Friday, May 02, 2008

Where the Audience Resides

The chickens are coming home to roost. No, not those chickens. I'm talking about the Democrats swallowing their collective pride and appearing on Fox News now. Breaking an 18 month boycott, Howard Dean, chairman of the Democrat Party, will appear on Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace this weekend. Just as last Sunday Barack Obama did. Just as Hillary Clinton appeared on the O'Reilly Factor. Actually, Hillary woke up some months ago and realized that the temper tantrum induced far left snit over Democrats appearing on Fox News was a bad tactic. Fox News is not, contrary to the rhetoric of the MoveOn, etc wing of the far left sillys, a wing of the Republican party. The cable channel is what a platform for all voices looks like. It is not the same as CNN or any of the other networks. On those channels, you'll find maybe one token Republican or conservative or libertarian along with 3 or 4 Democrats or liberals or socialists. It was that way from the beginning of television, so when Fox News came on the scene, suddenly all hell broke loose. The herds of sheeple were appalled that what passed for common thought was being challenged by others who felt the First Amendment also applied to them. The nerve.

You may remember it was Fox News that broke the story of the long ago DUI ticket issued to George W. Bush in the State of Maine on the eve of the 2000 election. The story that caused a loss of about 3 percentage points in the general election votes, as opined by many analysts, and fueling the fires of the Florida vote debacle. Hardly the network of Republican talking points.

Rupert Murdoch, owner of Fox News, held a fundraiser for Hillary. His daughter held a fundraiser for Obama in London, where she resides. Sounds like a regular family to me.

Following the urging (blackmail) of the far left Interwebs crowd, former Senator John Edwards led off with the boycott of Fox News for the nomination of the Presidential candidate. All the others feel into line (the dreaded charge of lock step comes to mind) and Howard Dean continued with his nasty statements about Republicans - the charges of racism, stupid Christians, homophobes, etc.

How'd that nomination process work out for you, Senator Edwards?

You would think, Edwards of all people would have understood where his audience was, wouldn't you? He was running for the second time, after all. He was running as a man of the regular, blue collar, working man and woman. Which network do you think this audience continues to poll as most loyal to Fox News? That's right. Independents are very loyal to Fox News. Fox continues to outperform on ratings over CNN, for example, to the tune of two to one. There just aren't that many conservatives or Republicans out there for it to only be 'their' network.

And, as a party, how do you claim you want to govern all people, and work with all political voices, if you only preach to your own choir? If you appear too cowardly to have an honest discussion on a network you view as less than favorable to your candidacy, how is the voter to take you seriously as a strong leader?

Obama finally had enough of a dip in his favorable polling numbers recently to feel the need to change his silly position. Hillary understands, as she did before Texas and Pennsylvania, that her audience lies outside of MSNBC. You may have noticed she's up in the polls. For now. Howard Dean no longer has any credibility on insisting on the ban on Fox News when his two candidates running for President appear there.

It all comes around. The children are going to have to grow up a smidge. The adults are going to have to run their own campaigns eventually.

9 comments:

Paul is a Hermit said...

Doesn't matter how Edwards loses, just so he does.
I guess Hillary chose O'Reilly because of Bill's contentious interview with Chris Wallace.

It's nice the Democrats have forgiven Fox.
For something or other. Move On must be apoplectic; I write this sentence so I can use that word. :)

Karen Townsend said...

Yeah, Paul. As if there is anything to 'forgive' Fox for! The far left blogs are all in a raging snit, criticizing Clinton. I thought Hillary did a good job, by the way. She was engaged and actually used a real sounding laugh. I'm not much for O'Reilly but it was all interesting, nonetheless.

The WordSmith from Nantucket said...

It's been harmful to Democrats to boycott FOX News. If they have confidence in their message, then they want to preach to other than their amen chorus.

Same goes for Republicans who avoid speaking at black caucuses, NAACP, etc.

They need to have their messages and positions understood; even if it means facing a hostile audience. Avoidance will not lessen the hostility and will merely perpetuate the ignorance and misperceptions and misunderstandings.

Nikki said...

Karen Iagree, I thought this was a great move for Hillary. She did a great job and actually showed some personality and it makes Obama look like a major wuss since he has had several invitations from O'Reilly to go on the factor...there is a reason he is kept out of the public arena. It is called sound bites and misstatements waiting to happen. great post!:)N

Z said...

KAREN, I got this today in an email from a conservative Republican friend of mine..what a way to start my day, huh?
"I think Sen. Clinton is a very smart woman…..Smarter than Bill……I have changed my mind about her…..and I’m really wondering about John McCain….what do you think.?"

Ya, you BET she did the right thing going on FOX. Though she looked less smart and more conniving and well prepped and desperate to show she's wonderful. I can't STAND that woman for some reason.

What do you mean by 'regular family'? Anyone who touts conservatism and gives Hillary a party seems like a WHACK case to me!!

Michael said...

Karen, if Howard Dean were smarter, he've gotten the nomination in 2004.

Every time he opens his mouth, I just wish someone would stuff a sock in it...

Incognito said...

Holy cow, Z, i rec'd a similar email from a fellow republican actor..
"More and more I hear Republicans saying that Hillary does not look bad compared to McCain which no one seems to like or trust."

what is wrong with these people?! The fact that she goes on Fox, proves, yes, that she's smart, but that she's conniving and untrustworthy. This woman has been after this position since prior to Bill and will do ANYTHING to win.

Z said...

INCOGNITO: I got this response yesterday afternoon after my diatribe response to "Hillary's not so bad!"..

"Thanks for pinching me……I awoke…..Republican is the answer….lov ya P"

whew. He put me through this about 9 months ago and I peeled him from the wall and set him straight then, too! Cracks me up!

I used the CONNIVING word on him, too! GOOD, Incog! Just stay tough and write those friends back and remind them about living under socialism. You ought to see the diatribe I sent him after I got this from "P", and after I congratulated him for coming to his senses!! Should have left well enough alone, but I just can't help myself!!!!

GrEaT sAtAn'S gIrLfRiEnD said...

Yeah I thought HRC did really well in the interview with the loofah guy.

And that is kinda what was totally retarded about the entire boycott - if a candi is terrified of Brit Hume - then how on earth can they be expected to talk with Pyongyang, Damascus or Tehran - where REAL killers hang and run the show?

You get better all the time Karen!