ABC’s Jake Tapper Challenges Gibbs On Fox News Attacks (Update)
Guess who: “It’s escaped none of our notice that the White House has decided in the last few weeks to declare one of our sister organizations ‘not a news organization’ and to tell the rest of us not to treat them like a news organization.”
That would be ABC’s Jake Tapper pressing White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs today on their war on Fox News – in what may be the first very public challenge from another news organization over the White House’s tactics.
Earlier today Glynnis MacNicol asked “Why isn’t the MSM complaining about White House attacks on Fox?” The answer – now they are. (Update: Our own Tommy Christopher was the first to challenge Gibbs on this topic.)
Tapper writes about his question, and follow-ups of Gibbs at today’s morning gaggle. Gibbs’ response to the first question, “We render an opinion based on some of their coverage and the fairness that, the fairness of that coverage.”
“But that’s a pretty sweeping declaration that they are ‘not a news organization,’” countered Tapper.
When asked how Fox is any different than “ABC, MSNBC, Univision,” Gibbs said, “You and I should watch sometime around 9 o’clock tonight. Or 5 o’clock this afternoon.”
Here’s the next exchange:
Tapper: I’m not talking about their opinion programming or issues you have with certain reports. I’m talking about saying thousands of individuals who work for a media organization, do not work for a ‘news organization’ – why is that appropriate for the White House to say?
Gibbs: That’s our opinion.
If this is really the White House’s opinion, this goes far beyond whether the White House is elevating Fox News by engaging a news organization in a fight. It is almost incomprehensible that an administration would put themselves out on a limb so much that they would diminish the livelihood of, as Tapper notes, “thousands of individuals who work” at Fox News in some capacity. The White House is irked by a few dozen people at most – the opinion hosts, the execs, maybe a few anchors. That’s enough to throw the entire organization under the bus?
This is a dangerous path being taken by the White House – one that is wrong, and raises serious questions about their motive here. There are not undercutting Fox News and their viewers, they are undercutting their own credibility on this issue. Expect Tapper’s line of questioning to be just the beginning of the backlash, albeit delayed, at this press intimidation tactic.
> Update: FNC SVP of News Michael Clemente responds: “Hundreds of journalists come to work each day at FOX News all deeply committed to their craft. It’s disappointing that the White House would be so dismissive of their fine work and continue their vengeful war against a news organization.” (And add this as the latest in the evolution of the Fox News official responses.)
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15 comments
Agent Orangutan says: Steve: “The White House is irked by a few dozen people at most – the opinion hosts, the execs, maybe a few anchors. That’s enough to throw the entire organization under the bus?”
I find it impossible for someone who is of sound mind and claims no bias and has seen FNC programming throughout the day on more than one occasion to not be able to unequivocally state that the decidedly right-leaning-slant of all FNC programming is grossly evident and unrelenting.
By FNC’s claims: America’s Newsroom, Happening Now, The Live Desk, Studio B, Special Report and FOX Report are real “news” programs, but of those, Shepard Smith’s 2 shows (Studio B and FOX Report) are the only programs that qualify… as he is the only FNC host with an ounce of journalistic credibility.
All other programs, and all other hosts*, display a palpable bias on a daily basis. This is unquestionable. If you don’t/can’t see it in their reporting, then you aren’t looking and/or don’t want to see it.
*Megan Kelly is number 2 in the credibility department, although I’ve seen her opine on many occasions that suggested a typical FNC bias. And many will surely suggest that Brett Baier shoots down the middle as well… but these are obviously people who haven’t seen him work, for he is just as biased as the man he replaced (i.e., Britt Hume — a man who so chomped at the bit to show his bias that he left his show to become an analyst).
Now, to your point regarding FNC as a whole: The face FNC puts forth is disgustingly biased and manipulative — as such, those stocking the shelves to those cleaning the bathrooms are all a part of this machine as well and shouldn’t expect a white-gloved treatment from anyone.
straitshooter says: Once again, Tapper has used nothing more than common sense and logic to distinguish himself as the most honest and ethical member of the White House press corps. He understands exactly what Gibbs and the White House are doing, and with this one exchange, he makes it clear that neither he nor ABC will be bought off with influence nor intimidated by a lack thereof. This is how real reporters behave. I don’t know what Tapper’s politics are, and frankly, it’s none of my business. He asked a question that needed to be asked, and his colleagues in that room should be ashamed they all weren’t clamoring to be the first one to challenge the White House in its attempt to silence an organization that dares to employ people casting a critical eye on the President. ABC has just earned itself a new viewer.
straitshooter says: Once again, Tapper has used nothing more than common sense and logic to distinguish himself as the most honest and ethical member of the White House press corps. He understands exactly what Gibbs and the White House are doing, and with this one exchange, he makes it clear that neither he nor ABC will be bought off with influence nor intimidated by a lack thereof. This is how real reporters behave. I don’t know what Tapper’s politics are, and frankly, it’s none of my business. He asked a question that needed to be asked, and his colleagues in that room should be ashamed they all weren’t clamoring to be the first one to challenge the White House in its attempt to silence an organization that dares to employ people casting a critical eye on the President. ABC has just earned itself a new viewer.
SFPhoto says: Agent Otangutan is the very reason why Orwell wrote “Nineteen Eighty-Four.” Say what you will, but dissent from Obama is treated like a thoughtcrime. Anita Dunn doesn’t seem impressed by the cruelties, oppression, and murders of Chairman Mao. The New York times is impressed by Communist China. The Obama administration might herald the start of a very scary time.
straitshooter says: apologies for the double post
ChrisNH says: So this is the kind of trouble the Obama administration was going to get themselves into by ‘Hitting back twice as hard.’ Someone ought to have warned them. Or, at least describe the ‘mortal damage’ Nixon inflicted on the WaPo when he tried to vilify them (in a word, ‘none’). The WH mouthpieces cannot un-ring Sunday’s bell, when two of them (the ones not named ‘Gibbs’ or ‘Dunn’) painted Fox with the broad brush that is painting them into a corner now. Hey, if it’s the 5pm and 9pm programming you take issue with, say so. But noooooooo. They had to napalm all of FNC in their little whiny rant. And in the end, since WHEN should the WH take issue with ‘Opinion’ shows anyway? They call them that for a reason! I guarantee you that some within ABC or NBC or CBS or any of the others are privately (or publicly) taking the side of Fox here because they know their next job could be with them.
CaptainAmerica says: Way to go Gibbs:
When asked how Fox is any different than “ABC, MSNBC, Univision,” Gibbs said, “You and I should watch sometime around 9 o’clock tonight. Or 5 o’clock this afternoon.”
Yes, he is right, FNC is different from any news organization because they have 2 opinion shows hosted by 1) conservative and 1) libertarian. That does make FNC different from any other news organization.
MSNBC has 4 straight out opinion shows hosted by far left zealot liberals and one morning show co-hosted by a left winger and a faux Republican. Then the rest of the day they have left leaning biased anchors pretending to be journalists.
Then of course left wing CNN know in earlier days as the Clinton News Network.
TfT says: Captain – CNN is now known as Cable News Nonsense. Fact checking the SNL skit was a bridge too far.
straitshooter says: Captain America, I think CNN can honestly claim to be the most unbiased (and most unwatchable) of the cable newsers, but certainly they have opinionated people on the payroll. I think where the White House really stepped in it was with the assumption that no one would notice this obvious flaw in their argument: How can the administration dispute Fox’s legitimacy without also throwing MSNBC overboard?
Anyone who argues that Fox is more biased than MSNBC or vice versa is not looking at the situation objectively. They both are clearly biased, and thanks to the First Amendment, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. Both are legitimate news organizations unless someone can prove otherwise.
The White House should have been prepared to offer such proof, citing specific examples of Fox news stories that are factually inaccurate. Without such proof, they reveal nothing but the administration’s own thin skin.
Agent Orangutan says: SFPhoto, only someone who has a blind-spot the size of Antarctica for the failings of Fox News would see legitimate criticism of their complete lack of honest news reporting — a documented and blatantly obvious lack of honest news reporting — as a reason to… summon Orwell’s “Nineteen Eighty-Four”.
What a really odd disconnect you have. But then again, this is unfortunately typical (as evidenced by some of your fellow commenters who are blinded by the FNC).
For anyone to suggest that FNC’s willfully-biased news reporting shouldn’t be something that each and every one of us calls out early and often means that you are too far gone.
And I’m saying this as someone who is not on the Left. (I know this will be hard for Captain, et al, to believe, but there are indeed many of us who embrace a Conservative and/or Libertarian point-of-view, but on the same hand won’t sell out our soul to embrace a vile organization like Fox News.)
BTW, Captain, Glenn Beck is no Libertarian. He may occasionally call himself one… but he is not and truly shows his ignorance when he tries to cover himself in that blanket.
chesterar says: It’s amusing when one realizes that the people claiming FOX is unbiased are the ones who will realize it’s FOX who is protecting them from Socialism/Marxism. Or maybe I’m wrong and they want a system, like Cuba’s, where there’s shortages of toilet paper and excesses of political prisoners.
Jim R says: Tapper’s a tool, a FNC wannabe; too bad, Stossel got the call – try harder.
How egalitarian of him, looking for the little guy. We had eight years of Fox giving a format to every crazy right theory and participating in a political coup against Clinton, then eight years of being a megaphone for anything Rove told them to support.
I don’t see the problem exposing this political operation to the American public, it’s long overdue. Let the minions who are actually journalists find a job with an actual media outlet if they don’t like the heat.
Tapper and the beltway cocktail weenie circuit, along with the right wing cheerleaders are the only ones moaning about it anyway.
straitshooter says: Jim R.
Can you logically make the case that Tapper is either a tool or an FNC wannabe (I’m certain ABC pays much better), or is this just your gut reaction because you despise Fox? Without any evidence, you come off as a hothead incapable of making rational discussion and or forming a worthwhile opinion.
Jim R says: straitshooter – I don’t make this judgement just for this instance, but a growing history. I don’t have time to come up with links (at work) right now, but his snarkiness is being established.
ImNotBlue says: @Jim R:
In other words, “I SAID TAPPER’S A DOODY PANTS, AND YOU SHOULD BELIEVE ME!”
Yes, Jimmy… people who disagree with you are meanies… but it’s okay. A glass of milk and a cookie or two will make them all go away. Yes… that’s a good boy…
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