TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2023
Fox & Friends / comic relief: "We have all sorts of folks here," one of the Fox friends said.
It was roughly 6:25 a.m. Eastern. The speaker was Steve Doocy. He's been one of the regular weekday friends since 1998!
Doocy was introducing this morning's seven-person "voter panel." But had any Democrats been included in the panel?
Actually, yes! As Doocy started his introductions, it quickly became apparent that there would be at least one:
DOOCY (11/21/23): So let's bring in our panel. We have all sorts of folks here.
Up in the upper left-hand corner, Republican voter Brian Benstock. Democrat voter switching to the Republican Party Stephanie Rapp, right there. She's waving...
By the time Doocy had finished calling the roll, the fairness and balance were obvious. According to his introductions, his panel contained three (3) Republican voters and three (3) independent voters. But it also contained one "Democrat voter:"
The panel included Stephanie Rapp, a "Democrat voter" who is switching to the Republican Party!
Quite plainly, the friends had assembled a solid cross-section of the U.S. electorate. Exactly as Doocy had promised, all sorts of folks were there!
With the introductions done, the initial question was asked. That exchange went exactly like this:
DOOCY: We thank you all for joining us. All right, so! Can I see—
Since yesterday was his birthday, and he celebrated with that bonfire cake yesterday in the White House, can I see the hands? Who thinks Joe Biden's too old?
O.K., it's unanimous.
Let me ask you this, Brian. Why is he too old?
The fair and balanced conversation continued along from there. For the record, one of the Republican voters was actually introduced as a Republican congressional candidate.
How independent were the three independent voters? We have no idea. But the fairness and balance were on full display. It wasn't just a bunch of Republican voters. One "Democrat voter" was there!
The panel was interviewed during each of the program's three hours. At 9 p.m., a well-appointed clown car arrived and drove the voters away.
This is the shape of "segregated news" under our comical brave new arrangements. Can a modern nation expect to function this way?
We'll guess that the answer's not yes.
Special bonus footage: The appearance of the voter panel was teased at 6:11.
To watch that bit of cable clowning, you can just click here.
There was more there than just the imbalance that Somerby noticed. The purpose of the panel is to attract independent voters. If you present 3 Republicans and 3 Independents and the Independents express opinions closely similar to the Republicans, then there is encouragement for the Independent voters at home to notice and think about how close their own opinions might be to those of the Republicans. It gives them implicit permission to think Republican and perhaps vote Republican, since the people they identify with politically were doing that on the show. The Democrat who has already switched to Republican gives them the idea to do so.
ReplyDeleteSo, this display was not about balance but about peer pressure. Why would Somerby not notice that? Perhaps because he doesn't know much about psychology and thus doesn't think about the point of the segment from a psychological perspective. And why would Somerby think about balance on a network such as Fox? It has never been balanced -- why would it start now? Perhaps there is something to be gained for Somerby, if he portrays Independents as Republican-leaning when they are not divided that way, especially lately. According to Pew, 17% lean toward Democrats while 13% lean toward Republicans.
https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2019/03/14/political-independents-who-they-are-what-they-think/
I’m independent, and I intend to vote the straight Republican ticket.
DeleteI'd say the majority of independents do. Especially right after things like SnowflakeFest 2021, or the George W. Bush Presidency.
DeleteDid you not read the Pew Research report linked? More independents are Democrat leaning than Republican.
DeleteI’m independent, and I’ve always voted Republican.
DeleteI’m a Republican and I find Trump horrendous, I’ll either stay home or vote for Biden.
DeleteI’m a Democrat and I find Biden horrendous but I'll vote for him I guess. Whatever.
Delete7;25,
DeleteWe're all Antifa.
As a lifelong independent but if the unemployment rate doesn't start going up, I will have to vote for Trump for the third time.
DeleteBob is really damned if he does damned if he doesn't. For years people complain that he is a right winger and doesn't call out fox news on their nonsense, then when he does, he is still wrong because he didn't go far enough in the OP mind. IMO the OP has no way of knowing if the peer pressure theory is sound or not, that may be what they were doing, or it may not be.
DeleteThis is NOT calling out Fox News.
Delete@9:43, you forgot to say "Anything is possible."
DeleteLottery is something Everyone wishes to win, not only winning the lottery, but they want to win big bulks, i have been playing the lottery for couple of years now, but i haven't really win big, personally i always think there is something behind all those winners who always win big, because my intense always tell me that so i manage to get in contact with one of the biggest lottery winner in Manchester, i asked him about the success, and he referred me to a very powerful voodoo doctor, (Dr Aziba), he is indeed a great man who i explain to , without no hidden details , (i really want to win the lottery so bad ) he put to work and few days latter he gave me some figures that never failed, i played and i won 50 thousand pounds , (Dr Aziba) is blessed with so much gift, This is the secret and it worked for me. Get in contact with Doctor Aziba via Email Priestazibasolutioncenter@gmail.com or WhatsApp +2348100368288 for Lottery Winning Numbers.
DeleteWhy woud anyone consider this funny (comic relief)?
ReplyDeleteWhen you became as warped, bitter, and cynical as Somerby, you lose any sense of actual humor.
Delete"So, this display was not about balance but about peer pressure. Why would Somerby not notice that?"
ReplyDeleteWhy would you not notice that that was Somerby's point?
Where does he ever say that? He only mocks the segment for not being balanced.
DeleteThere are 3 kinds of right wingers. What more diversity do they need than that?
DeleteUkraine’s counteroffensive appears to have stalled, just as cold weather brings the second fighting season to a close. At the same time, the political willingness to continue providing military and economic support to Ukraine has begun to erode in both the United States and Europe. These circumstances necessitate a comprehensive reappraisal of the current strategy in Ukraine.
DeleteOT
DeleteInflation is cratering, and the unemployment rate stubbornly won't go up, no matter how much the Fed raises interest rates.
DeleteMeanwhile, labor unions are back in vogue.
It's a shame these don't matter to economically anxious voters as much as CRT (not) being taught in elementary schools.
As a Republican new to this blog, I find the blogger’s insights helpful for returning our party to sanity. The blogger clearly has the Republican Party’s interest in mind and seems to be recommending we move away from the more far-right extremists that may take our party down.
DeleteThe comments here are a strange mix, there seems to be a bunch of interloping liberals whining that the blogger isn’t kowtowing to their interests, but well duh, this is a Republican blog. Go read a liberal blog then, you commie troll snowflakes.
Someone mentioned Ukraine, with Russia as an evil empire, we must continue to provide Ukraine with what it needs to send Russia to the ash heap of history.
Oh this is a Republican blog. Thanks for clearing that up.
DeleteCorby is adorable.
Delete
ReplyDeletePerhaps they just couldn't find any Democrats? Are there still any? I mean humans, not bots.
Or, if there are still some human Democrats, perhaps they couldn't find any willing to be on Fox News? Because, you know, -- Fox News is SATAN.
I've heard of satan. What the fuck is a fox news?
Deleteanon 4:25, I'm a long term dem, I'd be happy to share my POV with these icons of journalism. Maybe you could put me in touch.
ReplyDeleteDon't they have a contact phone? Email? Contact them, see what happens.
DeleteCorby is a good, decent person.
ReplyDeleteWell, it looks like Fox is getting grounded again. Comic partisanship? Sure, but at least they won’t get on the wrong end of an 88 million dollar lawsuit over it.
ReplyDeleteTwo fair questions: given that Bob has largely ignored Fox’s antics since Gore went down, is his readership surprised by this? The guy who used to post as Mao checks in above claiming Democrats are not really people (bots)
so Fox couldn’t find any. He’s an idiot who probably thinks that’s funny, but how much of the last 20 years in the media produced this moron while Bob looked the other way and fumed over Rachel Maddow?
OK three questions. Is MSNBC any better at representing the opposition, be they experts or the great unwashed? I’d say maybe, but not that much. CNN might do a panel like this with equal representation, but more likely would show Trumpies for us lefties to gawk at like circus freaks. The occasional right winger gets a shot but since most of the office holders are pretty lost at this point they know they are going to look foolish in the face of a modestly challenging question.
Quality debate formats are still few and far between. Could real debate draw viewers if well executed? Hard to say, but it seems like it would be worth trying. Now that there is an articulate liberal on “The Five”, it may be the best we have!
Operation 25:
ReplyDeleteTrain new recruit.
Recruit:
Fanny Passmore-Gass
The so called former Democrat apparently never believed in democracy. Because a Democrat who believes in Democracy would never switch to the facist party.
ReplyDeleteIf we assume for a moment that Somerby actually is liberal, then he is a major proponent of this behavior, described by Digby, of talking down Democrats and ushering Trump into office by his continual petty whining and criticism of Biden, including the claim that he is too old to govern:
ReplyDeletehttps://digbysblog.net/2023/11/22/talking-ourselves-into-fascism/
With supporters like Somerby, who needs enemies?
Lottery is something Everyone wishes to win, not only winning the lottery, but they want to win big bulks, i have been playing the lottery for couple of years now, but i haven't really win big, personally i always think there is something behind all those winners who always win big, because my intense always tell me that so i manage to get in contact with one of the biggest lottery winner in Manchester, i asked him about the success, and he referred me to a very powerful voodoo doctor, (Dr Aziba), he is indeed a great man who i explain to , without no hidden details , (i really want to win the lottery so bad ) he put to work and few days latter he gave me some figures that never failed, i played and i won 50 thousand pounds , (Dr Aziba) is blessed with so much gift, This is the secret and it worked for me. Get in contact with Doctor Aziba via Email Priestazibasolutioncenter@gmail.com or WhatsApp +2348100368288 for Lottery Winning Numbers.
ReplyDeleteLottery is something Everyone wishes to win, not only winning the lottery, but they want to win big bulks, i have been playing the lottery for couple of years now, but i haven't really win big, personally i always think there is something behind all those winners who always win big, because my intense always tell me that so i manage to get in contact with one of the biggest lottery winner in Manchester, i asked him about the success, and he referred me to a very powerful voodoo doctor, (Dr Aziba), he is indeed a great man who i explain to , without no hidden details , (i really want to win the lottery so bad ) he put to work and few days latter he gave me some figures that never failed, i played and i won 50 thousand pounds , (Dr Aziba) is blessed with so much gift, This is the secret and it worked for me. Get in contact with Doctor Aziba via Email Priestazibasolutioncenter@gmail.com or WhatsApp +2348100368288 for Lottery Winning Numbers.