My hunch is that FOX News is bummed because they had expected to

[saltpoint]

thwart the president's legislation on health reform, or rather, had expected to play their usual role in thwarting Democratic initiatives.

And as usual, they give it their all.

But it wasn't enough. FOX doesn't have quite the clout to shove McCain into the victory column, doesn't have the profile to offer serious objection to Obama's initiatives, and the Republicans generally do not have the votes, even with the many millions the health insurance companies paid to destroy any legislation of this kind.

They must have believed that this night would come but with a different result and that their panel of distortionist news analysts would coo over the smoking ruins of the Obama presidency.

That has not come to pass.

In the FOX News folks' glum faces are traces of lost prestige.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. How sweet it is...

[saltpoint]

2. Yes. Their minds' departing is such sweet sorrow.

Hi, CaliforniaPeggy.

[Newsjock]

3. And fear for their jobs

Look for a lot of mid-level producers to suddenly be "pursuing new opportunities" before Rupert 'n' Roger force them out the door for being such total, utter failures.

[saltpoint]

6. Yes. There could be some serious internal rumbling over this defeat.

Nancy & James whupped 'em purty good.

[livetohike]

4. It will be a big defeat for them. They think they are so

influential,enough to change history. I see all of the air going out of their balloon - Palin, Huckabee, Beck, etc. Their ranting and raving against President Obama has led to nothing except the fizzled out teabagger movement.

[sneezepaddle]

5. And am I evil for loving this fact more than 30 million of my fellow citizens getting Healthcare?

[saltpoint]

8. You don't seem evil to me at all, sneezepaddle. Not even a tiny bit.

Now. My 7th grade algebra teacher -- that's a different story.

[babylonsister]

7. faux was pretty horrendous today. Even James Fallows, a writer

I respect, felt the need to address their role in this. And he was still nice about it.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=7974604

James Fallows: If There Is Any Further Question About Whether Fox Is a "News" Operation

I will recommend to historians and semioticians very close study of the footage being produced right at this moment, on the Fox "News" Channel, as it covers the vote in the House on the health care reform bill.

The background footage virtually the entire time is of "Kill the bill!" crowds chanting at the Capitol. "Anchor" woman Megyn Kelly is at this moment breaking the news that Obama's popularity ratings are the lowest of his administration and interviewing an expert on whether this reveals America's recoil at the fundamental "statism" of his world view. Then an on-the-scene interview to confirm that the people who yesterday yelled "nigger" at Rep. John Lewis and "faggot" at Rep. Barney Frank were "an unrepresentative minority" of the protest crowds, and that in fact the typical crowd members would have been "the first to condemn" such harsh terms. Just now going to break, with pan of a huge shouting "kill the bill!" crowd at the Capitol. Seriously, you would think martial law was about to be imposed in DC.

You can agree or disagree about this legislation. But really, you cannot look at this "news" coverage and consider it other than outright political activism. There is nothing wrong with outright political activism. Megyn Kelly is arguably no more partisan on her show than Rachel Maddow is on hers. But not a single person on Earth thinks that Rachel Maddow is a "news" anchor. For the sake of sanity, precision in language, self-respect, and any other desirable quality we can think of, let's drop the pretense about what's coming across on Fox. This surprises even me. Back to C-SPAN. Or, maybe out into the nice sunshine.

[saltpoint]

9. A great post. And an entirely appropriate slam on FOX News.

Hey babylonsister -- some many months ago you and I thought this legislation was going to make it.

It's been a rough and rocky path but we're at the summit!

:toast:

[babylonsister]

10. I am exhausted and in awe that the Dems and President Obama,

and Nancy Pelosi, are getting this done. Have got this done! It's incredible, for all the right reasons, even while there are lots of things to fix or improve.

I am in awe, and am so happy it worked out for all of us.

Go, DEMS! And go, saltpoint, my dear DU friend! :hug:

:fistbump:

[saltpoint]

11. A big hug right back, ma'am, and let's both offer a hug to Mr. James

Clyburn, the House whip, whose last several months must have been pressure-cookers.

I love that guy.