Jake Tapper Defends FOX News
In an animated exchange, an ABC reporter slams the White House for targeting FOX
The escalating war between the White House and FOX News took an unexpected turn on Tuesday. During a morning press conference, Jake Tapper, White House correspondent for ABC News, challenged the Obama administration's claim that FOX is "not a news organization." In surprisingly friendly terms, Tapper referred to the rival network as a "sister" organization. Here's his row with White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs:
Tapper: It’s escaped none of our notice that the White House has decided in the last few weeks to declare one of our sister organizations “not a news organization” and to tell the rest of us not to treat them like a news organization. Can you explain why it’s appropriate for the White House to decide that a news organization is not one?
Gibbs: Jake, we render, we render an opinion based on some of their coverage and the fairness that, the fairness of that coverage.
Tapper: But that’s a pretty sweeping declaration that they are “not a news organization.” How are they any different from, say –
Gibbs: ABC -
Tapper: ABC. MSNBC. Univision. I mean how are they any different?
Gibbs: You and I should watch sometime around 9 o’clock tonight. Or 5 o’clock this afternoon.
Tapper: I’m not talking about their opinion programming or issues you have with certain reports. I’m talking about saying thousands of individuals who work for a media organization, do not work for a “news organization” -- why is that appropriate for the White House to say?
Gibbs: That’s our opinion.
This article is from the archive of our partner The Wire.