Phil Griffin vs. FNC…

The New York Times Brian Stelter writes about how FNC and MSNBC cover the gun control debate, though the article is more tilted to focussing on FNC. Everyone will focus on Phil Griffin throwing a bomb at FNC…

Phil Griffin, the president of MSNBC, noted that the networks ABC, CBS and NBC broadcast special reports because they deemed the president’s remarks that important. He called Fox’s decision to skip it “a disgrace.”

Admittedly that is more interesting than Michael Clemente’s non-responsive response…

Michael Clemente, Fox’s executive vice president of news, said in a statement: “Fox News has reported all sides of the gun debate — at length since well before the tragedy in Newtown, and we will continue to do so. Yesterday’s decision not carry the president’s statement live, was made when we received the following from the White House press office ‘THE PRESIDENT delivers a statement on common sense measures to reduce gun violence.’ We’ve carried and reported on numerous presidential speeches and ideas for reducing gun violence, as well as those from influentials on the other side of the issue.”

But I am most interested on how this all played out on The Five yesterday…

Earlier on “The Five” on Wednesday, during a conversation about media bias as it related to bombing coverage, the lone liberal among the five commentators, Bob Beckel, asked co-host Greg Gutfeld, “Can I talk about guns here, or do we have to stick with your topic?”

“You do whatever you want, Bob,” Mr. Gutfeld said.

“No guns? No guns, right. Of course not,” Mr. Beckel said, shrugging and looking straight into the camera, as if speaking to the producers in the control room. “Let’s let the N.R.A. run this, too.”

Mr. Gutfeld argued that “if we were pro-N.R.A., wouldn’t we talk about it, Bob?” When the Obama statement was cut off after a few seconds, Mr. Gutfeld appeared surprised by the control room’s decision. “I want to apologize,” he said at the end of the hour. “I think that should have been handled better.”