Tapper: But that’s a pretty sweeping declaration that they are “not a news organization.” How are they any different from, say –
Gibbs: ABC -
Tapper: ABC. MSNBC. Univision. I mean how are they any different?
Gibbs: You and I should watch sometime around 9 o’clock tonight. Or 5 o’clock this afternoon.
Without naming them, Gibbs is singling out "Hannity" and "The Glenn Beck Show" which means the opinion shows are the problem. Never mind that all of MSNBC qualifies as opinion, the opinions there are pro-Obama and not an issue for this White House.
Gibbs' answer proves the point that Joe Scarborough made this morning on "Morning Joe." Here is a clip of Scarborough opining the real goal here is to make sure the main stream media does not cover anything investigated by Fox. He hits on what must surely be a few sore points namely ACORN, Van Jones, and now Anita Dunn:
If Scarborough is correct, the White House strategy reveals a great weakness within. Nearly every day some new revealing statements from the people chosen to work in this administration comes to light. If it were a matter of a problem statement by a single person, the statement rightly reflects on that person. At this point every revelation taints the White House instead. How can any consider it a coincidence that there are this many Mao lovers and self identified communists in high levels of this administration? It defies credulity.
The White House has no tangible strategy to stop this continual drip drip drip of video clips espousing bizarre philosophies and socialistic statements. If they could get out in front of this somehow maybe they could stop some of the bleeding. In reality, though, they can't make a Friday dump because there are likely plenty more of damaging statements from this crew yet to be found and they all know it. They can't keep dismissing these statements or lamely tying them to Lee Atwater. The mud that sticks is sticking to the White House walls.
Following the implied warning to the media not to follow news that comes from Beck and Big Government is a loser for the media. When the next ACORN-type revelation goes uncovered, the media is left with egg on its face. They can only sit on the sidelines while the White House drives up Fox's ratings. If there is an implied threat that the full force of the executive branch of government will be unleashed against those who fail to heed the warning, the only downside to the media is less access and higher ratings. How many Times staffers will be willing to take more layoffs so this White House can avoid answering questions about Anita Dunn or Ron Bloom? It speaks volumes about this absurd dishonest administration that they think this preposterous attempt to double-bind the media is their way out. "That's some catch, that Catch-22."
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