Fournier to Obama: Fix Your Own Institution, Stop Being Press ‘Enemy’

National Journal Senior Political Columnist and Editorial Director Ron Fournier responded to President Obama’s criticism of Fox News by suggesting he should “focus on his institution” and stop being the “enemy” of the press on Wednesday’s “Special Report” on the Fox News Channel.

Fournier was asked if there was any merit to the president’s charge that the media and particularly Fox depict the poor as lazy. He responded, “No, but — on the specific charge, no. On the general charge, is our institution in the midst of transformation, is our institution too focused on cash and conflict and clicks? Yeah. But I would rather the President of the United States focus on his institution that is decaying and that he promised to fix and hasn’t lifted one finger to fix. And if he wants to help fix the media, maybe he could stop being the enemy of the FOI, the Freedom of Information Act. Maybe he could stop being the enemy of whistleblowers, maybe he could stop being the enemy of reporters, like one who works for this organization, that use whistleblowers to uncover the wrongdoings of his government.”

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett