N.Y. Times Columnist: Fox News Is Bush's Al Jazeera

NewsMax ^ | 10/16/03 | Limbacher

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

Premier New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman attacked the Fox News Channel on Thursday, comparing the top-rated cable news network to the pro-terrorist Al Jazeera broadcasting company.

Using a recent speech by Vice President Dick Cheney to argue that the Bush administration is too narrow-minded in its handling of postwar Iraq, Friedman complained, "Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein issue messages from their caves through Al Jazeera, and Mr. Cheney issues messages from his bunker through Fox."

"Out of fairness, my newspaper feels obligated [to cover the Cheney speech]," the top Times columnist wrote. "But I wish we would have said to the V.P.: If you're going to give a major speech on Iraq to an audience that's limited to your own supporters and not allow any questions, that's not news."

Friedman's suggestion that Fox News is the White House's Al Jazeera network is particularly odd, since Fox broke the story that nearly cost President Bush the 2000 election - the notorious 1976 DUI episode.

Fox's owner, NewsCorp Chairman Rupert Murdoch, supported Al Gore in the 2000 election and contributed $50,000 to the Gore campaign.

Friedman's slap at Fox's credibility comes despite that fact that earlier this year, his paper admitted to publishing stories by a journalist known to have repeatedly fabricated previous reports for the Times.

[wardaddy]

She has the stare of a Scientologist.

[bray]

Is this filtered from ClintonRat talking points or did the DNC just write the article again??? PravdABC had a better time before the internet, talk radio and the wall coming down!

Pray for GW and the Truth

[SpaceBar]

I would just like to mention that if Fox News Channel were such an oracle of conservative thinking, then why don't they mention Tawana Brawley everytime they give Al Sharpton free air time? And why does Sean Hannity fawn all over Bill Richardson like he's a "good" liberal when he's a lipservice lefty through and through?

[jwalburg]

That is right. The biggest threat to ratings of the big networks and "mainstream" press is information. The major networks and papers have to mold every bit into their own leftist view of the world before letting it into the public. True, unfiltered information scares them.

[Political Junkie Too]

N.Y. Times Columnist: Fox News Is Bush's Al Jazeera

I won't believe it until I hear what Greg Packer has to say on the subject.

-PJ

[VRWCmember]

Ack! My eyes!

[Am I Blue?]

Don't forget that TF was a stalwart backer of taking out Saddam.

[OpusatFR]

Oh now that's just silly.

These idiot leftwing loonies are getting hysterical.

I just can't wait to see the hissy fits in a couple of months when the real run for the presidency starts.

[bert]

Working for the Times must really suck.

[JimVT]

Jeez, Sarge.....there goes dinner!!!!!!!!!

[semaj]

What would CBS, ABC, NBC, CNN,PBS, and MSNBC be referred as?

[Jeff Gordon]

Did you have to do that? Have compassion on your fellow Freepers. Please!

In the interest of being fair and balnaced, I give you:

[ChadGore]

"CNN = Al Gorezera"

[Old Sarge]

In the interest of being fair and balnaced, I give you...

Hmm... looks like she's trying to do a fair balancing act, I'd say...

[ChadGore]

"CNN = Al Gorezera"

[doug from upland]

Hey, NY TIMES, you have no credibility. You are an organ of the socialist RATS. FOX consistently presents all sides and has on people whom we think suck big time. But they put them on for balance. Show us the balance at your rag.

[mike_9958]

In the interest of being fair and balnaced, I give you:

Thank you......

[joesnuffy]

This Message brought to you courtesy of the
Joe Goebles School of Journalism

[isom35]

But I'll bet Al Jazeera doesnt have a Laurie Dhue or a Jennifer Eccleston.

[Steve_Seattle]

I'm surprised to hear this from Friedman; it's a rant I would expect from Krugman, Franken, Ivins, Dowd, Goodman, or Helen Thomas. And it's not even close to being true - I see all kinds of stories on Fox about negative things happening in Iraq.