O’Reilly in the White House Briefing Room? Not so fast…
Politico’s Patrick Gavin pours cold water all over Bill O’Reilly’s boast that he’ll make an appearance in the White House Briefing Room…
But that’s not as likely as O’Reilly might hope. A White House Correspondents’ Association board member, speaking on condition of anonymity, tells POLITICO that “FOX officials made explicit promises that the seat would be used by their news reporters, not their commentators, and the board expects them to keep their word.”
O’Reilly must not have gotten the FNC memo…if there was an FNC memo. I can’t believe FNC would let O’Reilly take to the air and make a boast that it knew wasn’t accurate…
Update: Ok so O’Reilly was joking when he said it. I still think it was a dumb thing for him to say given all the flak the network gets for “real” issues.
More to the point is this: The notion that FNC had to swear up and down that its opinion people wouldn’t be there speaks volumes about the perception problem that network has to battle. You’d never see any of the other networks, even NBC (if it weren’t in the front row), have to make those kinds of promises. The story that FNC did suggests that the network is cognizant of just how polarizing it is.
For all the talk of fair and balanced and old media and new media and FNC charting its own direction, at the end of the day this is a network that still seeks symbols of mainstream acceptance and legitimacy and that front row of the White House briefing room is a big one. It’ll never get there with its opinion people. It can only get there through its news people. But it’s the opinion people that have driven that network to the heights it has achieved. It is the opinion people that the network hangs its hat on and depends on more for its success. But according to this story the news side of FNC had to essentially disavow the opinion side of FNC in order to help secure that seat.
On the other hand, this story also suggests the WHCA board was more than a little paranoid; that it needed that reassurance. But, why? Even if O’Reilly or Beck got through, O’Reilly or Beck couldn’t possibly be any worse for the White House or the WHCA board than a Les Kinsolving or Helen Thomas. If the WHCA board and White House could stomach them then there’s really no need for such reassurances from FNC.
Related: Yeas & Nays Nikki Schwab has Factor EP Amy Sohnen commenting on O’Reilly’s “boast”…
“Bill’s comments were obviously made in jest,” Amy Sohnen, executive producer of “The O’Reilly Factor” told Yeas & Nays.
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August 3, 2010 at 3:47 pm
This is just sad. It’s beyond sad. It’s been discussed to death on this blog.
Didn’t anyone see the twinkle in his eye? Did anyone hear O’Reilly say he was going to commit felony assault when he hogtied Major Garrett.
HE WAS KIDDING!
Good lord people, when is the last time Bill O’Reilly was present at anybody’s news conference?
August 3, 2010 at 3:49 pm
Exactly, Jwe (and Laura, who originally pointed out the obvious). IT’S A JOKE.
August 3, 2010 at 3:55 pm
Why are people taking this so seriously? He was clearly joking. I can’t hate on the guy for making a joke (he’s usually pretty funny)… I will hate on him for being a partisan hack parading around as fair, though.
August 3, 2010 at 3:57 pm
I was watching “The O’Reilly Factor” when he said this. He was CLEARLY joking.
August 3, 2010 at 3:59 pm
To the score, add Ed Schultz. He took it seriously just now, too.
August 3, 2010 at 4:11 pm
Joke or no joke, it’s not the kind of thing O’Reilly should have uttered given all the paranoia that surrounds that network…
August 3, 2010 at 4:13 pm
Joke or no joke, it’s not the kind of thing O’Reilly should have uttered given all the paranoia that surrounds that network…
That I agree with. As I said earlier, Garrett was probably not amused..
August 3, 2010 at 4:20 pm
ProgLib, I disagree with your assessment of O’Reilly. I think you and I try to be fair, too, but from our POV..which a rightie would consider partisan hackery. There’s no reason to believe that Bill-O isn’t genuinely being fair from his.
August 3, 2010 at 4:21 pm
– given all the paranoia that surrounds that network –
Yes, he should watch what he says, lest he make people look foolish for not getting a joke.
August 3, 2010 at 4:23 pm
Yes, he should watch what he says…
Well considering the crap MSNBC still gets because Matthews liked a good speech..
August 3, 2010 at 4:28 pm
Dopey joke = Tingle up his leg. Hmm..
August 3, 2010 at 4:29 pm
A White House Correspondents’ Association board member, speaking on condition of anonymity, tells POLITICO that “FOX officials made explicit promises that the seat would be used by their news reporters, not their commentators, and the board expects them to keep their word.
”I just don’t believe the quote above is real. The WHCA didn’t have to worry FOX Prime-timers could ever be allowed to show up at the WHBR. There is no way Billo, Hannity or Beck would ever be allowed to embarrass the WHCA by appearing at a press briefing and there’s no way Roger Ailes would go for it either. It would make a farce of the ‘FNC is a straight news organization’ line they’ve been peddling for years.
As well, if it were to ever happen I could see Major Garrett & other FNC WH reporters resigning in protest.
It was a dumb boast by Billo made without thinking and that Garrett and other FNC types at the WH will have to hear about for the next few weeks over lattes at the WH cafeteria.
Besides; if Billo could go, would KO not be next
August 3, 2010 at 4:38 pm
I don’t think KO would be interested. Maddow on the other hand…
August 3, 2010 at 4:40 pm
“If the WHCA board and White House could stomach them then there’s really no need for such reassurances from FNC.”
Are you kidding me. The WH would pay a fortune to have Billo, Beck or Hannity appear at a WH briefing. That’s why it will never happen.
August 3, 2010 at 4:40 pm
^ HA! That would be awesome. You think Fox is hard on the president..
August 3, 2010 at 4:44 pm
It stays sad. What a non story. Bill was hilarious in making the jokes. He should keep after it. It just shows how pathetic the “MSM” is these days.
What’s even worse is that Maj Garrett would ask a much harder question than Bill O ever would. It’s not like he went after Obama really hard when he got the chance to interview him.
Wow, “paranoia” surrounds FNC. So what?! It will never matter how fair FNC is….. the freaks on the left and the media will always make false claims about the channel regardless of what they do.
Does it really matter if a loon like Ed Schultz makes a big deal out of it? Nobody is watching Ed. Nobody is watching Keith.
Just like Goldman Sachs was predicting (and I had already made mention before)…. FNC could be getting $1.25 or more in their next go round. They’ve just gotta keep doing what they are doing and sticking it to the MS morons all the time. If they get that…they will be getting 8 times a month what MSLSD gets. Let em stay paranoid. Its all money at the bank.
Keep it up Bill! Keep threatening to go in there and bring Beck with ya.
August 3, 2010 at 4:47 pm
Didn’t Ed go to a press conference and ask a question last year?
August 3, 2010 at 4:51 pm
Didn’t Ed go to a press conference and ask a question last year?
He was at the first one. He didn’t get a question.
Does it really matter if a loon like Ed Schultz makes a big deal out of it? Nobody is watching Ed. Nobody is watching Keith.
They matter until this blog’s name is changed to Inside Fox News, Sparky.
August 3, 2010 at 5:55 pm
I think Fritz is right about the White House really wishing Bill O’Reilly or Glenn beck would show up at a press conference. Somehow I thought access to the Press Room was limited to a very select group from each organisation and even a Tom Brokaw wouldn’t qualify unless the White House was his primary assignment. I’m probably wrong.
August 3, 2010 at 6:02 pm
Before this gets too confusing, Ed was there as a radio guy. He didn’t have a TV show yet.
August 3, 2010 at 6:51 pm
I think Fritz is right about the White House really wishing Bill O’Reilly or Glenn beck would show up at a press conference.
If that was true, the White House would have called Beck’s little red phone a long time ago. O’Reilly and particularly Beck would not be welcome by the White House because they would yank the discussion to some direction that Gibbs wouldn’t want. Gibbs can parry with the best of them but then Beck or O’Reilly could go on TV and mock them for parrying their own questions. The mileage the two could get out of this far outweighs any benefit the White House could think it would get of having either show up.
August 3, 2010 at 7:00 pm
They won’t call the phone because then they’d have to explain why they’ve been watching Beck. I bet the ones who didn’t realise he was joking read his words instead of listened to them.
-Shultz in the White House-
“I saw not-ting!”
August 3, 2010 at 7:20 pm
Spud: Although I don’t think your right about Beck or O’Rielly having any advantage in a sparring match with Gibbs that isn’t the reason it would never happen.
The very notion that a loonie like Beck could be the FOX News Channel’s WH correspondent would prove that the years of FOX self promotion that they are the fair & balanced network that carefully split its news division from its primetime opinion programming is a lie.
Beside it would be a circus which, although it might be fine with Beck or Billo, would embarrass the real WH Fox correspondents and the network itself; if that’s possible.
It would also garner a ton of negative publicity for the network from the MSM and those who believe in the dignity of the WH.
August 3, 2010 at 7:21 pm
All true…
August 4, 2010 at 1:35 am
Although if you look at the White House Press Room seating chart — apparently MSNBC does have a seat, independently of NBC News, in the fourth row.
While there’s no way in hell that I think that NBC would let Maddow anywhere near the NBC chair, it might be interesting to see her in the MSNBC chair every once in a while.
I also wouldn’t object to FOX News getting a second seat in the fourth row or further back for their talk show hosts, but… The first rows, as it’s normally been, should be reserved for the networks and for the wire services.
August 4, 2010 at 3:56 am
“I also wouldn’t object to FOX News getting a second seat in the fourth row or further back for their talk show hosts”
You would never get Billo, Beck or Hannity to take a seat in the 4th row. Their egos would explode in outrage at the slight.
August 4, 2010 at 5:45 am
“It would also garner a ton of negative publicity for the network from the MSM and those who believe in the dignity of the WH.”– yeah fritz, kinda like the dignity the President showed when he went on “The View” and debated the august Joy “Maud” Behar and cronies– i see ur point–
August 4, 2010 at 5:52 am
“i see ur point”
Thanks toon. I’m happy that you can come around to a more reasonable point of view of an issue like this. As a rule those on the right aren’t usually so open minded.
August 4, 2010 at 6:11 am
^hey buddy, no prob– it’s ALL about the “dignity” of the Presidency, right?– i mean why should the guy take on tough questions from the right to answer for what he’s done to this nation when he can be lobbed softballs by Joy “Knee-Pads” Behar on a screeching, prurient gossip show– i’m just a bit worried about what happens to the left when the kool-aid runs out come November–
August 4, 2010 at 6:24 am
“i’m just a bit worried about what happens to the left when the kool-aid runs out come November”
I’ve been stockpiling kool-aid for months so you can rest easy.
August 4, 2010 at 8:31 am
I like Kool-Aid.
August 4, 2010 at 9:33 am
Got Crystal Lite and carbonated water just in case..
August 4, 2010 at 10:14 am
sure, go ahead and laugh– but don’t say u haven’t been warned: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ry-rTHOpgxE
August 4, 2010 at 11:27 am
^I must say that video would be really funny … to a 12 year old.
August 4, 2010 at 11:40 am
^ I must say that video may be a childish gag, but it’s an extremely graphic one. Between this crap and his use of phrases like “knee-pads”, Toon is turning this site into a skeezy, unpleasant place to visit.
August 4, 2010 at 3:58 pm
^ It wadn’t funny. I think the second guy on screen is that “Numa Numa” kid, though.
August 4, 2010 at 4:00 pm
Hey, at least he figured out how not to embed, give him credit..
August 5, 2010 at 2:20 am
^well maybe if u didn’t LIVE here all the time joe it wouldn’t be such an offensive place for u when someone with an adult sense of humor visits– u act like u have proprietary rights to this site (be it grammer, puncuation ur incessant kissing up to the women around here and ur laughable pretense of being “middle of the road”)– maybe u do have special privleges and i don’t know the score– u also assume to speak for others who have never said a word in dismay of my statements– look, i try to post when u “left coasters” should be asleep in bed– instead u haunt this place– u deride folks continuously yet i’ve rarely seen a blogger who is so thin skinned when it’s smacked back at u– u seem to be the ONLY one who complains about my “zingers”– it’s been my experience that usually happens when also rans can’t keep up with their betters–
August 5, 2010 at 8:33 am
Yeah, it’s always the whistleblower’s fault. What a bunch of rightwing nutjob passive-aggressive bullsh!t. Those “people who don’t complain” are the same ones that have advised me to “ignore that asshat”. And pretending that the time you post your “adult humor” makes a difference – hint: posts remain indefinitely unless Spud gets sick of it and scrubs – is ridiculous.
I enjoy talking about cable news and such on this site. I don’t have “propietary rights” to anything. I do have the right to be the one idiot dumb enough to confront you with your offensive, juvenile crap, in spite of being warned that it’s a lost cause not worth my time. Here’s my problem, Sparky: I believe anyone can be reasoned with. The fact that some people are just jerks – and always will be – is hard for me to accept.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to get back to my haunting..
PS. The “Pelosi car” video was pretty good; and points for never saying “MSM” or “in the bag for Obama”. There’s hope for you yet.
August 5, 2010 at 8:51 am
not me tough guy– i learned a long, long time ago that some folks cannot be reasoned with because they self-righteously believe that they’ve cornered the market on “Reason”– if u argue with them they’ll just say “ur not hearing my words” or “u’r not getting the jist of what i’m saying”–u seem to think that the only measure of a man is that his peers “take him seriously”– jeez, and that’s coming from a guy who’s seemingly only joy in life is getting “one up” on the next “joe” who watches Cable frakkin’ News!– man, that’s just sad– listen, u’ll probably have figured it out by urself one of these days but if u don’t like my posts then don’t read/open them or respond– real simple and this hopefully will put an end to ur incessant whining when u feel the attention on this blog is taken away from u for more than a few minutes– i like this site and some of the regular slobs on here and if people have a problem with me (other than ur 2 or 3 yes-men “familiars”) then let them speak out and i’ll go quietly– until then why don’t u just “mutt-up”?– please “ignore me”, i’m begging u!–
August 5, 2010 at 8:56 am
…a guy who’s seemingly only joy in life is getting “one up” on the next “joe” who watches Cable frakkin’ News!–
That..and chicken. I like chicken.
August 5, 2010 at 9:34 am
^juvenile… and offensive– kinda like NASCAR
August 5, 2010 at 9:42 am
juvenile… and offensive– kinda like NASCAR.
You got me there. Of course, I prefer that effete, sissy-boy Formula One stuff. Ask your French friends..
August 5, 2010 at 10:42 am
^ask ur friend Obama to pass my the dijon, half-breed…
August 5, 2010 at 10:45 am
Will you two get a room?
August 5, 2010 at 11:00 am
^will u just f*** off!
August 6, 2010 at 9:34 am
Meanwhile, I just realized Spud updated this post. Excellent summary of FNC’s situation.