Deseret News | Snubbing press unwise choice for Obama

Reader comments
Jay Evensen: Snubbing press unwise choice for Obama

Buy ink while I surf | 12:25 a.m. Oct. 25, 2009

"In my experience, politicians who fight the media seldom emerge victorious. It goes back to that old caution from Mark Twain about picking fights with people who buy ink by the barrel, only now it's a fight with people who send digital signals far and wide 24/7."

Times are changing and Obama recognizes that. He understands that the people want the truth and not the lies told to us by the press who set themselves up as dispensers of truth, knowledge and wisdom as if they are Gods but they aren't. We can get online and visit the White House website, a blog or another website for information. We sure as hell don't need a bunch of voters with personal opinions who work for a company with an agenda telling us what is going on when we can find out ourselves.

So I am glad that Obama is taking on these talking heads and these wannabe Gods including Jay Evensen who needs to get off his high horse and realize we aren't stupid and don't need him to tell us what is happening around us.

J Nelson | 1:09 a.m. Oct. 25, 2009

Our President and his advisors are completely out of line. Freedom of the press is a constitutional right. But so far Obama has shown he could care less for our constitution. I wouldn't be surprised to find it hanging on a roll in the oval office bathroom.

Fox News right now is the ONLY news source that is not Liberal biased. Our MSM is not covering the real political news about health care reform, the Acorn scandal and about the Marxist Czars and Aides our President has appointed. Obama's approval ratings are down 20 percent from January and Fox News' ratings are up 20 percent. America is not being fooled. If you want your news paper to actually get read Deseret News, you better start covering the real stories out there and stop running fluff and nonsense that is liberally biased. Americans are ready to defend our liberties that have been trampled on and the main stream media better get on board before you become completely not worth our time.

Carla | 5:33 a.m. Oct. 25, 2009

Political leaders have always criticized the press. It never works, because after the politicians leave office, the press remains. If the administration is seeking approval for its policies, it should go on the only channel that will confront, examine and question those policies. If the policies are valid, they will stand; if not, they won't and they shouldn't.

Only a suppressive dictatorship attempts to silence the voice of the opposition. Are we going to end up like the Soviet Union, Cuba, Venezuela, Tienanmen Square...?

People on the right have recognized the left-leaning of Main Stream Media for years without foaming at the mouth like the left is doing now in response to Fox.

Comments continue below

To: Buy ink while I surf | 6:58 a.m. Oct. 25, 2009

"We can get online and visit the White House website, a blog or another website for information."

Don't you mean you can visit the White House website for propaganda. Since we don't have Pravda here (maybe we do there is MSNBC and CNN) Obama must do it himself.

Ignore FOX | 8:13 a.m. Oct. 25, 2009

The president can ignore FOX if he wants to. Just because you're Republican neo-cons doesn't mean you have to be listened to.

Why? | 8:59 a.m. Oct. 25, 2009

The press is getting way to big for their britches. They should have no more rights of access then the rest of us. At this point the press is just another special interest group and should be treated as such.

Amen 12;26 | 9:21 a.m. Oct. 25, 2009

With all these "talking heads" telling dull minded people how the "real" (ha ha) news is, I can't help but wonder why people like Hannity Rush et all have in their personalities that hook wink willing cows to their death.
Get on the White House website and get the truth as to what is taking place.
If they can't convince you of the truth, then there is truly no hope for the twenty percent neo cons.
Keep listening to Ann Coulter for her Christian view of Politics.

Ultra Bob | 10:02 a.m. Oct. 25, 2009

If Fox was a part of the press as noted in the Constitution, I would agree with Jay. But Fox is simply the voice and main propaganda weapon of the conservative republicans.

Starting with Ronald Reagan, they have self proclaimed themselves to be the enemy of the American government. It is high time someone in our government recognized that.

There is nothing in the Constitution that requires our government to subordinate itself to a vile opposition just because it calls itself “press”. When even it’s motto is a lie.

Fox often invites their enemies to come on their shows, but when they accept they are like lambs going to the slaughter. If Jesus himself went on Bill Oriely's show he would come away looking like the devil.

It is my hope that enough Americans will see through the Fox propaganda and help the American people win out against the most current DOMESTIC ENEMY.

Anonymous | 10:30 a.m. Oct. 25, 2009

Fox isn't news...

If Fox News was an | 11:18 a.m. Oct. 25, 2009

actual news source, I might agree with the writer. The debate here is whether Fox News is a legitimate news organization, and I think we can conclude that it is not.

Fox News is exactly what the White House callled it: The media arm of the Republican Party.

jay maybe right | 1:19 p.m. Oct. 25, 2009

Jay maybe right for a change when Bush snubbed the main stream media opting for fox (also known as the propaganda wing of the republican party) it did not work out so well for him in the end, the only strange thing is that I did not hear Jay or any of you others complaining back then.

Wayne | 1:31 p.m. Oct. 25, 2009

The White House website is the LAST place I would go for truth....it is not to be found there!

Anonymous | 1:37 p.m. Oct. 25, 2009

And did Bush avoid all the liberal news programs? No. So I dont want to hear Hussein crying that ONE news network doesn't like him and for that reason he's avoiding it. Hussein has always claimed everything would be transparent in his term, so why not allow both sides to be painted? Independence Day 1/23/2013. God save us until then.

@Anonymous | 1:37 p.m. | 2:26 p.m. Oct. 25, 2009

There is nobody in office named "Hussein". If you're going to complain about someone, use his/her right name.

@Wayne | 1:31 p.m. | 2:27 p.m. Oct. 25, 2009

There's more truth in the White House website than there is on Fox News. A lot of people on Fox News (and those who watch it) wouldn't recognize the truth if it reached up and bit them on the nose.

@Ultra Bob | 10:02 a.m. | 2:29 p.m. Oct. 25, 2009

Well said and exactly right..

SNUB | 3:06 p.m. Oct. 25, 2009

NEWS OUTLET and FAUX NEWS is a CONTRADICTION IN TERMS.

THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA snubs the PROPOGANDA ARM of the RNC?

This is news?

Anita Dunn | 4:07 p.m. Oct. 25, 2009

I heard her eulogising and admiring mass murderer Mao Tse Tung.

She and communist Van Jones were chosen by Barak Obama. This is the clearest fight I have ever seen or heard.

I am of the contrary opinion and on the other side.
Hostilities have commenced.

Limbaugh Legitimized | 4:10 p.m. Oct. 25, 2009

I have not been an avid fan of Mr Limbaush but he has been absolutely right about the "government-controlled media". The evidence is conclusive.

Kudos | 4:13 p.m. Oct. 25, 2009

Thank you, thank you Jay Evensen. I'm not your biggest fan but "all is forgiven and forgotten". You have chosen the right side for the right reason.

Anonymous | 7:23 p.m. Oct. 25, 2009

the fact that Fox is scared shows that Obama is doin' something right...

No Fox Fan | 9:32 p.m. Oct. 25, 2009

I applaud Obama's administration for avoiding Fox news. The "talking heads" like Glen Beck tarnish the entire network. The advertisers are the ones that are letting Fox news know that enough is enough. I was happy to see so many ditching the Glen Beck show. I don't know why the writer is defending Fox news. They are rediculous. At least I get balanced news from other sources.

Verlo | 9:33 p.m. Oct. 25, 2009

To Anonymous @7:23, I really doubt fox is too scared, they have as many veiwers as all the liberal news stations put together. And the fact that bo has an approval rating sub 50% shows he isn't doing something right.

So Verlo, | 11:54 p.m. Oct. 25, 2009

assuming your assertion is correct: "they have as many veiwers as all the liberal news stations put together."

Does that make Fox the dreaded "Main Stream Media"?

Rachel | 2:35 p.m. Oct. 26, 2009

The expression of opinions about the news, is not the difference between Fox and the rest of the news media. The difference between Fox, and news, is that Fox is now *actively* organizing and promoting a protest movement against the U.S. Government (such as the 9/12 Tea Party in Washington) by promoting these events both on the air, and on the website, without being asked to do this by a sponsor. They promoted, at their own investment of time and resources, these events.

The difference between Fox and news is not that Fox has hired personalities and producers share and express an opinion about the news or that they share an ideology. The difference between Fox and the news is that *only one organization* is organizing and promoting street protests. There's nothing wrong with that, it's perfectly legal as far as I know, it just makes Fox an opposition political outlet to the Democratic party and the Obama White House, rather than a normal news channel.

Defending Fox and ignoring what they do that has nothing to do with the news is the problem. They're not "just" covering the news.

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