Obama Ditches FOX/CBC DEBATE! Just in over at "Politico"

[KoKo]

April 09, 2007

Obama Ditches CBC/Fox Debate

Barack Obama has chosen not to attend September's Democratic presidential primary debate co-sponsored by the Congressional Black Caucus Institute and Fox News, an aide said, effectively dooming the event.

Obama is the only member of the Congressional Black Caucus running for President, and his decision allows other candidates to skip the debate without facing criticism that they are turning their backs on a leading black institution.

Friday, John Edwards was the first candidate to announce he'd skip the debate. The CBC Institute is hosting one other debate, with CNN in January, in which all candidates are expected to participate.

"CNN seemed like a more appropriate venue," the aide said, adding that Obama himself had not called CBC leadership or Fox executives to deliver the news. "It was handled at a staff level."

The aide said that Obama will participate in the six officially-sanctioned Democratic National Committee debates, whose existence provided candidates a measure of cover to drop out of the Fox-sponsored debate.

A Fox News spokesman didn't immediately return a call and email seeking a reaction.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0407/Obama_Ditches_CBCFox_Debate.html

[w4rma]

1. Very very good. (nt)

[mtnsnake]

2. Good! I hope the ALL ditch Fox, every single one of them. Kudos to Obama.

[youngdem]

3. It should be Democratic policy to NEVER talk to Fox at ANY level

As the party in power, and the party likely to control the White House and Congress in 08, we have the power to force the media back to the middle.

We should black ball Fox completely. NO White House press pass, NO candidate interviews. When they ask, tell them that they are partisan and that no party agrees to being interviewed by surrogates of the other party for constant games of set up and gotcha.

Demand that the media have a balance in the party affiliations in their on-air personalities.

And demand a return to the Fairness Doctrine.

[Hawkeye-X]

5. Yes, DEMAND FOR ACCOUNTABILITY AND FREEZE ALL OF FAUX'S ASSETS

to be paid back those who were harmed by Faux's bullshit.

[durtee librul]

6. Did Fox EVER have

a fairness doctrine or did I miss something again?

[Jamnt]

4. K&R!!

This is BIG!!

[jzodda]

7. You guys reading the comments on Politico? Its soooo funny

All the repukes can say is he is "afraid" of the questions and such. They just don't get the point that we don't want to give Fox the right to ask any question, no matter how soft or hard to any of our candidates. They are so angry that we are trying to take Fox News's credability away as a news organization! Its great reading :)

[MethuenProgressive]

8. "handled at staff level" isn't enough - Obama needs to call FOX what it is.

A good start, though.

Clark/Obama '08!

[elizm]

13. Obama being smart...

I think Obama is running a smart campaign...trying to stay above the fray. Pulling out of the debates says all that needs to be said. He never disappoints me! :)

[MethuenProgressive]

14. Obama playing along to get along, you mean

Clark/Obama '08!

[elizm]

16. NO! Obama playing it smart...

...as he has all along. Some would love for him to jump into the fray. But he has so far been able to stay above all of that....And I will be surprised if he changes at all.

[samsingh]

9. fox deserves only contempt and its good to see that

our candidates understand this.

[KKKarl is an idiot]

10. Do not give Fox any credibility

It is like going on a Rush Limbaugh show. All democratic candidates & strategists need to boycott Fox.

[brg5001]

11. YEA! Let's ask all Dems to BOYCOTT FAUX NEWS!

From mis-listing Mark Foley as a Democrat to the BULLSHIT-laden coverage of the Iraq quagmire, to the constant apologies for Delay, Gonzales and Cheney, Faux news continues to mislead and pander. This so-called "news" network is designed and built to serve as a forum for Karl Rove's daily talking points.
All Dems and progressives should immediately refuse to be interviewed by its personalities or appear on the network. The medium is the message, and these phony attempts at balance never change the overall message of this medium. It's a fraud and it's high time that we stopped participating in it.

[K8-EEE]

12. This Is HUGE!! Fox & Friends anti-Obama Bull on YouTube....

Probably didn't want to "face tough questions" about the "madrassa" that "Hillary found out about."

Interesting to re-watch this clumsy Fox propaganda....notice their source? SURPRISE! MOONIE TIMES & INSIGHT MOONIE MAG!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRRywAlop4Q

IT EVEN LOOKS SILLIER IN RETROSPECT....

[ruggerson]

15. Good going!

Now Hillary will have to pull out.