Do any of you watch The View? I have a question...

[Erica in PA]

But you are comparing a daytime ladies chat show with a nighttime news program (fair and balanced). One show features comedians, and I would include Babs as well, since she is really an entertainment/celebrity interviewer. Hannity bills himself as the best in news information and balanced coverage. It's apples and oranges to me. I will give Bill O'Rielly a nod for his Obama interview. He continues to defend Obama on a number of points, for example with Dick Morris on Tues night.

 

The View is a silly show. Never have watched, except for the clips that Fox loves to run as examples of the media/cultural elite; a word I would really like to see defined. Many use it to describe shows and people I don't see as elite at all. :lol:

 

Actually, Hannity never claims to be unbiased. His show is a news *commentary* show, which is much different than the actual news. It's openly and honestly all about his opinion.

 

So actually, The View and Hannity Colmes are actually pretty similar, as far as both being opinion driven. The big difference that bothers me is that I do think that Barbara Walters absolutely considers herself to be unbiased when on the air, and does not consider her show to be skewed to the left, which it clearly is.

 

If people will come right out and admit their position, it doesn't bother me a bit. It's when it's disguised as being neutral that I find it insidious and very bothersome.

 

Erica

[Paz]

Bill Bennett mentioned on his show today that they just released some more footage from John McCain at the Hanio Hilton. Then he said, "Wait that was footage from his appearance on the view." :lol:

[Big Buckin' Longhorn]

I guess I'm one of those silly housewives who enjoys watching The View. Whoopie is my favorite.

 

I actually did think they beat up on him a little bit. Monday on the show Barbara said that she was nice to Obama and to McCain and had lighter interviews with both of them when they were both still campaigning to be the candidate for each party.

 

She also said that since McCain has been confirmed as the Republican candidate, that's why she had a more "hard hitting" interview.

 

She also said that she has put out the invitation to Obama, Biden and Palin to come back on now that they are the official candidates and she has hard questions for all of them to answer.

 

Now I'm just repeating what I heard her say on the show, as I said earlier, I do admit I watch fairly regularly, although not every day, and do enjoy it.

 

These words are not my opinions, just what I heard her say, although now that you know I'm a View watching hippie liberal, you may want to take everything I say from now on with a heaping tablespoon of salt :D.

[Jennifer3141]

I guess I'm one of those silly housewives who enjoys watching The View. Whoopie is my favorite.

 

These words are not my opinions, just what I heard her say, although now that you know I'm a View watching hippie liberal, you may want to take everything I say from now on with a heaping tablespoon of salt :D.

 

 

Or maybe we love you more now! :D

 

I've never actually seen this show though. We don't have cable. But that little blonde woman makes me itch. I'm a Whoopie fan too!

 

Jen

[DB in NJ]

I expect the same and agree with you DB. O'Reilly does ask some hard hitting questions of his quests reguardless of their views and/or positions. He treats all of his guest with respect. I would expect the same of the women on "The View."

 

I do not watch "The View" on a regular baises, but tuned in to see these two interviews. I was very disappointed in Ms. Walters behaivor in both cases. I could care less that she thinks Obama is sexy. I thought the comment was very unprofessional. I tuned in to learn where they stand on positions and more about their lives. She was just plain rude and disrespectful to McCain. I expected both men to be treated equally and with the same level of respect after all one of them will be our president on Jan. 20th.

 

:iagree: Well said!

[Erica in PA]

I don't watch The View. Not at all. EVER.

 

However, I am a little amazed that everyone is willing to jump all over them for two clips taken out of context by Fox News. I think being critical of daytime talk show hosts, political talking heads, partisan and non-partisan interviewers is *fine*. I do not think it's fine to make criticisms based on clips shown on a partisan news channel.

 

I'm wondering if many democrats don't watch the tv shows or read the magazines that many of us do, and that's why they think there is no liberal bias? It's just striking me as funny, because this is at least the third post in recent days where a democrat has questioned whether there is a liberal bias, while at the same time stating that they have never watched or read the material in question? :001_smile:

 

Erica

[Jenny in Atl]

I'm wondering if many democrats don't watch the tv shows or read the magazines that many of us do, and that's why they think there is no liberal bias? It's just striking me as funny, because this is at least the third post in recent days where a democrat has questioned whether there is a liberal bias, while at the same time stating that they have never watched or read the material in question? :001_smile:

 

Erica

 

I watch and listen to a lot of conservative news outlets (there are tons out there ladies). There is bias on both sides. You choose to pay attention or get offended by only one aspect of the media. On any given night, if you have cable, you can find views from the left all the way to the right within a few channels. Glen Beck is on that awful "liberal" CNN. Carlson Tucker on that "socialist" CNBC. I have yet to see a liberal host (and Alan Combs just doesn't even count.. he is just awful) on Fox.

 

The View is a daytime CHAT show... it's not hard hitting news. Most on there are comics, who tend to dislike and make fun of whom ever is in power. I'm laughing that you all think they should be unbiased. This stuff is fluff, mental candy. I guess it's a telling sign when so many turn to Barbara Walters and Whoopie for the news. :001_huh:

[Erica in PA]

I watch and listen to a lot of conservative news outlets (there are tons out there ladies). There is bias on both sides. You choose to pay attention or get offended by only one aspect of the media. On any given night, if you have cable, you can find views from the left all the way to the right within a few channels. Glen Beck is on that awful "liberal" CNN. Carlson Tucker on that "socialist" CNBC. I have yet to see a liberal host (and Alan Combs just doesn't even count.. he is just awful) on Fox.

 

The View is a daytime CHAT show... it's not hard hitting news. Most on there are comics, who tend to dislike and make fun of whom ever is in power. I'm laughing that you all think they should be unbiased. This stuff is fluff, mental candy. I guess it's a telling sign when so many turn to Barbara Walters and Whoopie for the news. :001_huh:

 

My point, though, was that several people who have questioned/disputed whether certain sources were truly liberally biased, also said that they have never seen the show or read the magazine. I'm wondering if that could be part of the reason *why* those people claim that the media in general is not biased toward the left-- maybe if they watched those shows, or read those magazines, they would see it as well.

 

As it is, some seem to simply assume that those who do watch and read those sources are just half-witted conservatives imagining a bias where there is none. That doesn't seem very fair to me.

 

As for The View, I'm not saying they should be unbiased, or that it is a hard news show-- I am saying that they should acknowledge their bias and not pretend to be neutral (which if you do watch the show, you will know that they do). I find it funny that on that show, Elizabeth is freely and openly referred to as "the conservative," but the others are not labeled as "liberal." It's presented as though they (all except Elizabeth) are the average woman, the open-minded thinkers, and she is the one with the bias. (As opposed to acknowledging that they are *all* biased, as we all are.) I think that is typical of the media today, presenting the liberal perspective as the norm/neutral position, and since I do read and watch a variety of the news and entertainment sources that are being discussed, I can say firsthand that is the case.

 

Erica

[LisaNY]

Actually, Hannity never claims to be unbiased. His show is a news *commentary* show, which is much different than the actual news. It's openly and honestly all about his opinion.

 

So actually, The View and Hannity Colmes are actually pretty similar, as far as both being opinion driven. The big difference that bothers me is that I do think that Barbara Walters absolutely considers herself to be unbiased when on the air, and does not consider her show to be skewed to the left, which it clearly is.

 

If people will come right out and admit their position, it doesn't bother me a bit. It's when it's disguised as being neutral that I find it insidious and very bothersome.

 

Erica

 

I agree. I noticed that there is a new graphic that is shown as the H&C show begins. It says "Left-Right". I am assuming it means the positions that the hosts represent.

[CLHCO]

 

As for The View, I'm not saying they should be unbiased, or that it is a hard news show-- I am saying that they should acknowledge their bias and not pretend to be neutral (which if you do watch the show, you will know that they do). I find it funny that on that show, Elizabeth is freely and openly referred to as "the conservative," but the others are not labeled as "liberal." It's presented as though they (all except Elizabeth) are the average woman, the open-minded thinkers, and she is the one with the bias. (As opposed to acknowledging that they are *all* biased, as we all are.) I think that is typical of the media today, presenting the liberal perspective as the norm/neutral position, and since I do read and watch a variety of the news and entertainment sources that are being discussed, I can say firsthand that is the case.

 

Erica

 

:iagree:

 

I was fair and balanced when I was a liberal, about 10 years ago. Conservatives were biased. The media was just fine. Rush was just a moron. OK, that one hasn't changed much.

 

I remember watching news clips of hearings going on to decide the next president of CU. (No one should be naive enough to think CU, as a whole, is anything but liberal.) Students were asking questions of the "conservative" being recommended for the job. He was being openly challenged on how he could possibly lead a "diverse" group when he was part of the political group putting for so many biased and partisan opinions in the sate legislature. :lol:

 

It just struck me as funny.

 

I can imagine the ladies on the View have the very same attitude. Barbara Walters probably thinks she is very fair. She just thinks John McCain and anyone that ever so much as smiled politely at Pres. Bush are deserving of contempt so she should supply it. I think Whoopie is the only one I believe thinks she is liberal and I admit I admire her for that.

[tibbyl]

.... I have yet to see a liberal host (and Alan Combs just doesn't even count.. he is just awful) on Fox. ...

 

After seeing a photo of Alan Colmes, the reportedly liberal member of the duo, I wondered if Fox intentionally selected a co-host who appeared wormy, anemic, and ineffectual. Just curious. Guess we mere mortals will never know. Hannity would be quite sexy with that strong masculine squarish jawline if he remained mum.