Obama to Appear on O’Reilly Factor Thursday
The Washington Post reports that Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama secretly met with Fox News execs to discuss what was perceived as "unfair treatment" and "bias reporting".
At a secret meeting with Barack Obama three months ago, Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes says, he tried to clear the air with the Democratic senator by saying that his organization was determined to be fair but would not be "in the tank" for Obama's campaign.
The Post also announced that Obama will be appearing on Thursday's edition of the O'Reilly Factor, Fox News highest rated program, the same night that Republican candidate John McCain is slated to speak at the Republican convention.
An Obama interview on Fox News could help (or possibly hurt) his visibility among Republicans. Fox is widely viewed as being at least somewhat Republican-leaning.
The Washington Post also pointed out that Fox News head Rupert Murdoch has a history of mending fences with political adversaries whom his news outlets have strongly criticized, from former British prime minister Tony Blair to Sen. Hillary Clinton. An executive familiar with Murdoch's thinking, who declined to be identified discussing private conversations, said Murdoch sought the meeting because he is fascinated by Obama but that the two still have serious policy disagreements.
Asked to assess the sit-down, Ailes said: "I wanted him to understand that we're a real journalism organization and we're going to cover what's there. We're not out to get him. . . . Neither of us was overly aggressive but neither of us blinked."
