Putting Out Fires with Gasoline

Most kids know that words will never hurt them. Can someone please tell the White House?

Obama’s press office has decided to treat Fox News like an enemy, saying it is “not a legitimate news organization but a wing of the Republican Party.” Fox News, the undisputed leader in cable news whose ratings are up 20%, probably couldn’t be happier. And you’d think the guy who won the Nobel Peace Prize wouldn’t want to add a war with the media to his other wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Doesn’t all this seem a little beneath an American president and his office? There hasn’t been a single one in history that didn’t go through the media gauntlet unscathed. Look back 100 years ago to the age of yellow journalism and you’ll find things that would shock Glen Beck.

The White House posturing conjures up dozens of worn but true clichés: Never get into an argument with someone who buys ink by the barrel. Never let them see you sweat. Don’t let it get under your skin, etc. Has the White House forgotten how low the public regards the media? Outside of a very noisy minority of diehard partisans, does anyone take Glen Beck seriously? What would the president gain by giving him more attention than he deserves? Will it ever come out unspoiled in a mud wrestling match with Sean Hannity?

But there’s an even bigger mistake the White House is making. George W. Bush actually said it best. One day in Texas he invited some media to a barbecue. An editor there asked that if he didn’t read the papers, how would he know what the public thinks? Bush said, “You’re making a huge assumption – that you represent what the public thinks.”

If Beck, Hannity, O’Reilly and the rest of Fox News’ on-air talent had that much pull, how come McCain isn’t in the White House? In fact, why isn’t Fred Thompson in the White House? Limbaugh and his cronies pushed for Thompson, then Romney, then Hillary Clinton after McCain won the nomination. I don’t doubt the ratings of these guys, I’m sure they have plenty of fans and they make for good TV. But never think elections and bill debate are won and lost in the media. Don’t think Fox News represents the Republican Party. Obama needs to work with and influence the Republican Party, not Fox News. If you’re reading this and you like Rush Limbaugh, do you do every single thing he tells you to do and agree with everything he says? Of course not. Why on earth would the White House believe it?

I’ve worked with the media for years and can tell you that George W. Bush is absolutely right. Not only does the media not represent the public, but people outside the media who drink that Kool Aid are in serious trouble when it comes to gauging public opinion. It’s been disheartening to watch Republican leaders kowtow to people like Limbaugh and Hannity who they believe represents their Party, their voters and the so-called “Real America.” It’s beyond baffling to watch the White House press corps make the same mistake.