OBAMARAMA

It has been widely reported that the Congressional Black Caucus Institute, the 501(c)4 wing of the CBC, is seriously considering co-hosting a presidential debate with FOX News. Their reasoning isn’t entirely clear.

One thing that is clear, though, writes MyDD’s Matt Stoller, is that one member of the CBC could stop it with a single phone call. That’s Sen. Obama. Stoller writes:

He is probably the most important member of the CBC and a key figure in this whole episode. … Obama could gain more credibility with new progressive activists that he’s serious about a new type of politics with some quiet behind-the-scenes maneuvering here.

Without some gentle quiet prodding, though, Fox News will get their CBC debate. … He should pick now before everyone’s backed into a corner and garner more credibility before it goes public, and risk a backlash.

And just in case anyone needs a reminder about why putting FOX News in charge of a Democratic presidential debate is like putting crocodiles in charge of a day care center, the Political Wire points us toward a 2004 poll showing that “Fox News viewers supported George Bush over John Kerry by 88% to 7%.” That’s a higher concentration of Republicans than any other demographic, including “evangelical Christians, gun owners, and supporters of the Iraq war.”

And let’s not even get started on the fact that 67% of FOX News viewers were convinced we found a link between Saddam Hussein and al Qaeda.

This isn’t about being unwilling to engage with people who disagree with you. It’s about delegitimizing an agenda-driven organization that is posing as an objective news source to the detriment of millions of Americans.