He’s been a conservative commentator since forever. He used to guest host for Rush Limbaugh. He’s never pretended to be “objective”.
Whatever job he does for Fox News, it certainly isn’t because he tries to pretend to be non-partisan and objective. He’s a dyed in the wool conservative. Always has been, always will.
Now, if you object to the very idea of an ideologically slanted news network, then fine. But the idea that objective (that is, nonpartisan) reporting is the ideal is fairly new. Newspapers that have a bias, or an ideological axe to grind are a tradition going back to the very first newspapers. So Fox news is a conservative news network, so what?
That they like to claim “Fair and Balanced!” Look, they only do that for fun, because it drives liberals crazy. It’s a joke, son.
I don’t watch the news on television, ever, so I don’t know anything about Tony Snow. From what I’ve read about the Fox News organization, I don’t get the idea that anyone suspects them of being impartial.
I see shuffling Rove as a smart move, actually. That’s his talent, campaigning and strategizing for votes. The Republicans as a unit need his skills to maintain the healthy majorities they require in the House and Senate to continue the level of influence they currently enjoy. As they’re at legitimately troubling risk of losing too many seats, this is the best way Rove can serve the President. The Republican legislators are unruly enough as it is these days. You get enough Democrats in power, and suddenly some committee heads might actually start investigating the White House’s shenanigans.
Yeah, but C.J. Cregg wasn’t nearly as bad as Scotty. And if we had more Danny Concannon types in the WH Press Corps, this resignation would have come a lot sooner.
Well, it was a natural shakeup. Enough has already come down the sewer pipe that something had to give. Did Scotty quit or fall on his sword? It’s not unsurprising the shakeup hasn’t happened sooner, really, and I’m wondering why it hasn’t been more extensive (though there may be more to come). Second terms seem to be cursed, and personnel changes are practically a given.
Scotty was a hack. He was Bush’s press sec. when Bush was Gov. When they moved to Washington, Scotty was the assistant press sec. That speaks lots. He wasn’t good enough to be the first string. When Ari resigned, you bring in Scotty. He’s being bailed, rather than bailing.
Ah, but you don’t need a likeable press secretary if you don’t give a shit what people think about you in the first place. And that’s the impression the Bush administration has always tried to give the press: we don’t give a shit what you think. Fleischer was great at that, it was the source of his charm. (And by charm, I mean loathesomeness.) McClellan wasn’t nearly as good; he usually looked flustered, scared and hung out to dry. That was why I didn’t like him either.
