Community | July 27, 2008 | 33 comments

FOX news used by Bush admin. for propaganda

source: http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/26/mcclellan-fox-talking-points/

gimp15
McClellan: Fox News Commentators Use The ‘Talking Points’ That The White House Sends Them»

On MSNBC’s Hardball last night, host Chris Matthews asked former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan if he saw “FOX television as a tool” to get the White House’s “message out” while he was in the Bush administration. “Certainly there were commentators and other, pundits at FOX News, that were useful to the White House,” replied McClellan, adding that they were given “talking points.”

Making a distinction between journalists like Brit Hume and commentators like Sean Hannity and Bill O’Reilly, McClellan admitted that “certainly” the White House used Fox News talking heads as “spokespeople” with “a script”:

MATTHEWS: So, you wouldn’t use Brit Hume to sell stuff for them, but you’d use some of the nighttime guys?

MCCLELLAN: Yeah, I would separate that out, and certainly I, you know, they’ll say, that’s because they agree with those views in the White House.

MATTHEWS: Well, they didn’t need a script though, did they?

MCCLELLAN: No, well, probably not.

McClellan later told MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann that “it was done frequently, especially on high-profile issues” and that Fox often gave the White House “its desired results.” Current Press Secretary Dana Perino would only tell Olbermann, “I’m not aware of that.”


Fox News’s close relationship to the Bush administration should come as no surprise to anyone, considering Fox’s Neil Cavuto once ran a segment asking if George W. Bush was “the best President.” But, as Olbermann notes, it “is one of those things you assumed to be true all along, yet you are shocked when the hard confirmation actually shows up on your door.”

Not only is Fox the network the White House turned to when Vice President Dick Cheney had to explain how he shot his friend in the face, but the network has also produced sympathetic documentaries on both Cheney and President Bush.
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33 comments // FOX news used by Bush admin. for propaganda // Video

  • montesooma
    • 0
      montesooma  

    • And now Mcclellen has admitted that he was mistaken about Oreilly receiving talking points from the white house.For all of you who were so sure that it was true. just let me personally say, I told you that it was propaganda, but you are good little koolaid drinkers and will lap up any anti fox news or anti bush story.
      Stop being so gullible, Stop being a tool for moveon.org and the looney left to take over the Govnment(and your lives)Help defeat these socialist european commies-don't help them!

    • 3 years ago
  • lukeskywalker
    • 0
      lukeskywalker  

    • Only some unsuspecting veiwer, thats doesn't understand what propaganda is was fooled for 7 years. Including myself! I guess that was a deversion, so that nobody/I wouldnt hear the sound of my death. Somebody had to be flying the freak out of some ufos off all that comotion, these last few years. All them sound waves. You people were just redundant with those accusations. That by the power of sound itself, would brainwash a person. Fix it country of theives, you need to fix that bullsnatch sourcewatch. Try fighting some crime instead playing on that microphone you crazy assholes.

    • 3 years ago
  • NickerBocker09
    • 0
      NickerBocker09  

    • This doesnt suprise me, but its still shocking, despite me realizing this a looong time ago. I guess its just different when one of the former people doing it, reveals it.

      Yet people cling to excuses, what does it take for people to realize reality and admit things. Must you honestly defend the Republican Part, Democrat Party to the last lie? Admit it, the Bush Administration is and has been corrupt since they got themselves into the White house without being elected.

      I hope we never let this happen again, but knowing us American we dont seem to learn from our mistakes.

    • 3 years ago
  • montesooma
    • 0
      montesooma  
    • NickerBocker09:

      by ur statements i can see ur still brainwashed.
      The prez was elected even after all the recounts.
      you can not prove one claim of corruption.
      you watch a media that is controlled by the party that is opposite the presidents party, what else would you expect to hear?? From day 1 they have thrown every little thing at the prez just to see if it would stick.
      They are the america hating, terrorist loving, faggot loving, religion hating media that are for everything bad and against everything good.They have yet to be on the right side of any issue, as history clearly shows-----but your still gonna watch them and believe them, Cmon now!

    • 3 years ago
  • montesooma
    • 0
      montesooma  

    • Some of you are so used to the left leaning media that when you see anything else it seems far right to you.
      If a media reports more than the left side it seems outrageous to you.
      Do yourself a favor stop watching msdnc!
      All three of you

    • 3 years ago
  • Gtarfr3ak
    • 0
      Gtarfr3ak  
    • montesooma:

      Montesooma your clearly ignorant to the facts here. You are a clear example of what happens when people trust Fox to report them the news. Please, do some research before you try to talk. You will find hundreds of examples of extreme Fox media biased that leans always in favor of the GOP.

      Hell, I'll do the research for you!
      http://current.com/items/89039191_fox_news_fair_and_balanced_really
      took me 2 minutes to find you an hour long movie devoted to showing Fox News' true colors.

      In today's world, theres no excuse for such absurd levels of ignorance.

    • 3 years ago
  • montesooma
  • mccain08
    • 0
      mccain08  

    • this is all hear say and has no merit, fox news looks at both sides just look at hannity and colmes, you got a republican and a democrat on the same show

    • 3 years ago
  • Leonidis
  • Gtarfr3ak
    • 0
      Gtarfr3ak  
    • mccain08:

      I always love seeing people respond to these Fox News biased stories with denial.. are you really that foolish? The evidence is everywhere you just need to accept the fact that you are wrong. You, like many many others, have been had.

      I mean theres gotta be days worth of video on youtube showing clear examples of Fox media extreme biased.. so it's not like the information is out of reach. And as I said to the other sheep below, I'll even do some research for you.

      http://current.com/items/89039191_fox_news_fair_and_balanced_really

      educate yourself, then speak.

    • 3 years ago
  • c_Duckets
  • c_Duckets
    • 0
      c_Duckets  

    • This is what happens with a complimentary, systematic flawed corporation and government relationship- the government and the media working in accordance. Is this THAT bad? I thought everyone knew this.

    • 3 years ago
  • AVtime
    • 0
      AVtime  

    • Let's not forget that it was Fox News that called the 2000 election in Bush's favor, when the results were neck and neck. It was pretty depressing that the other studios followed suit. Just goes to show the power of the media, and the potential for corruption =\

    • 3 years ago
  • montesooma
  • Gtarfr3ak
  • clayjj05
  • montesooma
  • VoyagerFilms
  • Lippey
  • montesooma
    • 0
      montesooma  
    • Lippey:

      And now Mcclellen has admitted that he was mistaken about Oreilly receiving talking points from the white house.For all of you who were so sure that it was true. just let me personally say, I told you that it was propaganda, but you are good little koolaid drinkers and will lap up any anti fox news or anti bush story.
      Stop being so gullible, Stop being a tool for moveon.org and the looney left to take over the Govnment(and your lives)Help defeat these socialist european commies-don't help them!

    • 3 years ago
  • alexandrek
  • montesooma
    • 0
      montesooma  
    • alexandrek:

      you are obviously confusing the people of Afganistan and Iraq who were oppressed with the Govnments who were oppressing them, who are now deposed.
      There is a difference between the common folk and the brutal dick taters that are in power. have you been listening to liberal garbage for so long that you can't discern the nuances of reality anymore?

    • 3 years ago
  • clayjj05
    • 0
      clayjj05 [removed]  

    • The dough girl is just saying this to make money. He does not know anything important. HE has lost all of his friends and now is pandering to the liberal media for attention so his book will sell. I think an iranian honor kill should be arranged.

    • 3 years ago
  • Gtarfr3ak
    • 0
      Gtarfr3ak  
    • clayjj05:

      You can't even remotely attempt to deny the clear fact that Fox is a right win propaganda network. Do 15 minutes of research on it and you'll find out very quickly how many people are having the wool pulled over their eyes. It comes as absolutely no surprise that the white house would be feeding them talking points that would further their agendas.

      Your post is just an ignorant attack on valid news, do us all a favor and keep your biased uninformed opinions to yourself.

    • 3 years ago
  • montesooma
    • 0
      montesooma  
    • clayjj05:

      And now Mcclellen has admitted that he was mistaken about Oreilly receiving talking points from the white house.For all of you who were so sure that it was true. just let me personally say, I told you that it was propaganda, but you are good little koolaid drinkers and will lap up any anti fox news or anti bush story.
      Stop being so gullible, Stop being a tool for moveon.org and the looney left to take over the Govnment(and your lives)Help defeat these socialist european commies-don't help them!

    • 3 years ago
  • Gtarfr3ak
    • 0
      Gtarfr3ak  

    • We can only hope this kind of information reaches those who are ignorant still to the ways of Fox News, but unless they decide to report against themselves it will likely take legal action before people's eyes are finally all opened.

    • 3 years ago
  • Paratus
    • 0
      Paratus  

    • Yawn.
      Gee is it news that the media is used by politicians to be thier mouthpieces? Witness the current flap over Comrade Obama's mideast trip attended by Katie Couric, Brian Williams and Charles Gibson as well as a host of lesser mortals. Who can deny that the thre networks represented are not carrying a torch for Obama?
      Since June, ABC, NBC and CBS have logged something like 114 minutes covering Obama and some 48 minutes covering McCain. Even the New York Times won't print McCains editorials in response to Comrade Obama (any wonder why more and more people are not reading this rag).
      Don't talk about Fox unless you are willing to see what the other networks are doing in this election. We desperately need an honest media. They are supposed to report, not become part of the campaign.

    • 3 years ago
  • Gtarfr3ak
    • 0
      Gtarfr3ak  
    • Paratus:

      Though I agree with your closing statement about desperately needing an honest media whole heartedly, Fox has clearly been a much larger propaganda force now and in the past. Look around for a moment and you'll clearly see the ways they distort the news in favor of republican candidates and ordeals. They've even gone as far as photoshoping pictures of democrats to make them look worse and using 8 year old campaign footage to make McCain seem younger.

      Also, in response to your mention of the New York Times not printing his editorial in response to Obama, the printing was refused because they felt it was too much of an attack and not enough of an outline of his plans for the future of Iraq, as was requested.

    • 3 years ago
  • montesooma
  • maxamust
  • montesooma
    • 0
      montesooma  
    • Paratus:

      And now Mcclellen has admitted that he was mistaken about Oreilly receiving talking points from the white house.For all of you who were so sure that it was true. just let me personally say, I told you that it was propaganda, but you are good little koolaid drinkers and will lap up any anti fox news or anti bush story.
      Stop being so gullible, Stop being a tool for moveon.org and the looney left to take over the Govnment(and your lives)Help defeat these socialist european commies-don't help them!

    • 3 years ago
  • Zaius
  • Leonidis
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