Dems Cancel Fox's Co-Sponsored Debate

(AP)  The Nevada Democratic Party has canceled an August debate that was to be co-hosted by Fox News Channel, citing comments by the network's president about Barack Obama rather than an online protest launched by liberal activists and bloggers who believe the channel is biased.

"Comments made last night by Fox News President Roger Ailes in reference to one of our presidential candidates went too far. We cannot, as good Democrats, put our party in a position to defend such comments," state Democratic Party Chairman Tom Collins and Nevada Sen. Harry Reid wrote in a letter sent Friday to Fox News.

Ailes reportedly made a comment playing on the similarity of Illinois Sen. Barack Obama's name to Osama Bin Laden.

"And it is true that Barack Obama is on the move. I don't know if it's true that President Bush called Musharraf and said, 'Why can't we catch this guy?" Ailes said at a Radio & Television News Directors Association Foundation event in Washington on Thursday, according to a transcipt provided by Fox.

A call to Obama's campaign spokeswoman was not returned Friday night.

Ailes' comment fueled an existing firestorm over Nevada Democrats' partnership with the network. Reid and party leaders had announced the deal for the Aug. 14 debate in Reno as a way to reach new voters.

MoveOn.org Civic Action, a network of liberal activists, called on the state Democratic Party to drop partnership with Fox, which the group calls "a mouthpiece for the Republican party," two weeks ago.

Fox News vice president David Rhodes said the party's decision Friday showed the online group owns the Democratic Party in Nevada.

[ergosum3]

I see a lot of heavy breathing and vacuous criticism of Fox News here. I have yet to see any other news-organizations that have a "Conservative bent" to them condemned as much by theditto-headed sheeple of the Left. Is this because there is no other such organization? If there isn't, how can Left-wing folks call for the shutting down of the apparently singular news-org that does talk from the Right? Sounds rather Stalinesque or Hitlerian, doesn't it? The unwillingness to entertain other thoughts other than the dogmatic ones put out by the DNC and MoveOn.org is telling, as even Kucinich has noted. Poor, demented Libs...

[j4401]

Fox has done an excellent job in showing us how useless they have become in providing real investigative reporting. Finally the beginning of the end for Fox.

[sewbusy-2009]

So Fox News (lies) is going to war with the Democrats because they will not appear on the %u2018carnival side show%u2019 Fox tries to label as a debate. I would not vote for a candidate who was stupid enough to appear on Fox News (lies) programs.
I have not watched Fox News (lies) in over four years and I will not watch any station that calls itself Fox. However, every time I see a returning American soldier with missing limbs or I hear of a soldier losing their life, I think of Fox (crafted) News (lies). Fox News (lies) is just as responsible for the mess in Iraq as Bush. Think about it!
The true Weapon of Mass Destruction is Fox News (lies).

[johnkuhn2]

Their actions speak louder than words... "Repubs" Therefore the press is doing their duty. Also remember the repubs give voice to the intolerant. So the shear hypocrisy of every move that does not follow scripture or the Episcopalian way is fodder for the press. They deserve the treatment, they are dishonest and secretive and need to be kept in check. Clinton never tried to have my rights taken away. Rights that were granted to us by the founding father's for no other reason than to protect those in power from themselves. "IF YOU WANT TO TEST A MAN'S CHARACTER, GIVE HIM POWER' Abe Lincoln.

WAR should always be questioned especially one that was as misguided and lazily managed as this one. They are questioning the lack of thought analysis and wisdom that was apparent in this mistaken war. Suck it up they are losing the policy and theological battle. They are just like the islamists with their Religious Zealousness..

[david1737]

Neo-Con-Artists

Please accept that you time through.

Rummy gone=failure of the Neo-Con-Artist policy in Iraq.

[erichsh]

Think I'm kidding?

http://insidetheusa.net/images/blogs/cheney-retire.jpg

Notwithstanding your cherry-picked point of dissention, what about the rest of my points?

[dallison7]

And that classic photo of Cheney with the word "RETIRE" right over his head, carefully cropped from the word "RETIREMENT" which was part of a sign in the back.
Posted by erichsh

You're really not well, son.

[erichsh]

HeyJohnKuhn2 - if you're going to condemn Fox for not allowing commentary such as this because they're "too scared", tell me then why is moveon.org boycotting Fox? Are they therefore "too scared" that Fox reports the stories that get spiked at CNN/CBS/ABC/NBC/ETC?

It's fascinating to me to see how much liberals hate Fox News. Can you guys demonstrate that Fox is consistently factually incorrect in what they do report, or is it just that that they may choose to report stories - the kind of stories that liberals don't want on the air - that get downplayed or spiked outright by the MSM?

And just to illustrate your sense of what constitutes "fair and balance" in how you critique news coverage - what do you think, of, say Helen Thomas or Keith Olbermann? Are these reporters "fair and balanced" or would you grudgingly concede that perhaps they're just a little bit left of center? To paraphrase, I guess it depends on what the meaning of "center" is.

Oh, and the pictures I find on the Internet sites - if I see another beaming picture of Obama with all those gorgeous white stars of the American Flag as his backdrop I think I might gag. Meanwhile check out how Bush and (now) Giuliani get portrayed - scowling, long faces, dark shadows about the eyes. And that classic photo of Cheney with the word "RETIRE" right over his head, carefully cropped from the word "RETIREMENT" which was part of a sign in the back.

[godseyesore-2009]

FOX is aptly named. If you believe ANYthing on that netwowrk, you are due a pack of hounds.

[antoniof123]

After a while you see the hate that spews forth from some peoples mouths. I watch fox news to get a laugh so that I can tell my jokes at work. It has always been a slanted network that does not allow posts like these. The reason is simple they like to screen things they do not agree with.