# Is Fox News really all that bad? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 3, 2012, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fox-news-really-all-that-bad/636625 "2012-10-03T21:14:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 58
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2016, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fox-news-really-all-that-bad/636625/1141 "2016-07-28T16:53:17Z")
Foxnews finally has the Russia/Trump story on their front page, with a completely unbiased article titled: “Media refuse to believe Trump’s Russia comments were sarcastic” ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2016, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fox-news-really-all-that-bad/636625/1142 "2016-07-28T16:57:03Z")
What they don’t get is that it doesn’t matter whether the comments were sarcastic or were meant to be serious. Most people know they were not meant seriously! The comments were reckless, ill-advised, and demonstrate an embarrassingly cavalier attitude about foreign policy that would enrage FoxNews-types into frothing calls for imprisonment if Obama or Clinton had made them. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2016, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fox-news-really-all-that-bad/636625/1143 "2016-07-28T18:09:39Z")
> [@Knorf](#): > > The comments were reckless, ill-advised, and demonstrate an embarrassingly cavalier attitude about foreign policy that would enrage FoxNews-types into frothing calls for imprisonment if Obama or Clinton had made them. Fodder for a different thread, but _why_ were they reckless, etc.? On the one hand I get that saying that he might break treaties or see if an attacked-NATO country is current with its obligations before intervening in the face of a Russian invasion. Same with suggesting he’d toy with defaulting in order to get a better bargaining position. These are statements that could very well end lives and decimate markets. But as reprehensible as the email comment was, particularly given that few actually take them seriously, what is the potential harm? I’m referring to self-defined ‘real’ harm like the above pair of examples. Looking bad, being a mockery, etc., are perception harms, but a different class of ill than something reckless and ill-advised. He knows his supporters are all “fuck political correctness and fuck namby-pamby diplomatic speak and fuck Hillary!” with the comments, and knows that if Russia could do anything they would not be waiting to hear from him. If they do already have the information, his comments would do little to sway their decision to release it. I can’t imagine his comments at this juncture/topic factoring into any intelligence decision (or intelligent decision, but that’s a different topic too). I could be mistaken (hence this is a real question, not a rhetorical one), but how do his comments play out in terms of actual effects? _Could he be learning from his past mistakes and smartly shifting to more inconsequential blather?_ ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2016, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fox-news-really-all-that-bad/636625/1144 "2016-07-28T21:00:45Z")
[Lou Dobbs doesn’t think white people are the majority of the population.](http://www.rawstory.com/2016/07/fox-news-panel-goes-off-the-rails-when-lou-dobbs-tries-to-argue-whites-are-a-minority-in-the-us/) ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2016, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fox-news-really-all-that-bad/636625/1145 "2016-07-28T23:04:32Z")
Eric Bolling: [it was the Bush administration who took down Osama Bin Laden, not the Obama administration.](http://mediamatters.org/video/2016/07/28/fox-news-host-bush-administration-got-bin-laden-not-obama/211998) ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2016, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fox-news-really-all-that-bad/636625/1146 "2016-07-28T23:11:39Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Eric Bolling: [it was the Bush administration who took down Osama Bin Laden, not the Obama administration.](http://mediamatters.org/video/2016/07/28/fox-news-host-bush-administration-got-bin-laden-not-obama/211998) > [@](#): > > BOLLING: That was the Bush administration that set up the kill shot, and Obama took the kill shot. He’s right. Bush let Bin Laden wander free all those years so Obama could go after him. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fox-news-really-all-that-bad/636625/1147 "2016-07-29T03:25:04Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > He’s right. > Bush let Bin Laden wander free all those years so Obama could go after him. Bush was just giving Obama Affirmative Action - he knew Obama could never manage the job on his own. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fox-news-really-all-that-bad/636625/1148 "2016-07-29T07:41:11Z")
And how did Obama thank them ? By letting 9/11 happen on his watch ! ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fox-news-really-all-that-bad/636625/1149 "2016-07-29T11:11:51Z")
> [@davida03801](#): > > It is a fact that Fox has the Freddie Gray case on its site at the moment and not the Trump-Russian thing. On that I agree. > > However it is your opinion of which one is more important than the other. You can disagree on that, however it is entirely your opinion. “President publicly requests worse version of watergate” is slightly more newsworthy than “Police acquitted in murder” is not exactly a difficult opinion to hold. > [@davida03801](#): > > I don’t think it was a planned move on Trumps part. I think it was a tongue in cheek joke that he just threw it out there to see what would be run with it, and it took off. > > I do think most average people are chuckling at the thought of it, which is not in Hillary’s favor and that is now propelled by the main street media. > > Holy shit, I can’t believe I am the only one that sees this is a joke that is being taken way too seriously. Tough shit. The president does not get to make jokes like that. Jokes based around doing something incredibly stupid and destructive are not funny coming from someone with that much power. The president _especially_ does not get to make jokes like that in an unclear, “I’m joking, unless you agree, in which case I’m serious” tone, much in the manner one might proposition a close female friend for sex. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fox-news-really-all-that-bad/636625/1150 "2016-07-29T12:37:01Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > Tough shit. The president does not get to make jokes like that. Jokes based around doing something incredibly stupid and destructive are not funny coming from someone with that much power. The president _especially_ does not get to make jokes like that in an unclear, “I’m joking, unless you agree, in which case I’m serious” tone, much in the manner one might proposition a close female friend for sex. Indeed - such jokes have consequences, and someone who would be President should know that. Remember Reagan’s “[We begin bombing in five minutes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_begin_bombing_in_five_minutes)” joke accidentally caught on mike? Funny stuff, right? No one would take that seriously, right? Well, no one except the actual Russian military, who were not laughing. You and I and **davida03801** have the freedom to tell stupid jokes and be immature assholes on the internet if we so desire because (as far as I know) none of us wield any particular power and we can all be safely ignored. When the guy who wants to be responsible for international diplomatic and military relations with the entire world says something that suggests he’s allied with one of the country’s greatest opponents, even in jest, ignoring it could have devastating effects for generations to come. Will it? Probably not. But how do you like the odds? ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fox-news-really-all-that-bad/636625/1151 "2016-07-29T13:05:12Z")
Never tell me the odds! Except if you’re telling me the Odds are making another album. ---
**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fox-news-really-all-that-bad/636625/1152 "2016-07-29T17:04:22Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > Tough shit. The president does not get to make jokes like that. Jokes based around doing something incredibly stupid and destructive are not funny coming from someone with that much power. The president _especially_ does not get to make jokes like that in an unclear, “I’m joking, unless you agree, in which case I’m serious” tone, much in the manner one might proposition a close female friend for sex. Don’t overlook the fact that he was talking to a room full of reporters, who then questioned him about that statement - did he REALLY just encourage a foreign country to infiltrate the US State Department? If you say something that’s a joke, and people question you about whether you were joking, you don’t then continue with the joke. Trump did not back down from the statement when questioned. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fox-news-really-all-that-bad/636625/1153 "2016-07-29T18:11:13Z")
Fox News apparently didn’t air the speech by the father of the Muslim soldier who died serving overseas – you know, the one about what’s in the Constitution, and how men in uniform have earned medals by sacrificing their lives for this country – to [instead](http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2016/07/29/fox_news_aired_commercials_megyn_kelly_over_muslim_soldier_s_father.html) air comments about how speakers at the DNC convention just aren’t talking about using our military to preserve our nation against threats and thus and such. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fox-news-really-all-that-bad/636625/1154 "2016-07-29T20:39:12Z")
> [@davida03801](#): > > It is a fact that Fox has the Freddie Gray case on its site at the moment and not the Trump-Russian thing. On that I agree. > > However it is your opinion of which one is more important than the other. You can disagree on that, however it is entirely your opinion. It was also a FACT that these headlines (among many others) were on the front page instead of the “Trump-Russian thing”: Police: Pennsylvania bridal shop co-owner stood naked in store window Band of monkeys raid Thai polling place Suspect accused of beating turtle to death with hammer claims self-defense Is it not a fact that the “Trump-Russian thing” is more important than these stories? Would you really argue that the reason that they didn’t have this story on their front page is because they didn’t have room for it? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fox-news-really-all-that-bad/636625/1155 "2016-07-29T22:27:25Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > IRemember Reagan’s “[We begin bombing in five minutes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_begin_bombing_in_five_minutes)” joke accidentally caught on mike? Funny stuff, right? No one would take that seriously, right? Well, no one except the actual Russian military, who were not laughing. I thought it was funny. (But then, I have a twisted sense of humour.) ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fox-news-really-all-that-bad/636625/1156 "2016-07-29T22:47:19Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Funny stuff, right? No one would take that seriously, right? Well, no one except the actual Russian military, who were not laughing. Gee, and the Russian military were usually so happy-go-lucky. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2016, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fox-news-really-all-that-bad/636625/1157 "2016-08-01T15:24:25Z")
Fox sure has taken a great interest in weather this morning - the floods around Baltimore (which happened several days ago) and the Big Sur wildfire (which has been burning for a week.) They didn’t have much to say about these events before, but damn, their weather crews are working overtime this AM. Funny that the lead story on every other news network is something else entirely. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2016, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fox-news-really-all-that-bad/636625/1158 "2016-08-01T15:59:01Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Gee, and the Russian military were usually so happy-go-lucky. Well half of 'em were fucked up on antifreeze at the time, so, yeah, they mostly were 😃 ---
**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2016, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fox-news-really-all-that-bad/636625/1159 "2016-08-01T16:37:58Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Indeed - such jokes have consequences, and someone who would be President should know that. Remember Reagan’s “[We begin bombing in five minutes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_begin_bombing_in_five_minutes)” joke accidentally caught on mike? Funny stuff, right? No one would take that seriously, right? Well, no one except the actual Russian military, who were not laughing. And to really make that an apt comparison, imagine if Reagan had then been questioned about the comments, whether he was serious, and he confirmed that yes, he was. That would be the equivalent of what Trump did. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2016, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fox-news-really-all-that-bad/636625/1160 "2016-08-01T18:45:44Z")
Regarding the Trump-Khan story, which has been a top story everywhere else for two days and for good reason, I’ve located it on the [FoxNews.com](http://FoxNews.com) website. Not the top story, but at least within the first column of second-tier stories. See how it jumps out at you? > [@](#): > > ‘4 PINOCCHIOS’: Fact-checker slams Clinton over claim in email scandal > VIDEO: Clinton fact-checked on ‘truthful’ claim in email scandal > VIDEO: Reaction to criticism over Hillary Clinton’s statement > TAKING A BACK SEAT: Clinton spat with Benghazi mom overshadowed by Trump-Khan debate > MEDIA BUZZ: Is the press pushing Hillary’s argument that Trump is ‘dangerous’? > OPINION: Will Americans vote for the party of anger or the party of entitlement? You can’t say their ignoring how the Khan story is distracting from Clinton’s “spat” with “Benghazi mom.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fox-news-really-all-that-bad/636625.md?page=57) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fox-news-really-all-that-bad/636625.md?page=59)