Biting Hand that Feeds Him: Neil Gabler Brands O'Reilly, Hannity & Gibson "Demagogues"

Today Show/NewsBusters ^ | Mark Finkelstein

[governsleastgovernsbest]

by Mark Finkelstein

December 3, 2005 - 18:48.

It's war, I tell you, war!

On Fox News Watch, the Fox show dedicated to a review of journalism, [tiny] liberal talking head Neil Gabler just branded Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity and John Gibson "demagogues."

The topic was the "war against Christmas," and nerves quickly got frayed.

Gabler's fellow lefty, Jane Hall, a normally staid presence, got exercised over what she saw as Jim Pinkerton's questioning of her religious bona fides. In a surprising bit of personal revelation, she declared herself a church-goer and insisted she would not take a back seat to anyone when it came to religious faith.

Neil Gabler took things one giant step further. He eventually declared: "there's an 800-pound gorilla in the room: Fox News. O'Reilly, Hannity and Gibson are demagogues and they know that they can rouse the public around Christmas-time" with talk about Christmas being under attack by secular forces.

Gabler stopped just short of calling Fox's audience dumb and malleable, but the implication was inescapable.

This was an ultimate "biting the hand that feeds you" moment. Perhaps Gabler was confident that, so outrageous were his remarks, they would, ironically, protect him from retribution by his employer. We'll see.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Fox Media Watch ping to the Today Show ping list.

[adamsjas]

I have never seen anyone (since my college days) as mad at everyone everything and every institution, as self righteous, as pontificating, preachy, indignant, and superior as Gabbler.

Every time I see him I want to grab him by the wattles and slap him till he spits. He is totally insufferable, always on a soapbox, and always beligerant.

[TCats]

Yeah I saw this. I thought Erik was going to clock Gabler - Te first time I've ever seen him get visibly irritated. Gabler is a thorn in this otherwise watchable show - So predicatable in his dogma.

[rhombus]

his was an ultimate "biting the hand that feeds you" moment. Perhaps Gabler was confident that, so outrageous were his remarks, they would, ironically, protect him from retribution by his employer. We'll see.

Nah, it's just Fox playing to the center, trying to show they aren't rightwing. They already got a conservative audience. Stuff like this draws more liberal viewers. Nothing like conflict to tell a good story and keep 'em hooked. Fox knows the business.

[TomGuy]

Neil Gabler Brands O'Reilly, Hannity & Gibson "Demagogues" as Neil positions his elitist rear in his prime seat atop Mount Olympus.

Gabler always resembles an a$$. He and most of his colleagues on Fox News Watch seem to think they are above the rest of humanity; they are special; they are more intellectual; they are superior.

Gabler and Thomas both (when I quit watching a couple of years ago) said their responsibility was to get the story, rather that aid any victims in a story. Their job as journalists was more important. They are so full of their self importance.

[cripplecreek]

I talked to a girl last night who describes herself to be "VERY liberal". I was rather suprised to find that she is on our side and feels that it's time to stop the attack on American culture and Judeo Christian heritage.

[SolutionsOnly]

That Neil Gabler is some kind of whack job. But he fills his role on the panel well - representative of the Left - and of the Left's method: just be strident and overbearing! - Never mind whether or not you make a lick of sense.

[chessplayer]

Gabler is a jerk.

[ABG(anybody but Gore)]

I just saw it. What really got my attention was the way Gabler and Hall tried to shout down Jim, Cal, and even Eric Burns. That's not righteous indignation, that's "We've lost the argument and we can't let the other side get their views out!" that is prevalent among the left on college campuses and Congress today.

[oneofmany]

The fact that Gabler almost had an anuerysm over the whole topic proves his liberal leanings. Libs always let emotions trump reality.

[Deadshot Drifter]

"mad at everyone everything and every institution, as self righteous, as pontificating, preachy, indignant, and superior as Gabbler. Every time I see him I want to grab him by the wattles and slap him till he spits. He is totally insufferable, always on a soapbox, and always beligerant."

You are right and all of the above also describes Paul Krugman to a tee.

[TomGuy]

Neil should try to explain, then, why FoxNews audience share is increasing, as the liberal-slant CNN and MSNBC are declining.

Gabler is one of those who is so steeped in agenda that his head is buried in the sand away from reality.

[ozzymandus]

This is my favorite Fox show. Neil and Jane are such perfect examples of left-wing obnoxiousness and liberal stupidity (respectively). However, I usually want to thump that little commie RAT Gabler. He and jane were at their stupidest tonight, although Gabler came close last week when he accused the NYT of being a Bush propaganda organ.

[Petronski]

NeilGabler : EricBurns :: JuanWilliams : BritHume

[TomGuy]

grab him by the wattles

You can't say that on the Internet !!!!


ROFLMAO

[manwiththehands]

Defending Christmas?! Oh, the humanity! The scandal! Those evil demagogues!

[Bahbah]

Tx, I'm guessing you are on this list for governs excellent posts and observations, but just in case.