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October 21, 2009

On Obama's Fox News Diversion (Updated)

Topics: Political News and commentaries

William Jacobson over at Legal Insurrection writes that with each passing day, he's becoming more and more convinced that the Obama administration's sustained and crude attacks on Fox News are a big diversion. I don't think he'll find much disagreement with his premise:

Sure, the attacks on Fox News are unprecedented in the post-Nixon era. Barack Milhous Obama may not be change we can believe in, but it is the change we are stuck with for at least several more years.

Sure, the Obama administration wants to weaken and isolate Fox News so as to intimidate and control other news outlets. This goal would explain attacks on Fox News in general, but not the fury of the attacks at this moment in time.

Sure, the Obama administration's obsessive need to find enemies was predictable, and was predicted here almost 8 months ago:

What is it with this President? Obama has an obsessive need to find enemies against whom to campaign. When Obama's presidency is over, hopefully in four years (but likely eight years) there will be two sets of psychologists: Those who provide therapy to the American population which has seen its life savings and economic system destroyed, and those who analyze the psychosis of the Demonizer-in-Chief.

Sure, the Obama administration's bully tactics against Fox News and others deserve condemnation, as even some liberal media types finally acknowledge:

Where the White House has gone way overboard is in its decision to treat Fox as an outright enemy and to go public with the assault. Imagine the outcry if the Bush administration had pulled a similar hissy fit with MSNBC.

These explanations all make sense, but cannot be the full explanation.

The real game is taking place behind closed doors, not on the Sunday morning talk shows where Obama's minions whine about Fox News. While we were worrying about what the attacks on Fox News meant for our democracy, Harry Reid, Rahm Emanuel and a couple of others were huddled together hatching plans to shove a monstrous health care bill down the nation's collective throat. (More)

Related: Freedom of Speech Is Under Attack.

As Monica Crowley points out today at The Washington Times, during the eight years of the George W. Bush presidency, the left constantly told us that "dissent is the highest form of patriotism":

During the Obama presidency, dissent is routinely considered the lowest form of treachery. The administration is expending a lot of hostile energy against Americans who disagree with its policies. It may be the Chicago way, but it's not the American way - and it's not the way the president promised us he'd lead.

It seems that in Obamaworld, if you have an opinion that differs from the Obama Party Line, you'd better look out; they're coming after you.

Related: Combating the Popular Rule (thanks to T. Christopher's comment below that pointed to his interesting, very relevant, piece) ):

[...] So exactly what is the Popular Rule? This is not the Jefferson / Hamilton view of popular rule; however, it would likely be a distant cousin in that it is an outgrowth of the discussion of preserving this nation from the oppressions of tyranny. It is the idea that those who create the news, who control the messages conveyed to the general public, those who have influence with American youth, and generally those who control the conventional means of dissent are united in one common cause and have a vested interest in its success. It is essentially a mandate to rule by shear force of popularity. It is the antithesis of republican democratic government.

Read it all.

Posted by Richard at October 21, 2009 7:55 AM

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• On Obama's Fox News Diversion (Updated) - Oct 21, 2009