the red carpet question

Since we recently discussed fairness, balance, and objectivity in journalism I wanted to reccomend a documentary movie called "Outfoxed." Perhaps many have seen this documentary about Fox news. It is an in depth look at how many Fox news reporters were asked, in some cases directly by executive personnel, to censor if not disregard many news stories if they didn't shed a favorable light on the Bush administration. The documentary also highlights some strategies Fox used to sway viewer opinion to the right like frequently interviewing meek and sheepish guests that are supposed to represent the progressive or leftist side of an argument. Certain catch phrases were used incessantly to affect public views of liberal people or ideals. We all remember how frequently John Kerry was called a "flipflopper." Well, Fox news took that strategy to the highest degree in order to sully the reputation of myriad leftist people and ideas. Most remarkable is Bill Orieley and his badgering of liberals - usually he would just end up yelling at them to "shut up." It's hard to get fair representation in the news media when the anchor man is telling you to "shut up."

This brings me to the topic of my posting. Often when you listen to a presidential press conference you get to hear the president attempt to field questions about his policies and actions as they relate to current events and politics. Many of these questions are challenging and it is mildly entertaining, if not totally pathetic to hear the president try to sideline the point of the question and skirt the issue. And then the president, much to his own relief, will field a question from a reporter representing a conservative publication or news source like Fox. I call this the "red carpet question" and it goes something like this; a reporter will ask a cheap set-up question like "How should the parents of soldiers recently sent over to Baghdad expect to feel five months from now?" Then cue the patriotic music and unfurl old glory because the president, in all his trashy pomp, is about to astound us with a tale of "bravery, sacrifice, heroism, courage, and the price of freedom, blah blah blah..." And after the waves of applause subside and tears of triumph are dried, the scary thing is that many Americans are still buying it.