Irresponsible Reporting

Fox News is an important news source irrespective of your politics. Clearly, it has a slant that differs from that at its competitors, CNN and MSNBC. Given its significant ratings lead over those competitors when does it become embarrassingly disingenuous to continue to cast itself as other than part of MSM (main stream media). I would argue strenuously that the time long since past. Puhhhlease, honesty is a virtue.

Sure, some of the folks on Fox News are crackpots (Namely, Gibson, Hannity, BillO, Bill Sammon etc.), but they represent a constituency. That said, some of the lesser lights at the network are a bit too eager to please their bosses. Witness Fox News anchor, Gretchen Carlson calling Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA) a “hostile enemy” of the United States because he has demanded that Congress vote on whether to approve funding for escalation in Iraq. That crap has no place on a reputable news source. Sen. Kennedy ain't the sharpest tool in the shed, but his point of view is in line with a significant number of Americans, loyal Americans that have a strong disagreement with the Administration's current Iraq policy. Referring to such people as enemies of this country is irresponsible and ignorant. In my view such vitriol has no place in the arena of political debate.

Update on My Bill O'Reilly Post

Initially, I somehow missed the portion of the interview with President Bush where Bill first laments that he is the most attacked individual on the planet after Bush. Wow, great men bonding! But "Loofah Bill" wasn't done, he went on to shamelessly plug his book Culture Warrior to the President strenuously encouraging the President to "read the free copy I sent you." Bush was stunned - I honestly can't blame him.

I was embarrassed and I was watching a clip on TV. This guy is certifiable, he is like watching the proverbial train wreck - you want to avert your eyes but you're drawn to the carnage. BTW the reviews of the book echoed my assessment, that O'Reilly is a paranoid megalomaniac. In one interview hawking the book he even claimed to having been told by the FBI that he was on an al Queda hit list (YES, I AM SERIOUS, Fox staffers said they were unaware of any such threat). The man is simply just too much.