Fox News: the decider

As mentioned, I don’t watch any Fox News to make direct comments.  But Andrew Sullivan does, he’s decided that Ron Paul has his Republican endorsement (though, he still prefers Obama over any of these guys) and he’s quite mad about the way Fox is going after Ron Paul:

Notice how Wallace is entirely of the Republican Media Establishment. They (and his boss, Roger Ailes) have decided quite consciously to erase Ron Paul from coverage, or have discussion of him (as with Hannity’s dredging up the old racist newsletters as the first item when discussing Paul last night) loaded immediately with scorn, and derision. Notice how Wallace is already spinning a Paul victory as one that would discredit Iowa voters. He’s doing that not as an analysis after the event, but as spin before it. He’s basically saying that the votes of Iowans do not count in advance if they decide for Ron Paul. Between what Ailes demands and the voters want, there is no contest.

I think Drum largely refutes Sullivan’s hyperbole, but I’m interested in the point about the power of Fox News to determine things for Republican voters.  As mentioned, I think Fox marks the largest– and potentially insurmountable– obstacle to Gingrich winning the nomination.  If Roger Ailes decides Gingrich just cannot be the nominee the treatment that Ron Paul’s been getting will be even worse for Gingrich.  And for a Republican, there’s no overcoming that.

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