Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Carl Cameron Gets Chummy With Brown Supporters, Ducks Question Of Fox News’ Ethics

THINK PROGRESS

As Media Matters has documented, Fox News has boosted the campaign of State Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA), the Republican running for special election to the U.S. Senate today. On multiple occasions, Fox News has provided a soapbox for Brown to solicit money and volunteers, and Fox News hosts have appealed for viewers to support Brown’s campaign.

At a Brown campaign rally last night, ThinkProgress observed Fox News campaign reporter Carl Cameron — who has shadowed Brown this weekend — relaxing after the speech with Brown campaign volunteers, hugging staffers, and autographing Brown for Senate campaign materials. But when ThinkProgress approached Cameron to question him about Fox News’ journalism ethics, he ducked and ran away from the event:

TP: When Scott Brown goes on Fox News and he solicits volunteers and –

CAMERON: Dude, I’m on a deadline. I can’t –

TP: Doesn’t that raise ethical questions?

Watch it:

Rather than asking where discussion Brown’s stances on policy (like privatizing Social Security, regulating Wall Street abuses, or why he voted to cut emission standards if he doesn’t believe carbon emissions cause climate change), Fox News has simply served as a forum to generate national support for the Brown campaign:

– On the Jan. 12 edition of Fox News’ America’s Newsroom, Brown said, “people can go to BrownForUSSenate.com, they can learn more about that and how to help with donating and volunteering.”

– On the Jan. 11 edition of Fox News’ On the Record, Brown told Fox viewers where to find his campaign’s “money bomb right now that’s hitting.”

– On Jan. 8 edition of Fox News’ Hannity, Brown told Fox viewers, “If people are kind of fed up…they can go to brownforussenate.com.”

Fox News contributor Dick Morris, whose political action committee Republican Trust PAC has run ads in support of Brown, has also fundraised on-air in support of Brown. This morning, Fox Nation and Fox Business are running with headlines about how a “Brown win could cause huge stock rally.”

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