ANGLE FINDS FAWNING FRIENDS ON FOX…. Sharron Angle (R), the extremist who won the Republican Senate nomination in Nevada last week, has been reluctant to talk to journalists, in some cases even fleeing reporters in her home state. It’s a non-traditional approach for a U.S. Senate candidate to take, but Angle is … what’s the word … unique.
There is, however, a playbook for radical politicians who want to appear on television. Sarah Palin has relied on the strategy, as has Rand Paul. It’s a straightforward, four-word approach: Just rely on Fox.
As a campaign plan, this has some merit — candidates no doubt feel a temptation to talk to media outlets that won’t ask difficult questions, and will try to make the candidates look good. It’s bad for voters, and tragic for democracy, but cowardly politicians have this avenue available to them.
And with that in mind, Angle chatted with the affable Republican hosts of “Fox & Friends” this morning. One of the actual “questions” she was asked: Gretchen Carlson said winning the nomination “must be such a whirlwind experience for you.”
Jon Ralston, the “dean of the press corps in Nevada,” could scarcely hide his disgust for the pathetic brand of journalism.
U.S. Senate hopeful Sharron Angle said that during an astonishing interview on “Fox and Friends” this morning in which the hosts claimed she is a political newcomer (not so) and was endorsed by Sarah Palin (not so).
The interview climaxed with Steve Doocy saying to her, “Perhaps it’s a misinformation or mischaracterization but some have said you are out to get rid of Social Security. That’s not true, right?”
Angle: “Well, that’s nonsense. I have always said we need to make the lockbox a lockbox, put the money in there for our senior citizens. They came here in good faith paying into a system and Harry Reid has put an IOU in for 24 years. He has been raiding Social Security. What we need to do is personalize Social Security so the government can no longer raid it.”
It’s not altogether clear exactly how much Angle understands about Social Security policy, but her version of a “lockbox” apparently means a private, “personalized” account — the kind of scheme that would eliminate Social Security from existence.
Which, of course, is what Angle has always said she wants to do. That’s not “misinformation” — great hard-ball questioning, Doocy — that’s called “Angle’s record.” There’s no ambiguity here; Angle has repeatedly and publicly endorsed “transitioning” Social Security to private accounts. It was on her website, where even Fox News’ crackerjack research team could have looked.
Angle, not exactly vying for a Profile in Courage Award, will follow this up with an interview with Sean Hannity. It follows this comprehensive list of national media the Republican candidate has been willing to speak to: Laura Ingraham, Heidi Harris, Lars Larson (who endorsed her candidacy), Mark Levin, and Rush Limbaugh.
What an embarrassment. No wonder some Republicans have begun endorsing Harry Reid.
Update: The Fox affiliate in Las Vegas described the “Fox & Friends” interview as “rife with inaccuracies, softball questions and poor research on the part of the producers and hosts.”
