Fox's Roger Ailes Seizes the Moment

So you've been given a major award and you plan to graciously accept it with a speech about how you got where you are in life, the people who helped you along the way, how humbled you are to even have been nominated, etc., etc., etc. Well, you're a fool. Take a lesson from Fox New Chairman Roger Ailes, who knows exactly what award acceptance speeches are really for: shrewd attacks on political enemies, deft displays of one's lack of self-awareness and boldly told, yet mostly discredited conspiracy theories. Ailes was at the Kennedy Center last night to receive the Bradley Prize from the Bradley Foundation, a conservative group that honors those it thinks have most advanced its mission of limited government and free markets. After Ailes said he was donating the $250,000 that comes with the award to a charity for senior citizens, he got right down to business. Here's the Cliff Notes version: American exceptionalism, immigrants, Benghazi, President Obama, election fraud (with poor people), immigration again, the IRS, healthcare, and some more American exceptionalism. Read on for a few choice selections: "We have allowed ourselves to be manipulated by others, many of whom want to impose their culture and laws under the manufactured utopian idea that all cultures are equal..." Yes, Americans suffer a poor reputation abroad, but who cares what such inferior cultures think of us? Puny other cultures, we stomp on you with our Made In America boots. "Immigrants will always be welcome here. But America is a culture, too." Does anyone at this point still think Ailes' actually watches Fox News? This alone is sure to make a lot of people feel so welcome. "We covered Benghazi when four Americans were killed, even though no other network would touch the story." Usually, when you've got a story that no one else has covered yet it's because you're working on a major scoop or doing impressive investigative work. Other times, it's when you're trying to manufacture a story that isn't there. We'll leave you to decide for yourselves which this is. As for the claim that no one else would touch the story, MSNBC's Rachel Maddow was among the first to point out the prevailing narrative might have some problems. All that aside, this is what you talk about in an awards speech? "I have come to the conclusion that even I don’t care what the president of the United States was doing that night. However, I would like to know what the commander in chief was doing that night." Last time we checked, the president and the commander-in-chief were the same person. If someone can explain this one to us, drop us a note. Better yet, maybe explain to Ailes? "Votes must not be purchased by corrupt organizations or individuals on false missions of mercy." Good of Ailes to bring up the influence of money on politics. It's about time someone trumpeted this cause. "You know how I know this is a great country? Because everybody is trying to get in, and nobody is trying to get out." Not nobody. UPDATE: Our sibling over at FishbowlNY did something similar on Ailes's speech, providing a translation (of sorts) of his speech. It's worth a look.

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Fox's Roger Ailes Seizes the Moment

Justin McLachlan

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Justin McLachlan