How MSNBC and Others Covered Fox News’s Exclusive Obama Interview

Here’s a look at some reaction, from the negative to the positive:

Washington Post:

Watching the entire interview made me miss the late moderator of “Meet The Press,” Tim Russert. He would have asked process questions. He would have pushed the president to answer questions he didn’t feel were being answered. But he would have done so in a manner that was firm, yet respectful. [Headline: “Baier-ly substantive health-care interview with President Obama”]

Newsweek:

It was certainly out of the ordinary for a Presidential interview, and after a while, watching him badger Obama over process questions became irritating. The President too seemed a little exasperated, asking Baier three times to let him finish his answers, and once accusing him of interrupting. Still, it’s good viewing.

Time:

Watching Baier interrupt the President off made the interview jarring to watch. I also think it’s silly to spend the vast majority of an interview segment on health care asking questions about a procedure Republicans used when they were in power. But I give Fox News credit for not letting Obama turn the interview into an infomercial for Democratic health care reform. Aren’t we all a little tired of those?

Baltimore Sun:

As much credit as I give Obama for taking his healthcare message to Fox News and staying on point, I also praise Baier for being thoroughly prepared and hitting a very difficult tone of being appropriately aggressive without being hectoring or rude. It was a textbook encounter of how the press should engage the executive branch of government. Think of it as the antidote to NBC anchorman Brian Williams’ bow to Obama

Hot Air (also Michelle Malkin tweeted Baier got an “A++”):

Hume rightly praises Baier’s work, as he did do a good job of refusing to let Obama off the hook for his non-answers, and clearly annoyed Obama because of that. Don’t be too surprised when people take that annoyance as an affront to the dignity of the office, which is exactly the wrong impulse.

Big Journalism:

Baier was respectful, but not intimidated. Unlike most of the legacy media interviewers, Baier understands that he represents more than himself and his network. He represents the viewing public. It’s why the media has been historically called the Fourth Estate.