in which he refers to his working class Dad isn't quite the whole truth either. He's spun things to his advantage and now he's employing a Huey Long style populism, engaging in class warfare. I love those who like to tell the rest of us how to live with a "do as I say and not as I do" attitude. Ever see the estate he's building in his "compound" in NC. As much as I'd like to admire him, sadly he just a lot of hot air and a stuffed shirt.

[chivikos]

By the marcodel Fox is far from sagging Fox is going up up up. People need the truth not the Anti-American hate from the likes of CBS. People like John Edwards down what his BS exposed.

You people on the left are just like the Bolsheviks and want to suppress people who don't agree with you. You are the fascists.

[perception5]

If nothing else comes of this, Edwards is calling a spade a spade in the case of Fox News. It is about time they were exposed for what they are... 'the voice of fascism'.
Posted by dallison7 at 10:22 AM : Mar 08, 2007

... Let this rich liberal trial lawyer get all his questions from CNN (Clinton News Network)then! It's not important for liberals to know the truth.....it's only important to use their left-wing propaganda to help their close pals the DEMs. That why Americans are turning away from our corrupt liberal MSM wolfpack.

[alicepaul]

Thanks to Seth Ackerman at FAIR:

Fox's founder and president, Roger Ailes, was for decades one of the savviest and most pugnacious Republican political operatives in Washington, a veteran of the Nixon and Reagan campaigns. Ailes is most famous for his role in crafting the elder Bush's media strategy in the bruising 1988 presidential race... by targeting the GOP's base of white male voters in the South and West, using red-meat themes like ... paroled felon Willie Horton.

Described by fellow Bush aide Lee Atwater as having "two speeds--attack and destroy," Ailes once jocularly told a Time reporter (8/22/88): "The only question is whether we depict Willie Horton with a knife in his hand or without it."

and

"Years ago, Republican party chair Rich Bond explained that conservatives' frequent denunciations of "liberal bias" in the media were part of "a strategy" (Washington Post, 8/20/92)."

Fair and Balanced? Get serious people - at least admit what you're watching is telling you exactly what you WANT it to tell you.

[shanev137]

Many swing voters prefer Fox News since they show everything negative about Liberals.


--------

That has to be one of the dumbest statements I've read so far this week. Congratulations.

[getingo]

so Mr. Edwards will not participate in the debate. Does that mean if he is elected, he would avoid the tough issues....
and for our crying, liberal friends, Fox is balanced....

[Syndicate]

Fox is very fair more so than CBS or MSNBC. IF the Democrats want to through away all those people who depend on fox news for thier news then so be it. I'm sure the Republicans would love to have them. I watch a lot of Foxnews and my vote is up for grabs.

[Razzl]

These party leadership types must be pretty unfamiliar with how Fox works. Not only will the questions be chosen and worded to embarass the candidates rather than enlighten the audience, but afterwards a group of right-wing hatchetmen will sit around the table nodding their heads in agreement about derogatory statements they will make about the party, the candidates, and their list of bogeymen (the phrase "left wing of the party" will be used persistently as though it were some kind of epithet). There will be no Democratic Party representatives on the analysis team, I guarantee you. That's how Fox manages the "news", and that's what makes them a propaganada agency rather than a news organization.

[edjohn66]

"The regular newsmedia has a liberal bias!"

"Global warming doesn't exist!"

"Intelligent Design is a legitimate scientific approach!"

"Saddam Hussein was making WMDs to attack the U.S.!"


When will you right-wing nuts grow up? We're all sick of your lies.

[alicepaul]

People who believe Roger Aisles' FOX News is fair and balanced should support the idea of making James Carville president of CNN and let them host the GOP debates.

[agnim]

Good for you, John! Take the high road.

And don't lower yourself to the level of the lowly creature, fox!

Let Hilary ALONE attend!

Lately she has been in the habit of prostituting herself to the lowest bidders!

[nolalou]

john97068,

Many swing voters prefer Fox News since they show everything negative about Liberals.

If they are swing voters, it usualy means they would vote for either republicans or democrats! The only avid Fox News viewers I know are hard core conservatives who hate democrats & liberals! If Fox was truly 'fair and balanced', they would show the positives and negatives about liberals, conervatives, and anyone else in the news. The fact that you think they show 'everything negative about liberals' says a lot about where you're comming from.. so if your looking for the Idot, try the nearest mirror!

[sprvtr]

As a conservative I would definitely watch the Fox News debates. I would think the candidates would jump at the opportunity to reach voters on "the other side". Yea, some voters will be closed minded but I think a fair number want to hear the ideas of the democratic front runners. This really turns me off to Edwards...he's just pandering to his ultra liberal base instead of trying to reach out.

[cap0z1]

I am unclear how this guy can sincerely tout his "two americas" rhetoric and other sound bite tripe.
Who will tell you what really is going on in this country....An honest congressman will. www.house.gov/paul/

[rfstevens]

I say good for Edwards. How can anyone honestly refer to Fox as presenting "news." That is an oxymoron if I ever saw one.

Fox Headline: ":SCOOTER FOUND INNOCENT OF LYING TO AN FBI INVESTIGATOR"

Yeah, that's Fox's version of the news. I can see it now: Mr. Edwards, how long has it been that you have stopped skinning and eating little children?

[jebby_one]

apparently Edwards only appears on Liberal biased TV programs :)

imagine what wouuld happen to us unwashed if he gets elected?

[theusa1st]

fox is the highest rated news channel...period...everyody knows this. Anytime
someone says or does something the left doesn't agree with they call names and spew hatred. How many times does Air America need to go bankrupt before it finally goes of the air for good...nobody is listening.

[rharrin1]

On the language of the petition, Rhodes has said: "Everyone has a right to free speech."

That is exactly why Edwards won't attend, with the FOX people there he will not have free speech it would be denied to him.

The way oreilly cuts in on guests on his show if it is not what he wants to hear and won't let them finish what they have to say.

[Patty Nottoli]

I'm not surprised to hear The Breck Girl declining to debate on FOX - he has no courage whatsoever under fire, which is why he will never be anybody of consequence. He has no presidential qualities at all. Plus he's pretentious and a whiner and his pouting face and glam-boy hair is annoying to watch.

[dallison7]

... Let this rich liberal trial lawyer get all his questions from CNN (Clinton News Network)then! It's not important for liberals to know the truth.....it's only important to use their left-wing propaganda to help their close pals the DEMs. That why Americans are turning away from our corrupt liberal MSM wolfpack.
Posted by perception5


Better yet, let's invite the Skinheads, KKK and the Nazi party to moderate the debates. I'm sure many of the Fox comentators will be in the mix.

[huskerarmy]

"... Let this rich liberal trial lawyer get all his questions from CNN (Clinton News Network)then!"
You're not fooling anyone but yourself preceptions. I am old enough to remember when righties called CBS the "Coloreds Broadcasting System." You are a bunch of spoiled elitists who want to believe yourselves to be part of the same, inherently superior class as the plutocrat billionaires that you shill for. If the news doesn't support your agenda, it's biased. The devil is the only motive of the so-called "liberal media." But you conveniently ignore the mother of all motives when it comes to the neo-cons, Big Oil and the corporate plutocracy... greed! Your only justification for FOX is a belief that the ends justifies the means. America has correctly identified FOX for the echo chamber, talking points, GOPer shills that they are. Keep tuning in to FOX and you will further alienate yourself from the rest of this great country.

[jebby_one]

Fox is the only network that shows Hillary's lower half.

Apparently the camera operators at CBS, NBC, CNN, and ABC have been instructed to not go below her waistline.

Until Fox came along I thought she was only half a woman.

[dallison7]

I thought she was only half a woman.
Posted by Jebby_One


No... that would be little Scooter. Or at least, it WILL BE!!

[jebby_one]

Did you notice how with CBS,ABC,NBC and CNN Edward's wife Elizabeth was kept out of the camera angle.

She appeared only when the focus was on her and only under control of the image-masters. And, they only showed her upper half.

[perception5]

Keep tuning in to FOX and you will further alienate yourself from the rest of this great country.
Posted by huskerarmy at 10:45 AM : Mar 08, 2007


.....huskerarmy, there is a concept that "you" need to start warming up to and that is "you have no creditability". You have used it up through your past "racists" statements and very active "imagination".
John Edwards is a "elitists" fyi.....

[huskerarmy]

"fox is the highest rated news channel...period...everyody knows this. Anytime
someone says or does something the left doesn't agree with they call names and spew hatred."
USA1st, You are correct... those of us on the left did not agree with FOX when they reported that plutonium was found in Iraq. And yes, we have a problem with those of you who tried to the end to believe that FOX lie and continue to... That's not hatred. Unfortunately for you, your frat boys administration did not believe it either.
http://www.buzzflash.com/contributors/04/03/con04139.html

[rharrin1]

I would think the candidates would jump at the opportunity to reach voters on "the other side". Yea, some voters will be closed minded but I think a fair number want to hear the ideas of the democratic front runners.
Posted by Sprvtr

Do those people only receive one tv station ever hear of changing the channel.

[perception5]

Better yet, let's invite the Skinheads, KKK and the Nazi party to moderate the debates. I'm sure many of the Fox comentators will be in the mix.
Posted by dallison7 at 10:45 AM : Mar 08, 2007

..... Dear dallison, all you have to do is go to your party the DEMs and have Robert, KKK, Byrd. He's the most senior Democrat "active" in America. Dallison, you need to take a history lesson......start with 1860 with Lincoln said we are going to free the slaves and YOUR PARTY the DEMOCRATS spilt from the Union inorder to maintain your elite lifestyles....... your lies won't fly out here today.....

[huskerarmy]

".....huskerarmy, there is a concept that "you" need to start warming up to and that is "you have no creditability". You have used it up through your past "racists" statements."
Preceptions, you questioning anyones credibility is laughable. Nevertheless, you can't cite one single statment I've made that was racist. What you need to warm up to is the fact that Rove is on his way out and the fear and smear tactics are going with him...

[zedded]

the reason fox is highest rated is because they are fair enough to get the biggest cross-section of the spectrum. libs are so brainwashed into tinking left-wing news outfits like cnn/cbs/nbc/npr are fair and not agenda based see anything negative about a dem/lib as right wing bias. meanwhile cnn/cbs/nbc/npr trash the right on a daily basis.

I can only imagine the outrage and ridicule from the left and the MSM if a Republican presidential candidate like Mitt Romney boycotted a debate moderated by CBS due to its blatant liberal bias.

[spellchk78]

Time for the Republicans to start a petition that calls the ABCNNBCBS network a "mouthpiece for the Democrat Party, not a legitimate news channel." And we will certainly get more than 260,000 signers!

[ericjasper]

What if the debates were being held with Republicans on CNN or MSNBC? If those on the far right complained, the democrats would go insane, calling them "intolerant" and "paranoid."

[kcstan11]

Great decision by Edwards .........

[theusa1st]

huskerarmy,
I used to watch CBS but then Dan started showing his bias and slant so I do not count just on any one station toget a balanced report. Out of what I read and hear fox is the most balanced. I have read many of your previous post on a number of subjects. I have studied math, science, physics,
thermodynamics, calculas and a number of other
engineering classes, and by my calculations you could suck start a Harley...you are a boring blowhard...rant rant rant...

[perception5]

Why are brainwashed FOX idiots doing posting here?

Posted by george2221 at 10:59 AM : Mar 08, 2007

......because we are tried of decades of corrupt liberal MSM wolfpack news.......... going back to the 1960's. We are tried of the censorship and the constant "left tilt" of this elite news media in this predominately religious conservative nation of ours.

[rharrin1]

You right wing conservative nut jobs need to go to fox site and post.

[huskerarmy]

"the reason fox is highest rated is because they are fair enough to get the biggest cross-section of the spectrum."
That hysterical!!!! Not only are they not fair and not balanced, they make it up when they think they can get away with it:
http://www.buzzflash.com/contri
butors/04/03/con04139.html

[michaelm07]

Ann Coulter was right, although maybe not literally. He's proving to be a whiny little girl. Have some stones John and step up to the plate. Aren't politicians supposed to face the detractors and have a backbone. You think Fox is gonna be tough, how you going to handle foreign leaders who don't agree with you? In my view he just showed his true colors, he's unqualified. Nevermind all this stuff about Fox, what about judging the candidate, y'all are worried about the wrong thing.