Obama on the Subject of Fox News: A Complaint or a Threat?

There are several sinister things concerning Barack Obama's complaints about Fox News, the full extent of which does not seem to have been noted. You remember the words:

"I am convinced that if there were no Fox News, I might be two or three points higher in the polls,” Obama told [Matt Bai]. “If I were watching Fox News, I wouldn’t vote for me, right? Because the way I’m portrayed 24/7 is as a freak! I am the latte-sipping, New York Times-reading, Volvo-driving, no-gun-owning, effete, politically correct, arrogant liberal. Who wants somebody like that?

"I guess the point I’m making,” he went on, “is that there is an entire industry now, an entire apparatus, designed to perpetuate this cultural schism, and it’s powerful. People want to know that you’re fighting for them, that you get them. And I actually think I do. But you know, if people are just seeing me in sound bites, they’re not going to discover that. That’s why I say that some of that may have to happen after the election, when they get to know you."

The first sinister thing about this comment of Obama's are the man's double standards. Like the rest of the leftists — as well as the (Fox-hating) mainstream media — the man has obviously no problems with ABC, with CBS, with NBC, with CNN. He has no problems with the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Boston Globe, and the Washington Post. He has no problem with the fact that if there were no ABC, no CBS, no NBC, no CNN, and no New York Times, no Los Angeles Times, no Boston Globe, and no Washington Post, John McCain might be two or three points higher (probably even more) in the polls; he has no problems with the fact that if there were no ABC, no CBS, no NBC, no CNN, no New York Times, no Los Angeles Times, no Boston Globe, and no Washington Post, Obama might be many points (hardly "just" two or three) lower in the polls. Never mind that: the only thing that irks him is that there is a media outlet — one! — that ensures that instead of being, say, 5 to 10 points ahead (that ain't enough), he isn't 8 to 13 points ahead.

The second sinister thing about the comment — obviously related to the first — is that it may not be be a complaint (whining or otherwise) at all: it may be a threat. It may be a warning to Rupert Murdoch to rein in his TV station (heck, all of his news outlets) if (when, in Obama's mind) the Illinois senator wins the 2008 election. Or else… Leftists cannot stand any criticism of their nigh-heroic measures. Fox News must be isolated, bloggers must be castigated, talk radio must be silenced with the Fairness Doctrine.

Jonah Goldberg hits the nail on the head:

Now, let us actually transcend race for a moment. Apparently for Obama, "transcend" isn't a racial term so much as a euphemism for declaring victory. He says he wants to "turn the page" on the arguments of the '80s and '90s, by which he means conservatives should stop clinging to their guns and antiquated Sky God and join his cause.

He told Planned Parenthood he wants to stop "arguing about the same ole stuff," by which he means he wants people who disagree with his absolute support for government-funded abortion on demand to shut up already.

He doesn't want to argue about his pals from the Weather Underground who murdered or celebrated the murder of policemen and other Americans, he just wants everyone to agree no one should care.

In short, Obama and his disciples only demand one kind of transcendence from all Americans. We must, as Obama likes to say, unite as one people, one nation, one American family and transcend all of our misgivings about Barack Obama. Then, and only then, will The One fulfill his wife's pledge and fix our broken souls.

Only a racist could possibly disagree.

Update: Obama camp lashes out at Fox News again (thanks, Duncan)