In an interview with The Daily Beast’s Howard Kurtz, NY Times Executive Editor Bill Keller defended the NY Times ability to cover Fox News objectively, despite comments he made that were critical of the cable news network and the people that regularly watch Fox News. Speaking specifically about his media reporters, Keller claimed “they are professionally indifferent to that fact that Fox maintains a stable of commentators who make a good living bashing the Times.” But did Keller compromise the editorial objectivity of his staff and paper by openly attacking an entity so often in the news?

This weekend, Rep. Ron Paul won the straw poll at this year’s CPAC the second consecutive year. However, when he was interviewed about victory during America’s Newsroom on Fox News, yesterday, they aired the clip of his announced win in 2010 in which there is a significantly higher amount of booing from the crowd. Fox News tells Mediaite that this was a mistake and that they will be issuing an correction on America’s Newsroom tomorrow morning.

On Wednesday night, Mediaite’s Frances Martel wrote a lengthy, thoughtful piece of media criticism centered around Princeton Professor Melissa Harris-Perry‘s appearance on The Rachel Maddow Show, concluding that Harris-Perry’s point about the historical context of the Michael Vick story was “lost in translation.”

On Monday, the New York Times ran a “Frequent Flier” column penned by Michael Clemente, Fox News’s senior vice president for news. In the piece, Clemente reflects on his above-ground experiences—and recalls one particularly memorable plane ride with Peter Jennings, Tom Brokaw and Dan Rather.

Mediaite has learned that Fox News White House correspondent Major Garrett is leaving the network effective September 3rd to return to his roots in print journalism. White House correspondents Wendell Goler and Mike Emanuel will assume joint coverage of the WH beat for Fox News. The highly respected White House reporter weathered numerous battles between FNC and the White House and maintained the highest standard of journalism during his tenure. Full press release after the jump.

The most important story on cable news last week has continued into this week – Fox News was back talking about the Shirley Sherrod saga on TV and online.

Bret Baier responded with video evidence to Howard Dean‘s latest charges, while FNC admitted there had been an online “breakdown” in the publication of a story about Sherrod before it was announced she resigned.

Former Governor Howard Dean drew a characteristic rebuke from Fox News’ Michael Clemente when he accused the network of “absolutely racist” coverage of the Shirley Sherrod story. Clemente called Dean a “failed candidate” who “blame(s) Fox for almost anything.”

Speaking to Dylan Ratigan fill-in and Young Turks host Cenk Uygur, Dean stood by his comments, and dismissed Clemente’s criticism, while Cenk noted the long roster of “failed candidates” who populate Fox’s air. (h/t Aaron Wysocki)

Many people from MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann to Shirley Sherrod herself have implied Fox News was a driving force behind propping up Andrew Breitbart‘s out-of-context video that forced her to resign.

A more correct assessment might be that the fear of FNC’s coverage forced her resignation – but FNC’s actual coverage did not, and the evidence is clear.

Mediaite has learned more about what happened with the decision by the Treasury Department to exclude Fox News in a round-robin of pool interviews Thursday.

But more importantly – there are more details emerging about the uproar over the initial decision, causing the Treasury Department to reverse their decision.

A fresh round of attacks by White House officials aimed at Fox News took place last weekend, and with it came another batch of people writing how this is not a winning strategy – and over the line.

The Fox News official response to all this has evolved over the past couple weeks, and now serves in an interesting dual role.