On MSNBC’s Hardball last night, host Chris Matthews asked former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan if he saw “FOX television as a tool” to get the White House’s “message out” while he was in the Bush administration. “Certainly there were commentators and other, pundits at FOX News, that were useful to the White House,” replied McClellan, adding that they were given “talking points.”

Making a distinction between journalists like Brit Hume and commentators like Sean Hannity and Bill O’Reilly, McClellan admitted that “certainly” the White House used Fox News talking heads as “spokespeople” with “a script”:

MATTHEWS: So, you wouldn’t use Brit Hume to sell stuff for them, but you’d use some of the nighttime guys?

MCCLELLAN: Yeah, I would separate that out, and certainly I, you know, they’ll say, that’s because they agree with those views in the White House.

MATTHEWS: Well, they didn’t need a script though, did they?

MCCLELLAN: No, well, probably not.

McClellan later told MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann that “it was done frequently, especially on high-profile issues” and that Fox often gave the White House “its desired results.” Current Press Secretary Dana Perino would only tell Olbermann, “I’m not aware of that.” Watch it:

YouTube - McClellan on Fox News and White House...

Fox News’s close relationship to the Bush administration should come as no surprise to anyone, considering Fox’s Neil Cavuto once ran a segment asking if George W. Bush was “the best President.”

But, as Olbermann notes, it “is one of those things you assumed to be true all along, yet you are shocked when the hard confirmation actually shows up on your door.”

Not only is Fox the network the White House turned to when Vice President Dick Cheney had to explain how he shot his friend in the face, but the network has also produced sympathetic documentaries on both Cheney and President Bush.

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/26/...alking-points/
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/0...alking-points/

Taking in the big picture, is anybody really surprised at the way the White House and Fox News collaborated on their "reports"?

Grow up.

When you read or hear about a subject you are unfamiliar with don't you sometimes get al Jazeera's take on the issue before you post anything on the matter? It helps to get a sense of context sometimes.

And this you might not be too familiar with, but because the White House represents the United States and good citizens want to do what's best for their country they will take a cue from their country's leadership before speaking out on a subject to avoid being at odds or speculating incorrectly on a matter.

But that doesn't mean they don't do their own analysis.

I absolutely know you check MSNBC or other sources to get your talking points. And those dweebs, trolls and traitors get their talking points from Soros and Huffpo and Moveon.

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Every step taken toward the installment of Sharia law will be justifiable to the person who values appearance more than freedom and democracy.

I don't disagree with this at all...

But I'd like to see the other side of the coin where Democrats have used everybody BUT FoxNews to get their message out...

I find it pretty disingenuous for the Left to have a monopoly -1 and complain about it...

Democrat's complaint = "We have NBC, ABC, CBS, MSNBC, CNBC, and CNN on our side...They have Fox...

...and that's not good enough!!!!!!"...

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"You get the respect that you give" - cnredd

Spot on as usual and your assessment reflects almost word for word what I was going to post but you saved me the trouble..

I do believe the Republicans do have a great advantage in "radio" but they earned that advantage by seeing an opportunity and taking advantage of it.

I agree that the Conservatives have cornered the market on radio, but that's ONLY because they've been persona non grata in television and newsprint (which gets more viewers/readers)...

I'd agree to the Fairness Doctrine ONLY if it applied to every media outlet, but the Left doesn't want that...They want it to apply to the ONLY spot where they haven't gained a virtual monopoly...

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"You get the respect that you give" - cnredd

Well said,if they want to reenact the Fairness Doctrine it must be across the board.I worked for the Democrats many years ago and I warned them at the time that the Republicans were gaining an edge on radio and they ignored my concern..

That is but one of the many reasons I left the Democratic party,they have no vision,they can only complain about their opponents plan,revamp it, and then try to find a way to claim it as their own..

CNN is for McCain. ABC and CBS are undecided. MSNBC is left Fox is Right and what is a CNBC? Does anyone watch that. The whiny party Geeeez

I am not happy ay all with the Democrat leadership. Or lack there of. But the idea that Dems have no vision or complain too much. That is both parties. The Dems don't have a monopoly there.

You actually believe this stuff?

Redd was correct in his assessment of television ...

Next, you're going to tell me that all the major newspapers aren't left leaning too, huh?

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Do yourself a favor. I don't generally watch CNN but I have a little lately. I am serious. Watch Lou Dobbs They have a real desain for Obama. I don't know if they are in the tank for McCain. I watched the woman Kitty something sitting in for lou Dobbs. She couldn't stop smirking while she talked abot Obama. And trashed him. I know that its PC to assume CNN is in the tank for Obama. But you should take a look before you just take the common view.