White House Warns Dems to Avoid Fox

Strategist reports intimidating phone call after appearance
By Nick McMaster,  Newser Staff
Posted Nov 6, 2009 4:50 PM CST
White House Warns Dems to Avoid Fox
In this Jan. 18, 2007 file photo, Fox News commentator Bill O'Reilly appears on the Fox News show, "The O'Reilly Factor," in New York.   (AP Photo/Jeff Christensen, File)

The Obama administration has toned down its war of words against Fox News, but behind the scenes, it's warning Democratic strategists not to appear on the network. One consultant who made a recent appearance says he received a call afterward from a White House official who told him, "We better not see you on again,'' and suggested "clients might stop using you if you continue,'' the consultant said.

White House communications director Anita Dunn says the administration is in fact encouraging people to go on Fox. Administration officials—most recently David Plouffe—do appear on the network sporadically, but the move to influence consultants could be a ploy to make the network appear more partisan, writes Peter Nicholas of the Chicago Tribune.
(More Fox News stories.)

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