Press Sec. Robert Gibbs Reliable Sources this morning where after a few quick nods to the SCOTUS selection process Howie Kurtz quickly turned the talk to Fox News. Is the White House softening in its approach to the ‘wrestling’ that goes on on Fox News? Gibbs’ remarks regarding the news network bordered on genteel compared to some of the criticism we’ve heard from the administration in the past (and from others outside it today).

This morning on the Chris Matthews Show, Time’s Joe Klein said that what is different between today’s Tea Partiers and past anti-government movements is the presence of Fox News, “which allows its commentators like Sean Hannity and Glenn Beck to rouse the Tea Party”, and a GOP that is lacking in a “responsible, moderate” leadership. Not to mention, Beck and Palin (and Rush Limbaugh) are close to committing sedition. Video after the jump.

Something about Time’s Joe Klein really brings out the best (or the worst, depending) in Glenn Beck. The last time Beck went after Klein — for penning a column on the “stupidity” of Americans — the result was arguably Beck’s best fifteen minutes ever. Today’s spot, meanwhile, was a little bit like Masterpiece Theater meets Mr. Rogers meets…Mel Brooks?

Bill O’Reilly started the week by not only taking on Republican critics of Pres. Obama, but also Factoring in some liberal guests into the fold.

One of those, Joe Klein from Time magazine, has had a recent back-and-forth with Glenn Beck, and O’Reilly took the change to offer a defense, of sorts, of his colleague.

President Obama has a lot to talk about during his State of the Union address last night. Perhaps most notably he didn’t get around to talking about health care until more than 30 minutes into the address. Also, he didn’t get heckled this time around…technically speaking. Here’s a look at some of the reactions from across the board.

Glenn Beck opened tonight’s show with what can only be described as a tour-de-force excoriation of yesterday’s Joe Klein article accusing American’s of being dumb. Fifteen minutes worth. It was, to put it plainly, brilliant theater. A cast of thousands with Beck playing all the parts.

Joe Klein: “Absolutely amazing poll results from CNN today about the $787 stimulus package: nearly three out of four Americans think the money has been wasted. On second thought, they may be right: it’s been wasted on them.” It’s gets better: the Obama Adminstration AND Fox News are also to blame. Terrific!

After two weeks of more or less ignoring the news of the day, Glenn Beck has jumped (with a chalk board vengeance) into the headline-making special Senate race in Massachusetts between Martha Coakely and Scott Brown. Short version: There will be cheating!

The initial, general consensus seems to be that President Obama exceeded expectations and that his “sober” Nobel acceptance speech — – which required him to walk a very tricky tightrope — will please the conservatives as well as the liberals as much as any speech by the president can. That said, for a Peace Prize speech the president spoke an awful lot about war. In fact, he mentioned ‘war’ 44 times during the speech. He mentioned ‘peace’ 29 times.

Today is the last day of Movember. That’s right, Movember. Don’t look for it on your caledar, mofo, unless you belong to some weird pagan sect that can’t spell. No, Movember is so named because it’s a MOVEment, about MOustaches. If you’ve noticed your gentlemen friends sprouting wantonly on their upper lips, well, that may [...]

During tomorrow’s prime time address Barack Obama will announce his new strategy for Afghanistan. An event that, among other things, pretty much guarantees a change in the narrative. The narrative for the last little while has been what is Obama doing? Answer: not much. The narrative was so strong SNL even turned it into a skit. There are early signs however this may be about to change.

Where were you a year ago today? If you are a political journalist — or media hanger-on — chances are you were living out of a suitcase at the 2008 Presidential Conventions, with the Dems nominating Barack Obama in Denver and the GOP nominating John McCain in Minneapolis/St. Paul. Remember those heady days?

I wrote a piece of commentary about Joe Klein’s flame war with Glenn Greenwald yesterday in which I conceded Klein’s point about Greenwald’s publication of off-the-record emails. I also pointed out that Klein’s understanding of email confidentiality is shakier than a detoxing jackhammer operator. Rather than expressing appreciation for this turn of the tables, Greenwald had some reservations about the piece.

An online feud is heating up between Time’s Joe Klein and Salon’s Glenn Greenwald. Although the bad blood reaches back a stretch, at issue now is Greenwald’s publication of Klein’s off-the-record emails to the “Journolist.” Klein slammed Greenwald on Time’s Swampland blog: (h/t HuffPo)