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Opinion: Obama tells NY Times he’d do better without Fox News around

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The New York Times, of all places, has a long interview coming out Sunday with the freshman senator from Illinois, Barack Obama.

In it, the Democratic presidential nominee, who’s leading in most recent political polls, still bemoans the existence of Fox News because he feels he’d be doing even better in voter polls without it.

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That’s actually a feeling shared by many in public life, not just politicians. The McCain-Palin campaign might feel the world would be a better place without, say, MSNBC’s Keith-meister, for example. Or the New York Times.

Although you don’t often see/hear public figures turning down opportunities to use the media pages/airwaves for free exposure when invited, as Obama was, in fact, doing.

Here’s Obama’s complaint, with a Hat Tip to all-knowing MediaBistro:

‘I am convinced that if there were no Fox News, I might be two or three points higher in the polls. 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?’

Last we heard, the New York Times subscription department isn’t turning folks away.

A Fox News spokesman replied:

Senator Obama’s comments about Fox News are misdirected. If he is uncomfortable with tough questions, it may be because he has faced so few from the news media. The McCain campaign also complains when we make them squirm. We will continue to do hard, honest reporting and let American viewers decide if we’re being fair.

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Next chance to see the squirming: Fox News Sunday, when Chris Wallace will interview Sen. John McCain.

--Andrew Malcolm

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