GOP Crush On Putin -- How's That Working Out For Them? (updated)

[napkinz]

8. On Heels Of Tragic Plane Crash, Fox Rewrites Reagan's Legacy In Effort To Jab Obama

July 18, 2014
OLIVIA KITTEL

In the wake of a Malaysia Airlines jetliner crash, Fox News has rushed to conveniently rewrite history to disparage President Obama by drawing false comparisons to former President Ronald Reagan's response to a 1983 attack on a Korean airliner. The reactions of many Fox figures praising Reagan stood in stark contrast with that of Fox's Chris Wallace, who accurately noted Reagan's apparent reluctance to cut short his vacation in order to address the issue.

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In fact, Reagan initially sent aides to respond to the attack on the airliner, waiting four days before delivering the speech condemning the Soviet Union that is now being lauded by many pundits at Fox News.

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Nevertheless, (Chris Wallace's) colleagues praised Reagan's response as an example of ideal leadership in contrast with Obama's. On the July 17 edition of Fox News' The Kelly File, host Megyn Kelly connected the July 17 tragedy to the 1983 Korean airliner crash, highlighting Reagan's speech in response and noting in comparison that Obama has "been accused of 'leading from behind.' " Fox contributor Chris Stirewalt compared Reagan's response to Obama's, saying Reagan's response made Americans feel "reassured and resolute," and Kelly echoed that Obama's response "makes him look unconnected and makes a lot of Americans feel unrepresented."

Fox contributor Kate Obenshain drew a similar connection on The O'Reilly Factor, criticizing Obama for dedicating a mere 40 seconds in a pre-planned speech to the crash compared to "31 years ago when President Reagan rushed home from Santa Barbara vacation, from the Reagan ranch when the Korean jetliner was shot out of the air by the Russians, calling it a crime against humanity, very serious about the implications of this."

Fox's Sean Hannity lauded Reagan's response to comparatively insult Obama's reaction, saying "unlike our current commander-in-chief who called today's horrific event 'a tragedy' before headlining a few fundraisers in New York. Well, President Ronald Reagan, he responded with much stronger words just over three decades ago." He also called Reagan's reaction "a good reminder for the White House," while Fox correspondent K.T. MacFarland agreed that "that's leadership."

read more: http://mediamatters.org/blog/2014/07/18/on-heels-of-tragic-plane-crash-fox-rewrites-rea/200144