President Obama agreed to a FOX News interview in the 11th hour of his big push toward a healthcare bill in order to reach FOX’s audience of Democrats and Independents. A few of us wondered if the network would, in appreciation for the President temporarily lifting his embargo of FOX, stage a milk toast interview and lob softball questions. After all, when FOX’s Bill “I’m lookin’ out for the folks” O’Reilly finally landed an interview with candidate Obama, it was an innocuous non-event.
But in this latest FOX interview, Bret Baier showed us how a genuine professional TV journalist works.
It was clearly the President’s intent to filibuster most of the approximately 15 minutes devoted to the healthcare bill, repeating all the same talking points we’ve heard ad nauseum for a year. Obama never intended to directly answer Baier’s questions. That strategy was, to use a favorite word of his administration, transparent.
The President isn’t accustomed to being interrupted in the midst of his long answers to reporters’ questions, even when those answers have little or nothing to do with the initial query. When interrupted by Baier, his frustration clearly showed — non-verbally and in an occasional condescending tone.
In response, Baier was respectful, but not intimidated. Unlike most of the legacy media interviewers, Baier understands that he represents more than himself and his network. He represents the viewing public. It’s why the media has been historically called the Fourth Estate. Contrast Baier’s approach to that of NBC‘s Brian Williams when, at the close of his interview of the President, he parted with a nauseous sycophantic bow. We were embarrassed for him.
The President’s answers ranged from long-winded obfuscations with puzzling convolutions to territory best described as a Wonderland of Fuzzy Logic. For example, on the one hand, Obama said that everyone knows what’s in the bill by now. On the other hand, he said that Baier would see “my healthcare bill” when it’s posted for all to see. Some of us came away from the interview not convinced that the President clearly knows what’s in his own bill!
Those already persuaded on both sides of the argument are unlikely to be effected by the interview. Open-minded Independents, perhaps the main audience from the Administration’s perspective, were likely not impressed by the President’s presentation, which was not particularly impressive.
Coming from a man who former Governor Mario Cuomo once described to Larry King as representing a “new kind of intelligence,” large parts of President Obama’s answers were… well, just flat-out unintelligible.
While honest establishment pundits will admit that it wasn’t a sterling presidential performance, the true-believer Obama lemmings will call Baier rude and vote him out of the Club. In that case, he’s better off.