The Obama Era: 101 Days of FNC Idiocracy

Since Barack Obama took office, Fox News has said some pretty outrageous stuff – more then I will ever be able to fit into one post but, I think you’ll find some of the best highlights below. The first video here does a great job at summing up Fox News in the age of Obama.

Day 64: April 29 2009
100 Days after Obama took office.

• Media Matters – Fox News: 100 days of “opposition” to Obama

Day 65: January 29 2007
Fox News broke the story that Obama went to school in a “Madrassa,” which is what they call “schools” in Indonesia, where Barack spent some of his childhood. Jon Stewart was quick to mock, and CNN was quick to debunk the fear this caused.

• The Daily Show – January 29 2007 Obamamania
• YouTube – CNN Debunks False Obama ‘Madrassa’ Smear

Day 66: February 21 2007
Remember how long that 2008 Presidential race was? So long that Fox News began attacking Obama in early 2007, as documented here by Fox Attacks.

• FoxAttacks.com

Day 67: May 24 2008
Liz Trotta lets an assassination joke slip out.

• Crooksandliars.com – Liz Trotta: …as a suggestion that someone knock off Osama, umm, Obama, well both if we could
• Crooksandliars.com – Liz Trotta Apologizes

Day 68: October 2 2008
Sometimes bias is hilarious. That was the case with this clip from the 2008 campaign trail.

• The Young Turks

Day 69: October 24 2008
Megyn Kelly is trying really, really hard to be a good journalist. Check out Obama’s spokesman’s confusion go away once he figures out Megyn Kelly parsed the quote – then he has fun.

Day 70: October 28 2008
These two enjoyed themselves so much they went at it again in round two. I really hate listening to sassy non-journalist reporter chicks get angry and argue on-air.

Day 71: May 31 2008
Remember this Clinton supporter – the one who gave the crazy anti-Obama rant? It made it’s rounds on the Internet and, interestingly enough, she got hired by Fox and appeared on TV five different times for analysis.

• Firedoglake – Clinton Supporter Ejected From Rules Meeting, “McCain Will Be Our Next President”
• The Daily Show – Who the Fuck is that guy – Political analysts
• YouTube – Cavuto and Harriet Christian — “An Inadequate Black Male”
• YouTube – Harriett Christian at the DNC with FOX

Day 72: October 9 2008
Jon Stewart covers Fox News as the panic sinks in. All sense of “Fair and Balanced” is lost at this point with the election coming up.

• The Daily Show – Fox News Panics

Day 73: November 13 2008
Post election, gun sales were up – why? Manufactured fear of course. After Stewart played this clip, he brought out Bill O’Reilly and showed him some more fear clips from Fox.

• The Daily Show – Baracknaphobia
• The Daily Show – November 13 2008: Bill O’Reilly Interview

Day 74: January 22 2009
Two days into the Obama presidency and Fox News has gone loopy – a sure sign of things to come. Million dollar anchors become full time fear merchants.

• The Daily Show – January 22 2009: Fox News Imbalance

Day 75: March 16 2009
Vice President Joe Biden isn’t immune either.

…What’s the big deal with that clip you wonder? The Biden clip Fox used was Biden actually quoting a Republican from six months earlier. Fox edited to make it sounds like Biden himself had recently said “the fundamentals of the economy are strong.”

• YouTube – Biden on McCain’s ’strong economy’ comments
• Think Progress – Fox News Edits Clip To Suggest That Biden Recently Declared ‘Fundamentals Of The Economy Are Strong’

So this how Fox News looks in America. Let’s see how Fox News presents itself Internationally.

What does all this mean? And why should Americans care? Do Americans care how this type of journalism carries internationally? The next part looks at Fox around the world.

101 Days of Fox News Idiocracy Introduction
Day 1 to Day 16: Meet the Fox News Team
Day 17 to Day 27: Meet the Fox Guests
Day 28 to Day 44: Things Fox News Does
Day 45 to Day 63: What the Fuck Fox!
Day 64 to Day 75: The Obama Era
Day 76 to Day 87: Fox around the World
Day 88 to Day 101: Conclusion: Fox News Broadcaster to the Idiocracy