Virus: Why Fox gives airtime to Gov. Cuomo

April 2, 2020 32 Comments

Anyone know why the three cable networks are carrying live and complete New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s daily fireside chats?

N.Y. Gov. Andrew Cuomo seen on Fox

They are part information, part homily, part sanctimony, part family history.

Yes, I know New York is the center of the media universe, but that is the City, not the stupid state. [Disclosure: I was born, reared and educated in New York City.]

If anything, CNN, MSNBC and Fox should be carrying New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio every time he farts. But they are not.

Nor are they carrying any other governor’s eruptions. They do carry President Donald J. Trump’s self-congratulatory news conferences, but he is the president — sorry, Alec Baldwin — even though there is grumbling on the Left that they shouldn’t carry the briefings because Trump lies, exaggerates, misleads, and so on. 

That is CNN’s Don Lemon’s autocratic position, and he is wrong.

The proper role of the press is to present all sides of a story and subject all sides to scrutiny and criticism. The Trumpsters are right that most big daily newspapers and cable outlets are hostile to the president — except the biggest, Fox News.

I tell my Trumpster friends that elements of the press were hostile, at times, to President Barack Obama, who actually sicced the Department of Justice on reporters. There was minor outrage in the press, there should have been more, but too many journos had too much of a psychic investment in our first African American president. I admit I did and while I was occasionally critical, I wonder if I was critical enough.

Back to Cuomo and the networks.

Since CNN leans left, and MSNBC could be called MarxStalinNBC, it’s no surprise they’d be happy to cover the musings of Cuomo, the son of popular New York Gov. Mario Cuomo, and the elder brother of CNN host Chris Cuomo, whom some on the Right delight in calling Fredo, after the weakling brother in “The Godfather.” Chris made the horrible PR mistake of exploding after a heckler called him Fredo. That means Fredo got under his skin. Now he’s got COVID-19 under his skin. (Get well soon, Chris.)

OK — so CNN and MSNBC favor Team Cuomo. What the hell is Fox doing there?

It could be that Fox is just matching the competition, but I think it is more than that.

Fox’s game is sabotaging likely Democratic nominee Joe Biden.

Conspiracy Theory Alert!

Give me a minute.

Uncle Joe is fending off attacks from several quarters. The Right is making an issue of son Hunter’s various, questionable business deals, most of which carry a thumbprint of Joe Biden’s influence, even if unspoken. To the Left it is a red herring, but if it peels off even 10% of voters, it is effective.

The second issue is Biden’s supposed dementia. It is really laughable that supporters of Trump could question someone else’s mental capacity. 

Finally, there is the recent #MeToo sexual assault accusation made against Biden, who needs 1,991 delegates to win the nomination. The coronavirus pandemic delaying voting in some states, plus Biden’s issues, might mean he doesn’t reach the 1,991. That could make it a brokered convention, one in which Bernie Sanders should have a big say, but moderate Democrats don’t want that. They fear the socialist baggage Bernie brings with him. 

Who might they turn to?

Andrew Cuomo, of course, who’s been getting great reviews in many quarters for his televised briefings. 

His nomination might make CNN and MSNBC happy. It might make Fox even happier.

Why? 

Because the selection of Cuomo, someone who did not even run — and a white male (hiss) to boot — might splinter the party and prepare a path for a Trump victory.

So when Fox gives Cuomo the gift of free air time, it actually is a poison pill for Democrats.

32 thoughts on “Virus: Why Fox gives airtime to Gov. Cuomo”

  1. Those on the left need to catch up. Fox has been veering left ever since ownership changed hands. That’s why conservatives don’t watch Fox anymore, and have moved over to OANN.

    1. Stu,
      From the top
      They all carry Cuomo because he is the product, right now that is selling… ergo money. Noone wants to watch Mr Socialist Deblasio.
      The proper roll of the press? More money .Stu, you must mean back in the day?
      Loved the Marxstalinnbc.
      Choked on coffee…. CNN Lean left?
      Trump does not have dementia,(I know, you didn’t say that) we all have our moments, don’t we. And Trump’s mental capacity is only an issue by the haters. Take it, please from my experience around and what a former and late columnist for the Inq called ‘Al’. I’m sure you knew him personally and forgive me for not remembering his name(no and never pun intended.)
      The bottom line….the only strategy and disgrace is the one that will blow up in the DNC face…..the abuse of Joe Biden.
      Good read Stu

  2. Refreshing to read an article articulating the equal idiocy on both sides. How about a Cuomo/Fauci 3rd party ticket. Two people who actually sound like leaders

  3. Thanks Stu but to me the attacks Obama endured while President set a precedent for the current toxicity that surrounds us all. Trump played a major role in this and continues to do so!

    1. Really vicious attacks I believe started with Bubba. 41 was portrayed as inept, and a wimp — this for a WWII fighter pilot. They tried to tear down Reagan, but he was TOO popular.

      1. Yup Rush Limbaugh referring to Clinton’s daughter as the “White House Dog” was low. I Still feel Trump has taken the toxicity in politics to a new low. Bush Sr. was a class act. It was truly patriotic that in defeat he offered support to Clinton and wished him well. The letter he wrote Clinton on the day he left office
        was heart-warming.

        2. I agree, Bush Sr. was most definitely a class act. On the other hand Limbaugh, Trump, etc. are NO CLASS acts.

    2. Obama endured soft ball questions when he wasn’t attempting golf.
      And of course,Trump is responsible for Russia, Ukraine, collusion, etc.

      1. Tom, I am not surprised you said that. According to you, and many (most?) people like you, President Obama could do nothing right and demented Trump can do nothing wrong.

        1. HB
          That’s the nicest thing anyone who doesn’t know me has ever said to me. And If you’re looking for a fight, tweet.

          1. Tom Wetten
            Why would I be looking for a fight, tweet or otherwise? I could ask you the same thing.

  4. Stu, didn’t Como make a statement yesterday that he is not interested in running ? Or do you think it was a non-announcement announcement? Or what do you think what Cuomo does, doesn’t matter anyway?

    1. A- Politicians lie. B- His statement has nothing to do with my analysis, as I say it is something that Fox is doing, not necessarily Cuomo.

  5. Trying to ascertain which network or newspaper is left or right is the same as trying to figure out how many angels can fit on the head of a pin. Or as Bill Murray famously taught his young campers, “It just doesn’t matter!” I am always reminded of the old joke Russians told on themselves. When communism was the only source of info to the people, there were two government-run outlets, PRAVDA, which is the Russian word for ‘truth,’ and IZVESTIYA, which is the Russian word for ‘news.’ The Russians would laugh and say, “There is no PRAVDA in IZVESTIYA, and no IZVESTIYA in PRAVDA.” I sometimes get the same feeling from watching or reading the news. Thank the Good Lord for the Internet — with the caveat ‘Believe nothing of what you hear and only 10% of what you see.’

  7. A true study of the bias in journalism (TV variety) is the movie TRUTH. It’s a study of how CBS went after Bush the Younger, trying to show he shirked his duty in the Air National Guard. CBS was so intent on destroying Bush they fabricated information, leading ultimately to the firing of Dan Rather and Mary Matlin (spelling?) and an on-air apology to Bush and the viewers. What was so instructive was the lengths CBS went to to destroy Bush, digging up his school grades, his flying time in the Guard, and so on. Yest for eight years, not ONE TV network made the effort to get ONE piece of info on Obama’s years at Harvard — no grades, none of his writings, anyone he went to class with, his professors, etc. I point this out not because I am anti-Obama, but merely to show how the TV and press ‘journalists’ are biased. There is also a book titled SPIKE, that deals with decisions on which stories to air and which to kill (or ‘spike’). Very enlightening. If anyone is interested. Closing sentence: Stu, you are more even-handed that 99.99% of the talking heads and typing hands in journalism land. I may not always agree with you, but by golly I do admire your effort as fairness.

    1. Thanks Vince. I will say this for me profession. When there is a rat among, we report on the rat ourselves. I have done it a gew times myself.

  8. HAPPY THURSDAY !!!
    I was a busy boy today. Now, I come in and get amused by the blog.
    Andrew Cuomo; He wasn’t interested in the Presidency before, I doubt that he’s interested now. As Stu points out, we are playing the game of politics. The dems don’t want Bernie, and they’re stuck with Joey. Apparently, money really talks. Why would people get behind any one of the candidates, when we all know that most of them did not have the qualifications. Way back when, you were a soldier in the party. You rose as you performed. The party would select the best candidate for the country . Sorry to say, that all changed when “money” showed up !
    Tom, Vince and of course, Stu, brought up interesting points about the press corp and journalists. I suppose that people would rather here and read bullsh!!t, rather than here the truth. Occasionally, I’ll tune into CNN or one of the other (sic)quality news channels. You have to listen long and hard to pick through the nonsense that the talking heads are spewing. They’ll sneak in a legitimate point, then go back to fertilizing the fields ! Do you remember the paper from England? I think it may have been the National Enquirer. Regardless, the idea is that you knew that you were reading fairy tale crap. The many lawsuits proved it. That’s about where we are today. These so called journos will print anything to keep their job.
    Tony

  9. What “recent” “sexual assault allegation” against Biden? Smelling someone’s hair? WHAT are you talking about?

    1. HAPPY SATURDAY !!!
      Steve,
      if you are addressing me, I would say that any allegations brought out against Biden – from the past – belong. Other than political smear, why would you bring out something now. In my mind. Joe Biden is still Joe Biden. He’s the class clown that got older but not smarter. He was “copping feels” and sniffing hair and anything else he could then and now.
      In general, without naming particular people, politicians of T.V. talking heads, everybody has an agenda. If that means to exaggerate or straight out lie, so be it. ( if I get caught in a lie, maybe I’ll retract it later ).
      Tony

      1. Stu,
        is that the one when Joe was a senator ? If it is that one, the woman had brought it up previously. My thought would be; if you have a legitimate claim to bring, then bring it on all possible networks. This would add truth to the charge as opposed to just a smear job similar to what was given to Judge Kavanaugh.
        think of Bill Cosby and the woman in his case. They did it to convict a known predator. Those woman deserve respect from every one.
        Tony

        1. I am in general agreement. I mentioned it because it was in the news. Had I NOT mentioned it, someone would have accused me of covering it up. Sometimes you can’t win.

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