Democrats Don't Let Democrats Do Fox: Why Did Hillary Clinton Accept Fox Debate?

[ProSense]

Jane Hamsher

Democrats Don't Let Democrats Do Fox: Why Did Hillary Clinton Accept Fox Debate?

Posted February 5, 2008

On a conference call today, Howard Wolfson of the Clinton campaign has said that Hillary Clinton will appear in a Fox News debate on February 11 in Washington, DC.

After Roger Ailes made a joke comparing Barack Obama to Osama Bin Laden, Harry Reid rightfully nixed a Democratic Fox debate in Nevada:

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I asked Wolfson if this puts Obama in an awkward position considering how awful Ailes' comments were, and especially in light of Reid's decision. Wolfson defended the choice to accept the Fox debate because Obama has appeared on Fox News himself recently. Which is true, he has, but it doesn't excuse how many awful lies and distortions Fox has peddled in order to damage Obama, Clinton and Democrats in general.

Fox is not a news outlet, it's an openly partisan opinion factory and the Democrats should not be legitimizing them (and allowing them to recruit Democratic viewers to propagandize to) by doing this.

[IndieLeft]

1. She's Running Out of Cash and Needs the Free Air Time

[toadzilla]

5. yep.

[mutant80]

26. BECAUSE It's the SMART thing to do!

What's wrong with right wingers hearing a democrat?
some people watch nothing but Fox.
Let them be pleasantly surprised.

There's such a thing as being so narrow minded you
shoot yourself in the foot.

Be objective and get publicity where you can get it.

[mutant80]

28. You think MSNBC is any BETTER?

[Debi]

29. Smart thing to do when you're out of money

When she was flush w/cash and leading in the polls she wanted nothing to do with FOX.

[TheDeathadder]

2. because Fox must be faced

Sooner or later the Dems will have to face and stand up to Fox. If we avoid them like Kerry did in 2004 we cannot win.

[AlinPA]

8. Should they debate on Limbaugh's program, or maybe Hannity, Savage? Same difference to me.

[TheDeathadder]

11. No

but a Debate on Fox Network is not as bad as you think. It shows the dems are not afraid of the Right and Fox, and it helps to get more message and substance out there for Americans to decide, since the Primary is going to continue past today.

Plus since so many repubs claim they are switching to Obama, I would think Obama would jump at the chance to bring in more people. This all sounds good - and I'm a life time Dem who hates Fox.

[AlinPA]

15. Hannity/O'Reilly and the rest of the jerks are not jounalists.

[TheDeathadder]

20. and yet a boat load of Americans think they are

and they will be coming for us sooner or later. Why not face them now. Face them and defeat them. Turn our backs and we'll just be shot in the back.

[AlinPA]

27. OK. Now, assume they debate on Fox "News" and get questions like

"Why do you love terrorists?" or "Why do you hate the troops?", etc. I picture those empty headed Fox viewers sucking it up and agreeing with Hannity or whoever. How can we make a dent in the thinking of those sheep?

[TheDeathadder]

30. Sooner or later

They will be asking us questions like "Why do you love terrorists?" Why not face them now? Why not stand up to it now? Why not go to Fox and get a question like "Why do you love terrorists?" and answer back "That's the stupid question I have ever heard" and then retort with "But here's our plan to deal with the terrorists"

[AlinPA]

Gotta go and cook. Good discussion. Peace.

[TheDeathadder]

33. See ya around and soon.

[rodeodance]

14. and Hillary is a strong debater--THE one to do it well.

[Historic NY]

3. I hope she reconsiders FOX is the GOP propaganda network..

that along with the Washington Times Moonies paper are evil and should be avoided at all cost by Democrats.

[papau]

4. Obama is winning the "Red State vote" - she needs to compete with the corporate candidate

[ProSense]

7. Clinton Gets Most Lobbyist Money, McCain Most Help

Clinton Gets Most Lobbyist Money, McCain Most Help

Hillary vs. Obama: criticism of change is not change

Fact Check: Hillary Clinton Attacks Obama on Yucca But His Record of Opposition is Consistent and Clinton Has Taken Contributions from The Nuclear Industry

[papau]

34. Obama takes lobbyist money not counted in those totals - state lobbyists and families of Federal

[Iggo]

6. Because she wants to be president.

Shhh...don't tell anyone.

[Cleita]

9. I don't know the real reason, but off the top of my head it appears

to be something like feeding the trolls on the internet and I don't know why she would do that unless she owes Murdoch one for his contributions to her campaign. This is the thing that bothers me about Hillary. How many markers is she going to have to pay back to her contributors if she becomes President especially those corporate morlocks who would undermine our democracy any way they can?

[onenote]

10. As much as I dislike Fox "News" -- I understand the move and suspect Obama will join her

at least I hope he does (as someone who is leaning towards obama). Obama claims to be (and I'm hoping he can be) an agent of change -- someone who can shift the debate in the discussion back to less divisive place. (Unlikely? Maybe. Worth trying? I think so). And doing so means reaching out to those who instinctively would oppose you not because of your ideas but because of a label. And what downside is there? Its not as if the typical Fox viewer is planning on voting for either Obama or Clinton and will somehow get turned off and decide to support the repub candidate. Rathter, it could just happen that some fox viewers, seeing the real candidates, not some cartoon-ish version of them offered by the likes of Oreilly and gibson or hannity -- might come around to support them.

[russian33]

12. To show that she can take FOX news 'debate' questions...

..and slam them out of the ballpark, and beat up on likes of Brit Hume and Co., so people stop whinning about her 'electability'

[mrreowwr_kittty]

13. Because she's a dick.

And her campaign is broke.

[rodeodance]

23. That is RUDE and uncalled for. shameful!

Original Message
Because she's a dick.
Posted by thecatburgler


And her campaign is broke.

[Maribelle]

16. Why have CNN ABC NBC and MSNBC bashed Hillary so badly...

all the while holding up pictures of their poster boy and smiling nicely?

For years I refused to even stop at Fox. But the other day I left one of the above stations because of the Hillary bashing over absolute nonsense, and stopped by Fox.

What I found on FOX was a rational discussion of the issues. I was shocked to find this, truly.

[2rth2pwr]

17. If Obama can't reach out and answer some debate questions, I would

question his sincerity.

[Araxen]

18. If they do Fox..

let Hannity be the host. Why not? ;)

[Whisp]

19. I almost hope it happens.

Fox won't be quite as milquetoast and obliging as Wolfie on CNN.
They will go after the jugular and off script, just for a good show for their frothing at the mouth audience.

Hillary has a Lot more to lose than Barack in this venue.

[calmblueocean]

21. Has Hillary just given up on the base?

She's gotta know moves like this to legitimize Fox antagonize the Democratic base voter. It seems to me like she knows base voters resent her IWR vote, and she's basically decided to say, "Fuck 'em."

[Maribelle]

24. Hillary receives higher marks from registered democrats than Obama by double digits.

Hillary haters need to realize that your support of the hatred of her clouds your perception of what is happening around town.

[calmblueocean]

35. Are you seriously calling me a Hillary hater?

You don't know how much damage you do when you throw that term around at everyone so recklessly.

Here's a link to a thread of mine from last night when I was watching her Town Hall forum.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=4395890&mesg_id=4396819

I should've been clearer, I guess, that I meant the activist base of the Democratic party, but just calling me a Hillary hater and saying my perception is clouded by my hate really doesn't do much for me. It's hard enough for me and others like me who are still open to considering her to move beyond her IWR vote.

Take a look at how Tom Rinaldo responded in that thread and learn from it.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=4395890&mesg_id=4397699

[Maribelle]

37. Hillary would never give up on the base.

Perhaps you need to question your own motives for asking that, then.

If you were truly questioning her IWR vote, I would have guessed that you would have questioned Obama's speech given 16 days after the IWR vote, that was full of points he could have lifted from the various speeches given two weeks before, especially Hillary's. And then question his statement that he was against the war from the beginning. I searched extensively to find even one single word Obama ever spoke against the war in the beginning and found absolutely nothing. Sorry, 16 days after the IWR was finalized was not hardly the beginning.


Obama and his "the beginning" is a blinking albatross.

[jillan]

22. What are all of you going to say when Obama accepts?

[Uncle Sinister]

25. To win in November, you MUST win over Fox viewers

Hillary has more cause to hat Fox than anyone on the planet (except maybe for Bill). but she knows that to take the white house, you must win a significant % of Fox viewing morons. She might as well start now.

[emilyg]

31. Smart Lady.

[Submariner]

32. Fox is an illegitimate excuse for news and is a bona fide propaganda network

NO Democrat should appear on Fox news, never mind debate there. To do so would give Fox "legitimacy".

They don't deserve it and should be avoided at ALL costs.

[grantcart]

36. It couldn't have had anything to do with somebody's fundraiser