The Fox "Controversy"

The Nevada Democratic Party has pulled out of partnership with Fox News Channel and canceled its debate. Democrats are trying to blame Roger Ailes' joke about Barack Obama for the decision (but Politico's Ben Smith reports that Obama himself has told a version of the same joke).

In fact, the handwriting was on the wall when John Edwards began resisting the Nevada debate. (It's worth noting, as commenter eLarson observes below that some of this may have to do with the fact that Edwards' anti-gambling stances were likely to be massively unpopular there. In any case, it's amazing that Edwards will happily associate with a couple of God-bashing bloggers, but draws the line at America's most popular cable news network.)

Now Democrats are attempting to marginalize the Fox News Channel as hopelessly biased -- though it is, actually, the most watched cable news channel, which should tell the Dems something about where they should be reaching out. The question, of course, is whether such a tactic will succeed in making Fox look marginal -- or whether it will make the Democrats look like a party of crybabies held in thrall to a kooky left wing.

If anyone doubted that Republicans were tougher and better sports than Democrats, here's the proof: Wonder what the Democrats would say if two of the biggest morning shows were hosted by a former aide to Gov. Jeb Bush (instead of Cuomo alum Tim Russert) and a veteran of the Reagan administration (instead of Clinton alum George Stephanopoulos)? Wonder how much the Dems would complain if poll consistently showed that the overwhelming majority of journalists leaned to the right, rather than to the left?

Apparently, the Democrats are willing to be mighty tough in standing up to Fox News. How I wish they showed half the animus, spirit and determination in taking on our terrorist enemies. But it's all a matter of priorities -- and when a party has concluded that politics matter more than the war on terror, it's bound to show.