Last Thursday, the Treasury Department tried to prevent Fox News from interviewing executive pay czar Kenneth Feinberg. But a funny thing happened on the way to the boycott. ABC, CBS, CNN and even NBC all refused to talk to Feinberg unless Fox was included. And so we were.
Incredibly, the American media supported Fox News, standing up for freedom of the press. That was a huge embarrassment for the White House, which is still trying to isolate FNC, and even liberal TV critics thinks that's wrong.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID ZURAWIK, BALTIMORE SUN TV CRITIC: I think it's outrageous that the White House tried that, No. 1. That's my first reaction. My second reaction is I'm really cheered by the other members saying no, if Fox can't be part of it, we won't be part of it. What it's really about to me is the executive branch of the government trying to tell the press how it should behave.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
Well, "Talking Points" has had problems with Mr. Zurawik in the past, but he's right on here. This whole thing is embarrassing. The president of the United States trying to decertify a news organization? I do not think that's ever happened in America.
Reports say White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel is behind the anti-Fox movement. We have not been able to confirm that, but whosoever doing it needs to wise up.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: I think this is really destructive. The — what happened today, I think, was extremely important, because in trying to ostracize and demonize Fox, the administration needs complicity from other news organizations. Otherwise it won't work.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
And it hasn't worked. All of this nonsense is making Barack Obama look bad, and it's helping Fox News in the ratings.
But the bigger question is power. That's what this is all about, ladies and gentlemen. The White House does not like the fact that FNC dominates cable news and often sets the agenda for what other news agencies are covering. The ACORN story shocked the Obama administration. So did the tea party coverage. The president doesn't like it.
But enough is enough. Come on, Mr. President. You have better things to do than continue this petty feud. You, Mr. Emanuel, Mr. Axelrod, Mr. Gibbs, even the White House chef are all welcome on "The Factor" any time. You got a beef? Let us hear it. As we proved in our first interview with Barack Obama, he will be treated fairly here.
So let's start tending to the nation's business, Mr. President, shall we?
And that's "The Memo."
Pinheads & Patriots
On November 7, the American Freedom Festival will be held outside Washington, D.C. The event will feature country singer Leanne Womack, among others, and all the money raised will go to help our military people who fought in Iraq. So check out AmericanFreedomFoundation.org, and if you do that, you will be a patriot.
On the pinhead front, 27-year-old Duane Carter Jr., better known as Lil Wayne, has been convicted of a gun crime. So Wayne will now be going to prison for a year. Apparently, he had a loaded gun on his tour bus. That's a felony. Wayne is also scheduled for trial in Arizona next March on drug and weapons charges. So apparently the little guy is a big pinhead.
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