Was Fox News Pulling For Romney?

Fox news channel 2 SC Was Fox News Pulling For Romney?

According to the RealClearPolitics website, Newt Gingrich recently told a Tea Party meeting in Delaware, “I think Fox has been for Romney all the way through. In our experience, Callista and I both believe CNN is less biased than Fox this year. We are more likely to get neutral coverage out of CNN than we are of Fox, and we’re more likely to get distortion out of Fox. That’s just a fact.”

Fox News swung back hard and released a statement attacking Gingrich saying, “This is nothing other than Newt auditioning for a windfall of a gig at CNN — that’s the kind of man he is. Not to mention that he’s still bitter about the fact that we terminated his contributor contract.”

Obviously, there is no affection between Fox News and Gingrich.

But Gingrich isn’t alone in his complaints. In March, Rick Santorum complained on air about Fox News bias. Santorum said of Romney: “He’s had Fox News shilling for him every day.”

Fox News holds a special place in Republican primaries. The network was built as an alternative to overtly biased news dispensed at competing mainstream networks. Roger Ailes, the programing genius that constructed Fox News, understood the power of counter-programming against an overtly biased and monolithically liberal competition.

Fox News programing builds a large and loyal audience with Republican sympathies. Thus, a charge of bias in the primary is a significant allegation.

We speak to many conservative activists around the country with fears similar to Gingrich. Some activists make the even more serious charge that Fox News is morphing into just another liberal- leaning voice similar to their mainstream cousins, CNN and MSNBC.

These activists point to the sacking of Glenn Beck and Judge Andrew Napolitano as examples of conservative and libertarian voices being silenced.

Some pro-Israeli organizations also believe that Fox News Middle East coverage has changed also.

Fox News is an important vehicle for sharing right-leaning ideas with a large audience. In our opinion, they have never been pro-conservative, but they allowed conservative ideas to get equal billing. Conservative ideas don’t need promotion by any news outlet, but they do need expression in an outlet.

If Fox News does change, it will lead to the growth of more alternative media. The Internet is the future of news, and if Fox alienates its current right-of-center constituency, then they will move to places with a fairer and more balanced approach.

Fox News is number one because of fair and balanced coverage, but if they become one sided (or don’t allow competing views), they will soon shrink and lose their preeminent position.

Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore (Creative Commons)

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Comments

  1. . (There used to be other parties, but the Banksters money and owned LSM, including FOX, have been successful in all but eliminating all opposition to the Bilderberg agenda. Now; Ron Paul is the only candidate that is fighting against the totalitarian NWO powers. The election is being set up again, and the LSM is a the partner in this set up. I can only hope enough Americans wake up to the Bilderberger’s CFR perpetual war agenda, and vote against the carnage they have created, and are promoting.)

  2. I really think this is quite funny! Fox was pushing Newt and Mitt from the start. Newt being a paid “contributor”.
    Now this is the FUNNY part:
    Mitt’s Goldman Sachs/Wall Street backing, trumped Newt’s CFR/NWO membership. :) :) :)

    Faux did its duty real well in keeping Ron Paul down from the start. FAUX is nothing more than the Fascist arm of the CFR NWO perps. May more Americans wake up to this, and get honest news from the non-bought off internet..

  3. Fox News’ “Fair and Balanced” slogan is a great marketing scheme that should not be literally applied to the content of their product – “news”. When Glenn Beck left the show it really opened my eyes to the reality of Fox News. It is no more “Fair and Balanced” than any other News Outlet.

  4. It is a joke to say Fox is “Fair and Balanced”. It was clear from the start of the campaign that Romney was the Fox pick. The propaganda in the news today would make Joesph Goebbels cheer. Our media is as corrupt as the federal government. Even the ads on TV are insulting to any correct thinking adult. I would ask the question ” What do they think we are – fools?”. I am afraid the answer is yes and for a large amount of people it is true.

  5. As a long time viewer of Fox – even before Beck – I have noticed a slight perceptual change through the years; ever so slight but over the years ; it has amounted to a significant change. I believe it is done on purpose.
    Grab the conservative following to get established and then ever so slightly keep moving to the center and then left of center.
    They’re not satisfied with just being the premier alternative to the liberal MSM and providing truthful and objective reporting. Forget the “fair and balanced” – it was a useful paradigm for the times and got them to where they are. Now on to big and better. The bottom line is money, ratings, and power.
    I believe their political perspective overall has been moderate and to that end they have been promoting the more moderate candidates. Witness how many of their hosts interview Trump and the many other supporters of Romney – very many who have never been very conservative in politics.

  6. We really get PO’d when you don’t do your homework before opening your mouth, Newt. How many times do you need to repeat that mistake before you learn it?

    Here’s 736 PAGES OF LINKS that detail CNN’s “less biased” record: http://newsbusters.org/search/node/CNN

  7. This whole article is pure BS from the very start and Newt had better grow up and quit whining like a little kid. He’s mad because he didn’t win all the primaries. I’ve seen him being interviews on Fox numerous times when the could get him on. As for Beck and others being bumped off by Fox, that is also pure bull you know what. Media Matters had an all out war with Fox and took to threatening Becks advertisers as they did other advertisers on Fox. Fox cannot have a program that does not pay it’s own way with advertisers. Judge Andrew Napolitano still has a show on Fox as well, and is a regular contributor. And if Fox is such a shill for Republicans, why did they just recently hire Jesse Jackson’s daughter?

    So you guys that are so against Fox, had better get all your facts straight.

  8. woodworke6,
    You are exactly correct. How Newt can say that Fox News is a shill for Romney is unbelievable. I was unhappy with Greta Van Susteren because she had Newt on almost all of the time until very recently. All of her questions were slanted, even with other candidates, toward Newt. It was soooo obvious to me. Other than that, as far as I could see Fox was NOT supporting any of the candidates. That they would now support Romney when Newt isn’t even strongly in the race would seem reasaonable to me. And Newt will say ANYTHING to get the presidency. Blame someone else for the position he’s in — like Obama. The reason he is in his present position is that his past caught up with him!!!!!! Get real. As far as Santorum is concerned, until more recently, he wasn’t taken seriously and has some reason to complain & not only with Fox News.

    • Evelyn. Thanks. Newt was a paid contributor on Fox for a long time until he began his campaign for the Presidency. Fox felt it was a conflict of interest to continue to have him on their staff and that is why they severed ties with him. I know for a fact that Fox tried to get all the candidates on when the campaign first begun and as one by one they dropped off, and it was down to Newt, Romney, Ron Paul and Santorum, they would have them on as often as their schedules would allow. I don’t know if Paul ever would come on Fox though. Then it was apparent that Newt was losing the primaries, of course they tried to have the others on more and more. But they still had Newt on several times.

      Newt is just angry because he lost to Romney. Santorum had the grace to bow out when it was apparent that he wasn’t going to be the nominee and also to support; his family and the children’s health problems. I respect him for that. But for Newt to make the claim that Fox ONLY supported Romney is totally false.

      I was not aware that Greta had Newt on all the time as I don’t watch her only on occasion.

  9. Fox has definitely take a slant to the left, can’t say FOX per se has totally shilled for Romney but I can say WITHOUT HESITATION that O’Reilly has been cheerleading for ONLY ROMNEY since the campaigning began. Their hiring Santita Jackson—Jesse Jackson’s daughter, friend of Moochelle Owebumbler (and who sang at the Owebumbler’s wedding) is another indication of a leftwing shift. O’Reilly has constantly degraded or derided all nominees but Romney–Paul hasn’t got a chance, Santorum doesn’t have enough money or backing, Gingrich’s ideas are off the wall, etc.., if O’Reilly thinks these comments are “fair and balanced”, he needs to go back to Haaarrvaaaaaddd and take another course in journalism 101. First indication something was wrong at Fox–when Beck had to leave after George Soros and Owebumbler threatened them and they caved by pushing Beck out the door. Now Judge Napolitano’s gone after standing up for the Constitution and a libertarian like Ron Paul. They don’t exist on FACTS anymore, it’s just opinion–Shephard Smith likes to say he’s a news reporter but you can’t miss the personal opinions from the left in his reporting–I don’t call that “fair and balanced”.

    • Sorry to disagree with you Shavager, but I watch Oreilly every night and he has been more than fair to all candidates. Some of the early candidates would not come on his show for some reason, Rick Perry to name one. If the candidates chose not to appear on his show, then that is their choice.

      As for hiring Santita Jackson. They have hired a lot of far left people.,, Juan Williams, Geraldo Rivera, Alan Combs, I can’t remember the name of that guy that is on The Five, but he is about as far left as you can get. Then also have a lot of far left guys on as contributors. Ed Rendel, Lannie Davis and others.

      If you watch Hannity, I would hardly call him “left wing”… To be honest, I cannot speak for the early in the day shows as I don’t watch them with the possible exception of Megan Kelly and I think she is kind of in the middle.

      So you are mistaken when you say that Fox is totally left leaning. They have both sides.

    • my thoughts exactly…..do great minds think alike?!@#$

  10. I’ve found Fox News to be a total disappointment over the last few years and rely more and more on the Internet for coverage of the real issues facing our nation. I also find their mocking of the Obama eligibility issues offensive.

    Shephard Smith cannot report the news without also conveying his liberal, personal opinions, whether verbally or through facial expresions, on the matter. He also can’t interview anyone with a differing opinion without arguing or belittling their position; as does Megyn Kelly.

    Fox was clearly pulling for Romney from the start and my recollection is that Gingrich’s Fox News contributor contract was not terminated until immediately after Gingrich decided to become a presidential contender. I find Fox News’ statement to be totally disingenuous.

  11. Fox never officially took a side in the primary, but it is my opinion, and since no stance was taken officially, an opinion is all I can have, that Fox anchors often spoke in language that was very close to endorsement of Romney. O’Reilly is probably the best example of this. F.ex. when he openes his email at the end of his hour, he is often was confronted with comments of his bias for Romney. He allways responds that he only report facts, and states “it’s just a fact that Roney will win. Nobody has a chance to beat him.” When repeated often enough, this borders on endorsement. O’Reilly has often used similar language is discussions with guests or pundits. He has been hard hitting on this at least since Gingrich’s campaign took its first hit last summer, and he never gave Cain a chance, actually his language never gave room for the possibility that the attack on Cain could have been an attack on an innocent man. Other anchors have followed similar trends, but with a softer tone. Greta Van Susteren, however, have been shooting straight the whole time. But, again, this is only opinion.

  12. Not only Fox News, the the GOP has been shoving him down our throats. They didn’t even count all the votes from all the precincts and influenced voters making them believe Romney was leading.
    They are all Corporatist and gave little chance for anyone else to have a fair chance.

    Vote Paul or Newt and knock this guy back to where he came from. He is a lousy choice with an ego as big as Obama’s. Obama has more of a chance against him then the other two who the democrats really fear.

  13. After reading all the negative comments in this thread about Fox, I guess there is no changing anyone’s mind. There are those who hate Fox and will never change. So I encourage them to switch to MSNBC.

    Perhaps these same people should check the over all ratings of Fox as opposed to the ratings of the other cable news networks. That will tell the story.

  14. Seriously, Newt and your limited campaign staff; What are YOU thinking? Fox News at least knows the meaning of integrity and demonstrates it daily in their evenhandedness. Newt is articulate and usually has things well thought out. Must have checked his skills at the door before talking to the Tea Party that day. The REAL DECEIVER is the fella in the White House now and it is high time to get our FOCUS right or he will continue to bamboozle sufficient numbers to get himself re-elected for another 4 of the most unimaginable years this country has ever seen!!! Gov. Romney needs to get his Vice-Presidential choice WISELY made and suggest say a Ron Paul for Secretary of the Treasury, possibly Next as Secretary of State and perhaps Rick Santorum as chief of Staff. I’m not set on these appointments, but I REALLY believe if any candidate could sufficiently get his/her “house in order” well ahead of the election it might allow that candidate to achieve “critical mass” of bright ideas so that even the self and media-proclaimed Billion Dollar Candidate couldn’t beat him!!! Seriously, many of us like me only have two or three really good ideas a year, so I hope someone’s listening!

  15. Sure sounds like the EXACT type of “infighting” that the liberals would love to see happening, to insure that Barry Obama will take us for an even wilder ride in the next 4 years. Seriously, Let’s all get a grip folks! Fox is the best network hope we have! It isn’t perfect, but it is FAR more fair and balanced especially with O’Reilly, etc. than any other. I intentionally watch the news every day in part from each of NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN, MSNBC and FOX just so I can “triangulate” and to decipher what is happening in the world today. Really, even my libertarian friends need to make up their minds whether their vote is going to help MAKE A DIFFERENCE THAT MATTERS this year and next, or throw that support away on “principle”, while Barack laughs at YOU all the way back to the White House. We MUST work together to get this ship steered away from the iceberg that we are dead center headed towards thanks to Dems, Barack and John Roberts!

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