Alone among networks, Fox News gives Bush homecoming cheer

Former Vice President Dick Cheney and other Bush administration officials sometimes let it be known that they stuck with Fox News for their informational needs. And on Tuesday, Fox News returned the favor, even as the rest of Washington remained gripped by Obama fever. 

Late Tuesday afternoon, Fox News was the only major national TV outlet that carried a live telecast of former President Bush's homecoming speech to cheering supporters in Midland, Texas.

"Sometimes what I did wasn't popular," a smiling Bush told the crowd. "But that's OK. I always did what I thought was right."

The rest of the networks, however, did not see the Bush address as news fit to broadcast. At 6:40 p.m. EST, MSNBC was in the middle of "Hardball," with host Chris Matthews and guests batting around the meaning of Obama's swearing-in. CNN was carrying live ongoing coverage of the final moments of the inaugural parade, with the Obamas beaming from the White House reviewing stand.

The broadcast networks likewise did not cover the Bush speech. At least in Los Angeles, both KCBS-Channel 2 and KNBC-Channel 4 had returned to regular syndicated programming ("Judge Judy" and "Deal or No Deal"). KABC-Channel 7 was airing local news.

-Scott Collins 

Comments

[Dean]

DBubla said: Referring to the statement in this article, ""Sometimes what I did wasn't popular," a smiling Bush told the crowd. "But that's OK. I always did what I thought was right." ", what former President Bush failed to realize is that the people placed him in power, and he failed the people-thus the people kicked him square in the pants out of office right back to Crawford. He [Bush] had a duty to do what the people demanded through their representatives in Congress. Remember this is a representative democracy, and the people will not stand for having congressional or government officials in power who fail to represent them and their views based on majority rule. This is the rule of law as the people see it. Things have changed and they will change under President Obama and the current Congress-the people will see that this is the case. This should be a lesson for all - around the world - that this is the nature of America. This is a representative government and that is what it means to have a true democracy.

DBubla, I can see by your ignorant comments that you don't know the first thing about how our government works:

1. The people did not kick him out of office; he served his maximum 2-term presidency and was not eligible for re-election. None of your rhetoric and leftist spin will change that simple fact.

2. This is not a representative democracy; it is a representative republic. Neither of those systems is a "true democracy" which is a system in which every person votes directly on a given national issue/candidate. There is no electoral college in a true democracy. Furthermore, it is not the president's role to act as a rubber-stamp to what the representatives in congress want to do; it is to act as a check and balance. The Executive branch and the Legislative branch are both a check and balance against the other. And the congress's job also isn't to rubber-stamp what the people want, since the people are largely uneducated as to the ramificatoins of what they want (like zero-down loans to people who are obviously not credit-worthy). Our founders chose a representative republic to protect against just such a "tyranny of the majority."

3. Lastly, the "rule of law" isn't subjective; "as the people see it" is irrelevant to the rule of law.

You probably should have paid more attention in Social Studies.

[sn]

Bush was a great president who was treated unfairly by the press

[sn]

Bush was a great president who was treated unfairly by the press

[Adam Northrup]

How in the world could the other news networks cut away from their 72 hour "Obasm" to see the former president arrive back home. I mean comeon, the people need to see the 80,000th crowd shot or maybe another picture of someone weeping.. We surely didn't see that all weekend!

I guess MSNBC didn't want Keith Olbermann to comment about how Bush should be in shackles, or Chris Matthews to say the "thrill up his leg" dissappears when Bush is on screen.

It's pathetic!

Hey all you conservatives, this is what happens when you put up a crappy candidate as your presidential pick! Remember what this feels like, because elections have consequences, and I just pray that we don't have to go through this again! VOTE FOR AN ACTUAL CONSERVATIVE!!!!

[james]

you liberals are so pathetic, every singlre one of you will eat your words and when that day comes you will deny you said anything during this period, remember, what goes around comes around and i look forward to treatin b.h.o. the same in 2012.

[Joe]

I think sending our military on a wild goose chase, looking for WMDs that don't exist is good policy! I also think that economic calamity is a very positive thing! I commend President Bush on both of these excellent accomplishments. It's hard to imagine how history wouldn't judge him to be one of our finest chief executives!

[Jeff]

...And I supposed the fact the press criticized Bush's inauguration cost 4 years ago of $40 million, but was woefully silent on Obama's $140-170 million cost, is just a figment of our imagination that the press is biased. Let's not allow the facts get in the way of today's "journalism".

[John]

This President will never be put under the same scrutiny as W. Any attempt will be quickly dismissed as race based or deflected to blame the outgoing administration. "Let us put down these childish things" unless i can use it to my advantage.

I like the Time article that mentions that "Cheney leaving the podium as if he's about to foreclose on someone's house". Yes completely objective. WHAT A JOKE!!!!! The Fair and Balanced is referring to level that Fox needs to go to balance out the rest of the talking heads.

[Patsy]

I did not vote for Obama, but I wish him well, because he has the same people to deal with that Bush did, maybe Obama can do something with the Pelosi team, Bush could not! Obama's speeches remind me of a Preachers sermon, NO MORE, NO LESS! The Lowery guy got me with, quote," THE WHITES NEED TO DO RIGHT" someone explain that phrase to me, because "I'm white, WHAT DID I DO?

[Ralph Walso]

i look forward to treatin b.h.o. the same in 2012.

Posted by: james |
*************************
No, James. Let's rise above the ugliness, not perpetuate it, please.

[Kathy L]

How can anyone be so biased as to say that George W. Bush was a good president? We are engaged in two wars (one totally unprovoked), our economy is in the worst mess since the Great Depression, our reputation in the world has been shattered, and the Constitutiion has been ignored in favor of Bush and Cheney's naive and self-serving ideas. Is George Bush responsible for keeping us safe for eight years? I don't know, but I do know that we were attacked when he was president. Just as likely that he was responsible for not anticipating the attack as it is that he kept us safe. For those of you who are already attacking Obama, he deserves at least the same respect you say to give George Bush. If he fails to straighten out the mess that Bush has created, we all suffer so you all better be praying that he succeeds.

[betsy brown]

I can't beleive how disrepectful the people are of President Bush. He had a bigger crisis in his 2 terms than any president since the world war.
Our new president asked the people for a new civility.....didn't anyone hear him? I am ashamed of all the Bush bashing liberals, and I have vowed not to do the same for Obama, although I didn't vote for him.
I noticed how fairly Foxnews has treated Obama. They had the best and most complete coverage of any of the networks.......and I never heard one negative comment all day. Fox is the only network that isn't totally in the liberals pocket, and they can't stand that.

[ejs]

Maybe they didn't cover it because he already gave his farewell address and he is no longer President and we have moved on. What is you with you stupid Republicans (Oligarchs)

[Dan L]

Fox is the only unbiased news programming left. When OPINIONS are presented on Fox, it is stated as such and usually there are democrat commentators as well as Republican commentators. On the other channels, opinion is mixed with and presented as NEWS, especially on the broadcast networks. What Dan Rather, Tom Brokaw and to a lesser extent Peter Jennings did to the news is disgraceful. Dan Rather by himself played the biggest role in killing journalism.

[Allen B]

"We are One". "Let's unite behind Barak". As a conservative, I feel like saying "go straight to hell". The radical left has done nothing but thwart President Bush and this nation for the past eight years. Now, you want the opposition to melt away? You come with an olive branch in one hand asking for peace but have a dagger in the other demanding that the President and Vice President be prosecuted. For what, protecting your sorry asses since 9-11?

An outgoing president's homecoming is newsworthy. Every network other than FOX is so skewed by ideoology that they can no longer claim objectiveness when it comes to the news. Unlike the other networks, Fox was balanced enough to show both the inauguration and President Bush's homecoming. You can defend their actions all you want but the fact remains that only FOX showed both events.

I will support this President and the nation because that's what good citizens do but my devotion to conservative ideals and principles remains unaffected..

[StNick]

C-Span also carried the speach

[Pandapoo]

I think sending our military on a wild goose chase, looking for WMDs that don't exist is good policy! I also think that economic calamity is a very positive thing! I commend President Bush on both of these excellent accomplishments. It's hard to imagine how history wouldn't judge him to be one of our finest chief executives!

Posted by: Joe
_________________

Mistaken WMD intelligence = Bush's fault.
Sound like one that welcomed Powell with open arms when he supported Obama. Yet he was the man that gave the speech on the WMD's and reason for war.

Can bet you have posters of Chris Dodd and Barney Frank on your wall that you blow kisses to while kneeling at your bed as pretend to pray each night before bed.

[Travis]

All the hate for President Bush. Anyone care to comment on the actions of the House or Senate?

[Sam]

I like Fox news a lot! They had the courage to report that Obama had studied at a madrosa when he was five years old, and they were the ones that coined the term "terrorist fist jab". They were also the ones that told me that invading Iraq before the weapons inspectors could complete their job was the smartest thing to do and that if anybody disagreed with that they were un-American. Before watching Fox I would've thought that letting the weapons inspectors collect more information and intelligence would've helped us to decide whether or not invading would be a wise move. I also would've thought that listening to other people's ideas would be a good thing, but now I know better! Fox's responsible reporting only helps to increase the level of discourse and is very beneficial to the country as a whole. When I watch Fox I feel so enlightend!

[INDEPENDANT]

What is wrong with this statement?

"HE HAS KEPT US SAFE SINCE 911"

This statement will kill the Rebublican party, how can we trust people who think that statement is true? Are these people stupid or retarted? NIETHER, they're brain dead.

Bush was briefed on AUGUST 6TH 2001 that BIN LADIN DETERMINE to attack america by plane,
bush had a whole month, one whole month to:

CHECK ALL AIRPLANES, AIRPORTS, TELL US BY NEWS CONFERENCE, RAISE OUR AWARENESS, STOP ALL FLIGHTS, PUT MORE SECURITY IN PLACE, WARN US..... SOMETHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Instead bush did NOTHING, NOT ONE THING TO HELP, and on 911 all you DUMB democrats and rebublicans gave our former idiot president a blank check to attack another country that had absolutely nothing to do with 911, HOW STUPID CAN YOU BE, HONESTLY!!!!!!!!!! And dont forget about the anthanx cases, they were all after 911, so there goes your whole reasoning on him(bush) stopping attacks on our soil AFTER 911.

ENDLESS WARS, TORTURE, RAPE OF OUR CONSTITUTION AND PRIVACY, REVEALING OF A UNDERCOVER CIA AGGENT, KATRINA, STARVING OUR MILITARY OF RESOURCES AND BENEFITS, CHILDREN LEFT BEHIND ALL OVER AMERICAN, POORER SOCIETIES, DIVIDING OUR COUNTRY WITH 'POLITICAL CAPITAL', NO WEAPONS OF MASS DISTRUCTION, HUNDREDS OF DEAD SOULS IN THE NAME OF BUSH, ECONOMIC CALLASPE.

And stop blameing clinton for bush's mistakes, for 8 month I watched bush lobby the banks to HAND OUT loans to minorities and people who could not afford them just so bush could sound like REAGAN, he surely is no REAGAN! This economic fall has bush loans written all over it.
So thank god ONLYfox news covered this joke off a human being, cause I never watch it, only idiots watch that, like my mother who if quized on world events would shamefully fail, ask her about any laws passed in our country or even our state and she'll say "911". My mother watches fox news all day long and she's brain dead now, she really thinks that the people who participated in 911 are from Iraq. I dont watch news, I dont take info that is given, I take the info I looked for, not one of these news organizations are news worthy, they are all bias and so is fox. Just be honest, bush made a boat load of mistakes, I disagreed with every choice he made and I was right about everything one of them he was wrong at, I know cause all the evidence is out there to fact check.

If you rebublicans cant see were your guy went wrong, you cant be trusted as reliable to run chuck e cheese let alone the country, in fact you look just like him. This new president is going to make things worse and its gonna be bad, it is your job as a rebublican to keep obama in check, you cant do that if you dont look creditable, praising bush for keeping us safe is not creditable, that was his job and he failed at that on AUGUST 6TH when he didnt do anything to protect us. Why dont you rebublicans praise him for breathing while your at it.

Rebublicans will further fall if when putting obama in check consist of stupid, petty and childish issues, you must be very carefull. So admitt bush's mistakes, learn from them and move on, you have alot of work ahead, stop looking like sore democrat losers, pick yourselves up by your bootstraps and start working on fixing your party or its clinton in 4 yrs cause rebublicans have a reputation now and these 4yrs is your opportunity and praising bush for what outsiders can clearly see were HUGE MISTAKES does not help, it hurts your parties CREDIBILITY, it make people laugh at your stance and beliefs.
This is coming from the middle,

DISAPOINTED TO MY RIGHT, ANGRY AT MY LEFT