FOX Keeps on Frightening the Health Care Debate, Criticizing Franken's and White House's Civility

BUZZFLASH NEWS ALERT
by Jeffrey Joseph

After a summer with intimations of violence such as a representative hanged in effigy, FOX News refused to cool down for the winter.

Taking direction from Sen. John McCain, Fox & Friends attempted to make an issue out of Franken's refusal to allow Lieberman extra time on the floor last week. Steve Doocy commented that Franken's actions were "not very polite" while Gretchen Carlson wondered aloud if Franken's actions illustrated a trend of "newbie politicians that don't know exactly the protocol." Carlson probably came to that hypothesis since veteran politician McCain kept saying things such as, "I've been around here twenty-some years. First time I've ever seen a member denied an extra minute or two to finish his remarks."

Franken, however, maintained that he only followed orders from Sen. Harry Reid not to allow any extra time to senators on either side of the aisle. Sen. Mark Begich had, just earlier that very day, objected to Sen. John Cornyn's similar request for extra time. Begich eventually rescinded his objection, but McCain did not need to search far into the memory of his "twenty-some years" in office to see a member at least initially denied extra time.

Doocy also sarcastically told Franken to "stay classy" at the end of the FOX & Friends discussion of the issue. At the same time, Doocy did nothing to muzzle Brian Kilmeade for his less-than-flattering characterization of Franken as "an angry clown."

So much for the criticism on how to be "polite."

Exacerbating the issue of perceived tension in the Senate, FOX contributor Andrea Tantaros claimed the people in the White House "have a gun in the mouths of the U.S. Senate right now." FOX's gun control coverage may rarely lean toward increased control, but Tantaros tried to characterize the White House and other proponents of the bill as a possibly violent group ready to scare others into agreement. 

FOX News has in-depth knowledge of scare tactics, so they speak with assured authority.

The people over at FOX invested a great deal in trying to scare people away from health-care reform. Now that the legislation nears passage in the Senate, Fox tries to portray health-care reform supporters as brow-beaters ready to spring to violence.

Getting through the projection-infused haze of FOX hosts may not ever be worth it, but anyone ready for reasonable coverage has a simple way to start -- by choosing to Turn Off Fox.

Please send in tips and success stories to turnofffox@gmail.com and remember to join the Campaign to Turn Off FOX.

Originally posted at Turn Off FOX.

BUZZFLASH NEWS ALERT