Now the White House Wants to Control the Press

Well, that can’t be true.  That must be more anti-Obama dribble.  Unfortunately, when you look back over the last few weeks, it’s hard to avoid that conclusion.  The White House’s David Axelrod and Rahm Emanuel pounded Fox News again this past weekend.  While simmering for months, this fight exploded a couple of weeks ago when Anita Dunn claimed that the Fox News Channel is “opinion journalism masquerading as news,” and then said:

The reality of it is, Fox News often operates as either the research arm or the communications arm of the Republican party

She goes on to refer to Fox News as the “opposition.”  It’s obvious then that the White House doesn’t want the rest of the media to consider Fox News a news station.  That should send shivers down your spine.

If it didn’t, it should have.  Let me explain why.  First, what is the White House trying to achieve?  Doesn’t it seem petty and beneath the office of the President of the United States of America to be criticizing one particular news organization?  So then why are they doing it?

Three reasons (hat tip toJosh Gerstein and Mike Allen of Politico for pointing this out):

1. Redirect certain liberals, who may feel President Obama has abandoned them, by focusing them on Fox News
2. Keep Fox News, which is so often critical of Obama’s administration, on the defensive
3. And most importantly, send a message to other journalists who might be considering following in the the footsteps of Fox News

Now certainly, that third one should have gotten your attention.  Let’s review how the press is supposed to work in the U.S.A.:

1. The First Amendment to the Constitution of this country affords the people with the freedom of the press.
2. In return for free press, it is the responsibility of journalists to challenge our elected and non-elected government officials.
3. And it is the responsibility of the people to reject any attempts by the government to influence or control the press, or for the press to collude with the government.  Socialist, communist and essentially all totalitarian governments ensure their grasp on power by controlling the information that their citizens consume.

We’re not quite to the point of #3 above, but we are surely moving toward it.  And that’s what’s so scary.

Notice that the White House did not comment on CNN or MSNBC when they falsely attributed racist comments to Rush Limbaugh without any fact checking.  Neither of those organization has even apologized or retracted those reports.  Instead, the White House is focusing its attention on just one news organization, Fox News.  So clearly, there is a double standard here.

If you are a news organization, what you are hearing is: if you agree with the White House, then you are safe.  If you ask difficult or uncomfortable questions, then the White House will slap you down.

Forget transparency.  Forget change.  The message is: Don’t question us.

What should we the people do?  In response to this blatant arrogance and disrespect for our freedoms, we should join together and let the President know that his administration is moving in an extremely dangerous direction.  Call the White House, or email them.  Don’t let them tread on our Consitution.

Sources: ABC’s Jake Tapper poses question to Robert Gibbs, AOL News