Then FOX News head Roger Ailes opened his mouth and killed them:
MyDD:
This is a rather extraordinary speech that Roger Ailes gave last night. He's clearly very frustrated with the organizing against Fox News. But let's start out with his jokes.A man in France was arrested today for using his car to run down a pedestrian. He said he thought it was Osama bin Laden. Ok, it was a mistake, but it still ranks as France's biggest military victory ever....[Laughter]
It is true that I said Britney Spears looked great at the Academy Awards. and I later found out it was Jack Nicholson.
[Laughter/ooohs]
It is true that just in the last two weeks Hillary Clinton has had over 200 phone calls telling her in order to win the presidency she must stay on the road for the next two years. It is not true they were all from Bill.
[Laughter]
And it is true that Barack Obama is on the move. I don't know if it's true that President Bush called Musharraf and said, 'Why can't we catch this guy?'
Oh, that Roger Ailes. He's got all the funny of chemical burn ward at Children's Hospital. Needless to say, comparing Barack Obama to Osama Bin Laden didn't win anyone over. Maybe he's been getting comedy tips from Ann Coulter.
It pretty much killed FOX's debate.
Huffington Post:
The Nevada Democratic Party today backed out of a FOX News-sponsored presidential debate after Fox President Roger Ailes's recent remarks jokingly comparing Democratic Senator Barack Obama to al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden.
In a joint letter faxed today, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Tom Collins, the head of the Nevada Democratic Party, informed Fox News executive producer Marty Ryan of the decision.
"A month ago, the Nevada Democratic Party entered into a good faith agreement with FOX News to co-sponsor a presidential debate in August," Reid and Collins said in the letter. "This was done because the Nevada Democratic Party is reaching out to new voters and we strongly believe that a Democrat will not win Nevada unless we find new ways to talk to new people. To say the least, this was not a popular decision. But it is one that the Democratic Party stood by."
"However, comments made last night by FOX News President Roger Ailes in reference to one of our presidential candidates went too far," the letter went on. "We cannot, as good Democrats, put our party in a position to defend such comments. In light of his comments, we have concluded that it is not possible to hold a Presidential debate that will focus on our candidates and are therefore canceling our August debate. We take no pleasure in this, but it is the only course of action."
Big loss. A debate set up by FOX News was certain to be a big loser for dems anyway. FOX would have a whole bunch of copyrighted clips they could play out of context over and over and over. All they were looking for was ammo for future hit jobs.
Screw 'em.
(h/t Think Progress)
Tags: news | politics | media | democrat | FOX | elections | 2008 | propaganda | Roger Ailes | Nevada
