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Nevada Democrats Boycott Fox Debate

Because Fox News Channel's news coverage is balanced unlike CNN, NBC, ABC, CBS, the AP, Reuters, the New York Times, and many other liberal news outlets, the the Nevada State Democratic Party is refusing to participate in a debate in Nevada that is co-hosted by Fox News:

The Nevada State Democratic Party is pulling out of a controversial presidential debate scheduled for Aug. 14 in Reno and co-hosted by Fox News, according to Democratic insiders.


The debate was being hosted by Fox News Channel and Fox News Radio, the Nevada State Democratic Party and the Western Majority Project.

A Fox spokeswoman didn't immediately return a call for comment.

Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards said Wednesday he would not participate in the debate, citing Fox's conservative ties as a factor. His deputy campaign manager, Jonathan Prince, sent an e-mail to the liberal website DailyKos, which was posted on the site.

Democrats like John Edwards are terrified of the nutroots so they clamor to gain their approval. And boycotting a Fox debate because Fox it's balanced in its coverage of the news makes them look like complete nut balls. But I hope they continue because it will only undermine them in the end.

Update: Roger Ailes has responded:

"Recently pressure groups are forcing candidates to conclude that the best strategy for journalists is divide and conquer, to only appear on those networks and venues that give them favorable coverage," Ailes said in remarks to the group, which honored him with its annual First Amendment Leadership Award.


Ailes noted that the phenomenon isn't new, "but (it) has been tried again this year with the added wrinkle that candidates are being urged to boycott debates because certain pressure groups want to approve the sponsoring organizations."

Edwards' campaign acknowledged that part of the reason for his decision was Fox News' involvement with the televised debate, set for August in Nevada. The hard-lefty group MoveOn.org has been leaning on Dems to not participate in the debate, alleging that Fox News is "a right-wing mouthpiece."

"This pressure must be resisted as it has in the past," Ailes said. "Any candidate for high office of either party who believes he can blacklist any news organization is making a terrible mistake about journalists. And any candidate of either party who cannot answer direct, simple, even tough questions from any journalist runs a real risk of losing the voters."

"The public knows if a journalist's question is unfair," Ailes continued. "If you are afraid of journalists, how will you face the real dangers in the world?"

That is a legitimate question.

Update II: It's official. The Tom Collins, head of the Nevada State Democratic Party, and Harry Reid have canceled the debate. And they have the gonads to blame Roger Ailes. Here's their letter to the executive producer of Fox News' political programming:

Dear Marty,


A month ago, the Nevada Democratic Party entered into a good faith agreement with Fox News to co-sponsor a presidential debate in August.

This was done because the Nevada Democratic Party is reaching out to new voters and we strongly believe that a Democrat will not win Nevada unless we find new ways to talk to new people.

To say the least, this was not a popular decision. But it is one that the Democratic Party stood by. However, comments made last night by Fox News President Roger Ailes in reference to one of our presidential candidates went too far. We cannot, as good Democrats, put our party in a position to defend such comments.

In light of his comments, we have concluded that it is not possible to hold a presidential debate that will focus on our candidates and are therefore canceling our August debate. We take no pleasure in this, but it is the only course of action.

MoveOn.org is thrilled, and are publicly giving the Democratic candidates their marching orders:

MoveOn.org quickly declared victory


"We hope this sets a precedent for all Democrats, that Fox should be treated as a right-wing misinformation network, not legitimized as a neutral source of news," Eli Pariser, executive director of MoveOn.org Civic Action, said in a statement.

Will Democratic presidential candidates salute their leaders and obey? I suspect they will, proving that MoveOn.org really does own the Democratic party.

Lorie adds: Democrats risk alienating millions of Americans, and just looking silly, when they try to cast Fox News as too extreme to even host a debate. It is the top rated and fastest growing cable news channel and Brit Hume is a very well respected journalist. They also risk looking like a bunch of fraidy cats. Conservatives endure questions from liberal journalists all the time. It makes it look like Dems can dish it out, but they can't take it.

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Comments (112)

OT, Kim, you never answered... (Below threshold)
Allen:

OT, Kim, you never answered my question on what % of Americans own stock, and what their average income is. This is from a previous post who wrote, and was just wondering about it. Thanks.

Nearly half of all A... (Below threshold)


Nearly half of all American households participate in the stock market.

Of Americans who do own stock, half have portfolios valued at $50,000 or less."


From the Federal Reerve Bank's Survey of Consumer Finance.

You say, "it will only unde... (Below threshold)
ptg:

You say, "it will only undermine them in the end." I ask, "Which end?"

I'd think it might be difficult to ascertain "what % of Americans own stock." Do you count folks whose pension plans or other retirement schemes like annuities hold stocks? Whole life insurance, where the reserves are invested in stocks. Are mutual funds counted? Cash reserves held by employers, invested in stocks for the indirect benefit of the employees? Cash folks hold in savings institutions that invest in stocks.

I'd guess that almost every net tax payer with a view to the future 'owns' some stock one way or another.

Awwwwwwww, are the wittle b... (Below threshold)
Jo:

Awwwwwwww, are the wittle bitty democwats worried that Fox may ask some tough questions?? Awwww, poor wittle babies.

Wouldn't want the wussies to be exposed to anything other than the softballs lobbed by their pals in the MSM.

Meanwhile the GOP candidates debate on any network or cable outlet that asks them, because they're use to the (liberal) MSM and have had to be ready for them since FOREVER.

You go soft when you're a democrat because you've never had to be that tough.

Long live Fox News. They may help the wussy democrat party actually grow up someday.

Seriously: if Republicans r... (Below threshold)

Seriously: if Republicans refused to debate in any forum sponsored by an organization or media outlet that was biased against them, there would never be any debates. Period.

The Democrats need to get over themselves.

I guess the Dems prefer to ... (Below threshold)
Hermie:

I guess the Dems prefer to have their positions filtered through CNN, CBS, etc, rather than have voters hear their actual words.

What is even more ridiculous, is that these 'debates' are usually just ways for them to rehash their standard answers.

For Edwards to chicken out means that he's run out of ways to avoid his hypocrisy regarding his 'Two Americas' mantra.

"Because Fox News Channel's... (Below threshold)
Craig:

"Because Fox News Channel's news coverage is balanced"

HAHAHA No wonder iraq is such a mess. You guys are completly out of touch with reality.

"Seriously: if Republicans ... (Below threshold)
Knightbrigade:

"Seriously: if Republicans refused to debate in any forum sponsored by an organization or media outlet that was biased against them, there would never be any debates. Period."

Exactly!! Why let the cry babies call the shots, NO debate on FOX, then NO debate ANYWHERE......

I'm tired of debating with these people. If no one understands the difference between RIGHT and LEFT by now, they never will!!

Fox will never let the whin... (Below threshold)
Jo:

Fox will never let the whiny babies live this one down. This is totally humiliating to them. Now it's easy to see why the democrats don't want to fight terror. They can't even gear up enough toughness to be on FNC. OMG!!!

What happened to the men of the democrat party? When I was much younger, there use to be some.

What a great idea! now the ... (Below threshold)
Bindare:

What a great idea! now the right should boycott ABC,CBS, and NBC and we can have the debates on Utube.

Well I don't want to hear a... (Below threshold)
jpm100:

Well I don't want to hear about the President hand picking which organization interviews him. This just validated blacklisting reporters/organizations you don't like.

They always say you should ... (Below threshold)
civil behavior:

They always say you should cut out the gangrene at the root.

Fox news is definitely a malignant growth. It's about time someone took a scalpel to it.

FOX news has issued a state... (Below threshold)
Scrapiron:

FOX news has issued a statement. Something in the line of "Moveon.org has stated they own the democrat party, this proves it's true in Nevada".

No democrat has the brain power to think for themselves so someone must do it for them, even if it's someone that would slit they're family's throat at the first opportunity. Soros has sworn to destroy the government of the United States and turn it to communism. With the help of the BDS dhimmi's it may work. Talk about BDS progressing to insanity, this shows it's already happened to millions of the weak minded dhimmi's. Is there any other kind?

Gee you don't think the pre... (Below threshold)
BarneyG2000:

Gee you don't think the president of FOX news calling Obama a terrorist had anything to do with it?

Fair and balance smear

This is perfect.I ... (Below threshold)
Baggi:

This is perfect.

I hope the Republican party returns the favor.

I heard that Ann Coulter wa... (Below threshold)
BarneyG2000:

I heard that Ann Coulter was the moderator.

I guess Civil Behavior does... (Below threshold)
Michael:

I guess Civil Behavior does not believe in freedom of speech only lefty speech...typical fascist.

P.S. The more Democrats fre... (Below threshold)
civil behavior:

P.S. The more Democrats freeze out Fox News the bigger the squeal you'll hear from Murdoch. Squeal little piggy, squeal.

Oink, oink, oink.....all the way home.

Dream on Cilvil Behaviour d... (Below threshold)
Michael:

Dream on Cilvil Behaviour dream on. This hurts Dimos more than
billionaire Murdoch...idiot.

Hey barneygoole you hypocri... (Below threshold)
jhow66:

Hey barneygoole you hypocrite piece of pig shit how about all the "nice" things that you moonbats call "your" President. Naaw that don't count. (barneyg' says he would have to check with the "moveon" crowd before he could answer.

uncivilb' makes it very cle... (Below threshold)
jhow66:

uncivilb' makes it very clear what they are---COWARDS-they know they will get their ass kicked.

Repubs subject themselves t... (Below threshold)
Mitchell:

Repubs subject themselves to all kinds of Left Media bias, but the timid Dems can't take FoxNews? I seem to remember the last time a Fox newsie appeared at a Prez debate, no Dems were molested, nor expired from the vapors.

Maybe John John Edwards and Nevada Dems really are "faggots," no?

Heh.

Wavemaker,Thank yo... (Below threshold)
Allen:

Wavemaker,

Thank you, but I was asking Kim. Over 50% own stock under 50,000 in value. Wow. What amount is the average of that? What is the average income of the 50% of these people?

Why can't Kim answer the question, why do you have to regurgitate something that I never asked you? I asked Kim because of a previous post she made.

I also asked WildWeseal for his understanding of the golden rule, and he hasn't replied either. Would care to regurgitate his answer also?

That's impressive. The Dem... (Below threshold)
gattsuru:

That's impressive. The Democrats must have really been scared.

Yeah, yeah, the horrible local comments might call them the Democrat party instead of the Democratic party, or not automatically assume America is wrong. Given that Murdock himself raised money for Hillary Clinton, you have to be really lacking answers to avoid a million viewers worth of free publicity.

Uh, Allen, I think you have... (Below threshold)
Mitchell:

Uh, Allen, I think you have the wrong thread.

Check your thread, perty pls.

Civil Behavior has Beclowne... (Below threshold)
Mitchell:

Civil Behavior has Beclowned himself, for lack of any knowledge of Murdoch, apparently.

Gotta love you Dims.

The moonbats think Fox News... (Below threshold)
George:

The moonbats think Fox News is the right wing mouthpiece because they never fabricated anything like the fake Texas Air National Guard documents during the last presidential election.

"Gee you don't think the... (Below threshold)
LouDawg:

"Gee you don't think the president of FOX news calling Obama a terrorist had anything to do with it?

Fair and balance smear"

Barney, what the crap are you talking about? Are you referring to Fox and Friends morning show hosts discussing the Inisght magazine contention that Obama attended a madrass when he was a little boy? That's a long way from the president of Fox News referring to him as a terrorist.

He's talking about <a href=... (Below threshold)
mantis:

He's talking about this, where Ailes made made this joke:

And it is true that Barack Obama is on the move. I don't know if it's true that President Bush called Musharraf and said, 'Why can't we catch this guy?'

I'm not sure how widespread the outrage is among the left, but it's absurd in any case, as the dig is clearly at the president. And he certainly didn't call him a terrorist.

Dems are a bunch of spinele... (Below threshold)
Alcudia:

Dems are a bunch of spineless pussies.

ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, MSNBC, NYT, LATimes, etc have been slanted anywhere from left to FAR left for decades now.

Serious question for any lib that has the balls or brains to answer. (these leaves out most I know)

Name another major network, broadcast or cable who has more conseratives on than Fox has liberals.

I see way way too much of the disconnected left on Fox, wonder if any of the above mentioned lib statios will care to match their track record of opposing viewpoints to Fox's.

Run n hide you pussies, run n hide.

Hey barneygoole you hypocri... (Below threshold)
BarneyG2000:

Hey barneygoole you hypocrite piece of pig shit how about all the "nice" things that you moonbats call "your" President. Naaw that don't count. (barneyg' says he would have to check with the "moveon" crowd before he could answer.

Posted by: jhow66

If I invited the President to my house for nice discussion, then I called him a terrorist in public, should he still come over?

You guys just don't get it.... (Below threshold)
BarneyG2000:

You guys just don't get it. Let's look at what you guys have been defending in just one week:
-It is fine to call John Edwards a faggot
-There's no problem at Walter Reed
-Libby was railroaded
-Fire seven Fed. prosecutors in one day and replace them with hacks, there is no politics involved
-Violate the 4th amendment rights of tens of thousands of Americans, stop coddling terrorists

FOX news has lost viewers in the last two rating periods. You want FOX, you can have it. Watch it become the network of Hannity and Coulter.

Match the ratings of FOX against: ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN and MSNBC.

Good luck with that, party of the inconsequential.

She NEVER called him a fagg... (Below threshold)
Alcudia:

She NEVER called him a faggot, so maybe the problem is, besides your obvious and perverse need for attention, is you need to better your comprehension skills.

Speaking of fags, hows that Dem senator who was caught fondling a young boy? Isnt that worse than what Foley did with his emails n calls??

Mitchel,Kim posted t... (Below threshold)
Allen:

Mitchel,
Kim posted the thread I first asked the question on, and since she couldn't reply, I asked her again on her next post.

Why are you regulation on something you may not have any idea on? Can't Kim answer her own questions, or did I hit a nerve? Just let Kim answer the question I asked her on her previous post.

Same as WildWesel, what can't he answer a question? Is it also because I hit a nerve?

Fix is highest rated cable... (Below threshold)
Alcudia:

Fix is highest rated cable news network, end of story.

Show me the % of conservatove guests have one the lib networks, vs the libs on Fox. Can you do it trollboy, or will you prove yourself to be the insignificant attention starved friendless idiot we all think you are?

Allen, you mean like the un... (Below threshold)
Alcudia:

Allen, you mean like the unanswered question I asked the other day, 'since when do libs care about kids', that Lee and the rest all ran from.

Maybe you can step up and answer what network shows more Conservatives than Fox shows liberals.can you? will you?

Roger is a funny guy. Here... (Below threshold)
BarneyG2000:

Roger is a funny guy. Here is another one:
It is true that just in the last two weeks Hillary Clinton has had over 200 phone calls telling her in order to win the presidency she must stay on the road for the next two years. It is not true they were all from Bill.

Gibson wont apologies for saying that Obama attended a Madras. Hannity makes fun of his Selma speech. News Headline: Obama Smokes. FOX contributers call Obama "Hussein".

Breck Girl Edwards, on and on and on.

Do you really think that having the Dems pull out of the FOX debate is good for FOX or conservatives? How do you think the independents will look at it?