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Obama to be Interviewed by Fox's Bret Baier on Healthcare 6 pmEST

by Susan Marie Kovalinsky | March 17, 2010 at 06:50 am

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President will take healthcare reform questions on Fox Network tonight

With healthcare reform in the eleventh hour, the Whitehouse is scrapping its Fox News boycott and opting for President Obama to be interviewed on Fox News by Bret Baier tonight, at 6 pm EST.

It is wondered if this can actually sway Congressional votes, but it is clear that the Obama administration is pulling out all the stops in an effort to have their bill pass.

Democratic strategists and analysts have noted that the President has nothing to lose by foraying into the right-leaning conservative domain.

Obama is happy to explain why healthcare reform is important to the viewers of Fox, and in the 2008 election he won the majority of independent voters and a great deal of the conservative vote as well.

A public policy center at the University of Pennsylvania has noted that by reaching out to all venues, the President is showing his belief in the necessity of the reform.

Long-standing Feud between Fox News and Obama Whitehouse

Last year, the media made much of the "Fox v Obama Whitehouse wars", with anti-Obama rhetoric said to have made the Administration slam back by calling Fox "anything but fair and balanced, and not a valid news network". Some Democrats asserted that the Fox Network has a "news war" against the Administration.

Fox, they says, had an agenda to stir up as much controversy over all Obama appointees as was possible, so that GOP members would comment, generating further media coverage.

Moreover, they charged that many statements made in political commentary by Fox pundits were blatantly misinformed and false.

Obama aides said that this generating of public opinion by misinformation rhetoric caused the administration to "toughen its stance" against the network, and challenge its claim to be "fair and balanced".

Certainly, Fox has spent an inordinate amount of its hours slamming the present Administration, and one can only wonder what will be gained by tonight's interview.

Democratic strategists suggest that Obama has nothing to lose by trolling for support in unlikely places, as the Democratic leadership in Congress seeks to round up votes for the moment of truth later this week.
“My attitude is, you reach out, and then you do what you gotta do,” says Democratic consultant Peter Fenn.

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ELOISE A LATHROP (not verified)

at 13:15 on March 17th, 2010

WHY ISN'T FOX NEWS BRINGING UP THE FACT THAT SENIORS WILL PAY A LOT MORE FOR MEDICAL VISITS BECAUSE OF THE 500 BILLION BEING CUT FROM MEDICARE (AND NO IT WILL NOT BE COMING FROM THE FRAUD IN MEDICARE. THAT WILL NEVER STOP)? ALSO I'M ONE OF THE 13 MILLION OR SO WHO HAVE THE MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLAN AND WILL BE LOSING THAT. SO I WILL HAVE TO PICK UP BLUE CROSS OR SOMETHING ELSE WHICH WILL COST ME A LOT MORE FOR THAT PLAN. ALSO IS THE COLLEGE LOAN PROGRAM IN THIS HEALTH PLAN, AS I THINK I HEARD THAT FROM FOX NEWS? WE MIGHT JUST AS WELL MOVE TO CHINA OR RUSSIA BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT AMERICA IS BECOMING SINCERELY, ELOISE LATHROP. . .

Christine Gamble (not verified)

at 14:48 on March 17th, 2010

The Obama interview with Bret only proves what Obama has been saying all along. This reform is not about his reputation, scores, likeness but is about what is right for the American people. Fooling around the way we have is NOT the right thing to do. PASS THE HEALTH CARE REFORM BILL AS IT IS !!! When Fox tries to call themselves a fair and balanced network, they are so far off base it isn't funny. Of course, as I expected, the follow up discussion with the appointed panel had nothing good at all about our President. Did you ever try to work next to someone that badgered you all day long? This is truly what the right and Fox have been doing. Grow up already !!