Soundbite: Barack Nixon Who?

by Glynnis MacNicol | 2:47 pm, October 23rd, 2009

“But ignorance is epidemic on Capitol Hill and in the capital’s newsrooms, so let’s say this very simply: Nothing that Obama or any of his aides has done or said remotely resembles the war on the press waged by the Nixon White House until Watergate ended that administration’s assaults on the Constitution. Nobody has sent Joe Biden out to question the patriotism of reporters and columnists who criticize the president, as Agnew did repeatedly. And nobody has tried to intimidate the media with obscene threats and tax audits, in the Mafia style of Nixon’s aides.”

– Salon’s Joe Conason on the “cosmic jest” of comparing the White House’s recent ‘war’ on Fox News to that of President Nixon’s policies against the press during his presidency.

Basically Conason thinks the only Nixonian handbook at play right now is that of Roger Ailes, and that some overzealous pundits should perhaps pick up a history book, or two (this one comes highly recommended).

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barack obama, fox news, Joe Conason, Nixonland, Richard Nixon, Roger Ailes, Salon

1 comment

ImNotBlue says:

October 23, 2009 at 6:42 pm

While Conason’s quote might have some truth… but then again, Obama’s only been in office for 9 months. He’s on track to do much worse than Nixon… so, let’s just give it time.

Of course, I have heard people like Ed Schultz say, “People who watch FOX News and agree with the Republicans in Congress are un-American idiots.” So, I suppose when the White House’s media goons are doing the work for “the big guy.” How generous of them.

And does anyone really think a “harsh talking to” by Joe Biden would make a difference to anyone? Maybe if they sent Axelrod out to talk to someone like Roger Ailes… that would show… wait, they did that already? Oh nevermind.

So… maybe Conason doesn’t know what he’s talking about.

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