Fox News and President Bush, friends to the very end. Of course you will remember that former Vice President Dick Cheney and other Bush administration officials sometimes let it be known that they stuck with Fox News for their informational needs. And on Tuesday, Fox News returned the favor, even as the rest of Washington remained gripped by Obama fever.
Late Tuesday afternoon, Fox News was the only major national TV outlet that carried a live telecast of former President Bush’s homecoming speech to cheering supporters in Midland, Texas. Geez, why am I not surprised. Bill O’Reilly literally shrugged off the massive crowds in Washington D.C. to a “John F. Kennedy thing.”
The rest of the networks, however, did not see the Bush address as news fit to broadcast. At 6:40 p.m. EST, MSNBC was in the middle of “Hardball,” with host Chris Matthews and guests batting around the meaning of Obama’s swearing-in. CNN was carrying live ongoing coverage of the final moments of the inaugural parade, with the Obamas beaming from the White House reviewing stand.
The broadcast networks likewise did not cover the Bush speech. Bush had eight years of media spotlight and this was not his hour.I can’t remember the media following Bill Clinton around in the wee hours after his presidency was over. But I am not surprised, Fox News Channel is biased and they will literally hang on to every word President Obama utters to pick it apart.
Filed under: Bill O'Reilly, Former President George W. Bush, Former VP Dick Cheney, Fox News Channel, President Barack H. Obama, Television Coverage
Black Political Thought 