MoveOn.org Asks Democrats To Stay Off Fox News

October 20th, 2009 5:37 PM

"Democrats should support President Obama's effort to call out FOX. Please stay off FOX for as long as he does."

So reads a petition created and disseminated by MoveOn.org Tuesday.

I kid you not.

Full text of this abomination is below the fold (h/t Michelle Malkin):

President Obama is fighting back against FOX. The White House communications director said FOX is a "wing of the Republican Party...let's not pretend they're a news network."

To draw attention to its biased coverage, President Obama will not appear on FOX for the rest of this year. Can you sign this petition asking Democrats to support President Obama's stance by staying off FOX as long as he does?

A compiled petition with your individual comment will be presented to Democratic senators and representatives.

Malkin posted a copy of the e-mail message MoveOn is sending out:

Dear MoveOn member,

All year, FOX has worked 24/7 to block President Obama’s agenda—repeating lies about “death panels,” promoting Tea Party protests, and whipping up fake political scandals.1

Now, President Obama is fighting back. The White House communications director said FOX is a “wing of the Republican Party…let’s not pretend they’re a news network.”2 To draw attention to its biased coverage, President Obama will not appear on FOX for the rest of this year.3

It’s about time Democrats stood up to FOX! Can you sign this petition asking Democrats to support President Obama’s stance by staying off FOX as long as he does? We’ll deliver it to Sen. Lautenberg and Sen. Menendez. Clicking here will add your name:

http://civic.moveon.org/foxobama/o.pl?id=17603-12662345-_CGt.ax&t=3

The petition says: “Democrats should support President Obama’s effort to call out FOX. Please stay off FOX for as long as he does.”

Democrats often appear on FOX in hopes of reaching out to conservative viewers. But FOX cuts off their mic, distorts what they say, or runs biased headlines at the bottom of the screen.4 In the end, Democrats always lose on FOX.

FOX insists there’s a difference between its news shows and its right-wing opinion shows with Glenn Beck, Bill O’Reilly, Sean Hannity, and others.

But in August, FOX’s so-called news shows “aired 22 clips of town hall meeting attendees opposed” to Obama’s health care plans and zero in support. CNN and MSNBC were more fair and balanced.5

In another “news” story, FOX passed off a GOP press release as its own research—typo and all.6

FOX executives now describe the channel as “the voice of opposition” to Obama’s agenda. FOX president Roger Ailes—a former adviser to Nixon, Reagan, and George H.W. Bush—said, “I see this as the Alamo.”7

But a Capitol Hill newspaper reports, “In the House and Senate, Democrats who pledged to follow the administration’s near-boycott of Fox were hard to find, although many expressed support for Obama’s stance.”8

Democrats will only find the courage to join Obama if they hear from enough concerned voters. Sign this petition to ask Sen. Lautenberg and Sen. Menendez to stay off FOX. Clicking here will add your name:
http://civic.moveon.org/foxobama/o.pl?id=17603-12662345-_CGt.ax&t=4

Thanks for all you do.
–Noah, Nita, Michael, Kat, and the rest of the team

Amazing.