Problems with “Fair and Balanced” and Ego’s

Opinion by George McClellan:

Many folks watch Fox News and Fox Business and especially Fox News Sunday with Cris Wallace. It actually can be seen early Sunday mornings on Fox 5 Atlanta at 9:00 am after “The Georgia Gang.” It rebroadcasts later in the afternoon on the Fox Network channel, when NFL football is on.

I am developing a suspicion of Mr. Wallace’s intentions to be fair and balanced. Not because he asks tough questions of conservative candidates, and Democrats, but the nature of his questions run the gauntlet of superfluous to silly. On last Sunday’s show, he asked Gov. Mike Pence a question about Donald Trump and the upcoming debate, that presupposed common agreement that “Americans are concerned with Trumps Temperament.” Well, as a matter of fact, no we’re not. Actually, the vast pool of Americans in Trump’s camp are not concerned with his temperament at all. It’s been on display for over a year and is what makes him so popular.

It’s the media, Chris Wallace, et.al., who are concerned about Trump’s temperament because they have nothing else to criticize, ergo: find something, classify it as widely accepted, make it into a grave issue of deep concern and national importance and criticize that!

I realize that Wallace and Co. have limited time to ask their questions and get a short reply. It is true they want to get as many questions in as possible, so they always interrupt the speaker in mid course trying to either drown out the answer or get a last question in. Wallace does this all the time and sure, while politicians fall back to their standard memorized pitch, becoming prolific blowhards, it’s still annoying because often, new information is actually missed.

Neil Cavuto is the absolute worst at interrupting because he kills conversation by interrupting with a stupid joke or inane comment that the guests miss because their minds are locked on the answer to the question. This often leaves a dull pause, the listener’s missing both the answer and Cavuto’s joke. It’s most distressing. I don’t watch the Cavuto show anymore except when Charles Payne substitutes.

Neither do I watch Bill O’Riley. I stopped watching him years ago. He is arrogant, pompous and so in love with his intellect that his whole presentation becomes unbearable. He constantly interrupts speakers dismissing their views as ill thought or irrelevant, because he has already presented the truth, whatever that might be.

Inexplicably, Fox has burdened itself with a Hispanic version of O’Riley in the person of Geraldo Rivera. Any show he is a guest on immediately gets clicked off. Megan Kelly, as an attractive woman, is okay but she’s trying too hard to be accepted as the ultimate professional. Trying hard is good, viewers just don’t want their faces rubbed in it. Her squabbles with Trump were avoidable, unnecessary and childish. Knowing your enemy is the first rule of intelligence gathers, investigators and especially criminal interrogators. Those rules should apply as well to TV interviewers. Just saying. Remember, freedom is the goal, the Constitution is the way. Now, go get ’em! (30 Sept 2016)