Fox Fave: Obama has Been "Weakened" -- He "Got His Butt Kicked by a Girl"

Fox hearts Hillary, undoubtedly because at this point McCain does better against her than Obama. And judging from some of the things I saw on Fox today (March 6, 2008), it looks like the campaign money Clinton took from Rupert Murdoch is being supplemented with in-kind support, like the segment I'll talk about below, and the side-by-side shots of Barack Obama and Ken Starr Fox aired during the 5:00 p.m. ET hour.

As for the segment, presented on Fox's "business news" show, it followed a short blurb implying that Clinton is doing fantastically well because she raised "$4M Online since Super Tuesday 2." (There was nothing about the $55M Obama raised in February compared to Clinton's $35M (both of which are mind blowing). There was also nothing about the meager $12M that McCain raised in January, which, I believe, is the most recent figure we have for him.)

Terry Keenan was the substitute host and her guests were frequent guest Cheryl Tantaros, a Republican "strategist," and Stephanie Miller, a Democrat and radio talk show host. The topic of the segment was (per the chyron), "Obama Lays Low as Clinton Campaigns: Is it a Mistake?" Keenan set it up with:

Well, four million bucks. that's how much Hillary Clinton raked in in contributions since Super Tuesday 2. She and Bill Clinton are both on the campaign trail today. Barack Obama? Well, he's not. Is that a mistake?

(FYI - John McCain took a few days off last weekend but I didn't see a segment on Fox about that.)

Turning to Tantaros, Keenan said she thought she read that Michelle Obama said, "Barack Obama's only been home ten days in the last year. They have two young children. Why can't he take the day off?"

Ignorning the fact that Obama is in the lead in more ways that fundraising, Tantaros said, "You take time off in a position of strength, not in a position of weakness." He "should come out swinging against the Clintons...pierce a hole in her electability argument that it's her experience."

Miller spoke next, and I loved this: "I know this is probably startling to the Republican family values crowd but this is actually what family values look like. It is actually spending time with your family -- and guess what? He's on his first family. That's something new." Not only that, but he's not in a weakened position, "he's ahead" so there's nothing wrong with taking a day off.

Keenan, sounding like a scorned, bitter woman: "Okay, well, he's a young man. I'm glad he's on his first wife." Then she pointed out that McCain has been "laying off a little," to which Tantaros responded: "That's fine. Do it next week. Don't do it after you get your butt kicked by a girl!"

After a short pause during which nobody said anything, Miller said, "Wow! That was a little sexist, or somethin'!!" and reiterated that taking one day off is no big deal.

Tantaros went on to say that she doesn't think Obama "knows what to do now." He's "confused." He's "boxed into a corner." He should "come out swinging. It's a message to the super delegates. It's perceived as weak." Take a day off next week, when you have some "wind under your belt."

A new chyron appeared at the bottom of the screen: "Clinton Raises $4M Online Since Super Tuesday 2," while Miller reminded viewers that Obama was out talking about the Clintons releasing their tax returns and again, he doesn't need to be "everywhere, all day long, every single day."

Tantaros closed by saying that Miller needed a better "excuse" than to say he's leading in delegates because that's "not the only thing that's going to convince these super delegates to go in his direction."

Comment: Obama sounds like quite a loser doesn't he? I'm sure that was the point but Fox had to stoop to using Obama taking one day off -- ONE DAY -- as smear-material? I can't fathom what it must be like to live in the mind of the people who sit around thinking this stuff up.