More on Fox News Last Night

The questions that Brit Hume, Chris Wallace and Wendell Goler asked last night highlighted why Fox News has become such a popular source for news. In contrast to some of the stupid questions posed by Chris Matthews at the first debate -- do you believe in evolution? what do you dislike most about America? -- the moderators didn't assume that either the candidates or those likely to support them were something out of Deliverance.

Not a single question posed to the candidates could be characterized as "easy" or "a softball" -- but though they were tough, they were fair. They demonstrated respect for the viewing audience and didn't implicitly hint that the candidates were out of the mainstream in the way the MSNBC debates did. Even the after-coverage, where Hannity & Colmes interviewed the participants, offered an opportunity to take another look at the candidates, and enough verbal space from the questioners to hear what they had to say. Beat the heck out of listening to Keith Olbermann trying to pose as a journalist with credibility.

After last night's presentation, if the MSM doesn't understand why Republicans love Fox News -- i.e., it treats them and their ideas respectfully even when its journalists are being tough -- then the MSM is terminally clueless.