The Nation and Feministing writer Jessica Valenti was the first to note this additional point against the notion that Fox News (either the channel or their online entity) is a professional news organization.

From the "You can't write this" files: Suzanne Venker, niece of reactionary Phyllis Schlafly, wrote a column for FoxNews.com further laying out her already lambasted argument that it is the fault of women that there is a battle of the sexes going on at all. (Is there actually anyone claiming there's a battle of the sexes so much as a war on women's rights and freedoms? Talk about starting with a strawman argument.) Worried that the feedback she got from the first column indicated that most misunderstood her argument for the traditional marriage of a man and his wife where neither strove for "equality" within the relationship, Venker doubled down and made her case more obviously:

It’s time to say what no one else will: Feminism didn’t result in equality between the sexes – it resulted in mass confusion. Today, men and women have no idea who’s supposed to do what.

Prior to the 1970s, people viewed gender roles as as equally valuable. Many would argue women had the better end of the deal! It’s hard to claim women were oppressed in a nation in which men were expected to stand up when a lady enters the room or to lay down their lives to spare women life. When the Titanic went down in 1912, its sinking took 1,450 lives. Only 103 were women. One-hundred three.[..]

You see, the problem with equality is that it implies two things are interchangeable – meaning one thing can be substituted for the other with no ramifications. That is what feminists would have us believe, and anyone who contradicts this dogma is branded sexist.

But the truth must be heard. Being equal in worth, or value, is not the same as being identical, interchangeable beings. Men and women may be capable of doing many of the same things, but that doesn’t mean they want to. That we don’t have more female CEOs or stay-at-home dads proves this in spades.

There is more fallacious thinking in a few short sentences than I know what to do with. But that's neither here nor there. What's more funny than her specious argument against the reality of today's gender roles is the graphic Fox News opted to accompany the column. With Venker arguing for the traditional male-breadwinner, female-homemaker gender roles, the picture was actually of Stephanie Figarelle and Lela McArthur, who were the first same sex couple to be married at the top of the Empire State Building.

Figarelle was married in a black tuxedo while McArthur wore a strapless white gown with a train.

Figarelle said she hopes the couple's home state of Alaska will legalize same-sex marriage, which became legal in New York last year.

"Equality's a beautiful thing," she said. "Love is a beautiful thing. We don't have enough of it in this world."

But, but, but...that's not what Venker thinks should happen!

After enough tittering on Twitter and the internets over their ridiculous choice of graphics, FoxNews.com removed the graphic in favor of what appears to be generic restroom signage. Perhaps that too is a comment on Venker's scholarship.

I know, I know...their names are similar and after two and a half years in the Oval Office, people go on auto pilot and type Obama rather than Osama...but really, do you think it's a just coincidence that it's happening on Fox News affiliates? Again?

And lest you think I hold only disdain for Fox News, look at Drudge's editorial slant on the big news of the day.

Download | play Download | play (h/t Bill W)

Some idiot got access to press credentials and got into an Obama campaign rally yesterday in Berea, Ohio and began heckling the candidate, demanding he say the pledge of allegiance. Obama handled it perfectly by quieting the crowd and calling the guy's bluff by leading the crowd in reciting the pledge.

A man sneaks into the press area at a presidential campaign event, interrupts him with heckling and attempts to make him look unpatriotic, and how does FOXNews frame the story? Obama SKIPPED the pledge of allegiance! He hates America, don't you know.

Since when is the pledge of allegiance required to be recited before all campaign events?

Isn't it ironic?

Download | play Download | play

h/t to Deborah from NewsHounds who writes:

"Bret Baier opened a segment [Sunday] with the question, " Will the high price of gas cost your kids their education?" Unfortunately, it looks like the weekend production staff at FOX News has their own education issues, at least in the spelling department."

This is great. After FOX News altered the images of two New York Times reporters they accused of writing a "hit piece" on the network, Vanity Fair magazine decided to do a little photoshopping of their own.

WARNING: Some readers may find these images disturbing.

And in case you're not on Chris Dodd's email list, a little note from him on FISA:

A Heavy Heart: Yesterday was a sad day for the United States Senate.

It is my hope that the courts will undo the damage done to the Constitution.

But let us stand tall, knowing that by working together we were able to make wiretapping and retroactive immunity part of the national discourse these last number of months.

We came together - all of you, Senator Feingold, bloggers like Jane Hamsher and Glenn Greenwald, organizations like the EFF and ACLU, and untold hundreds of thousands of Americans who simply wanted to make sure that this one, last insult did not happen with ease.

I'm sorry we weren't successful.

I just hope I'm lucky enough to have you by my side in the next fight, whatever that may be.

Thanks for all you've done.

Chris Dodd

Click here for the full strip from Salon.

Tom Tomorrow sets the tree-hugging libs straight. He points out how people in civilized society are so quick to judge those on the right as being racist, when in fact, they're just misunderstood. /snark off

h/t James who emailed this in and said:

Okay, labelling miscreant republicans as democrats is one thing, but this is just GROSS!

(h/t TV Newser)

FOX News in Nevada!

(click on the picture for larger size)

I always have a wonderful time pointing out the favorable push the GOP gets from FOX. I've talked often about their Saturday morning stock line up that's chock full of free market----tax cut---worshipers. On Neil Cavuto's show, he framed two segments in contrasting ways that obviously favor Republicans. In the first segment, he focused on Hillary's new economic stimulus plan and asked if it will boost the economy or just...hint...hint "buy votes."

The last segment of the show featured Rudy's new plan and framed it as a historic proposal and asks if it's the best plan for our economy. Hmmmm, you mean Rudy wouldn't be trying to "buy votes" during primary season? So Hillary just wants to buy your vote and Rudy wants to save your life. Nice! The guests were fairly balanced in their responses, but that's not the point. It's all in the framing and how it leads the discussion on the topic.

Paul Krugman on all the candidates: Responding to Recession

Meanwhile, Rudy Giuliani wants us to go for broke, literally: his answer to the economy’s short-run problems is a huge permanent tax cut, which he claims would pay for itself. It wouldn’t.

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Last week Hillary Clinton offered a broadly similar but somewhat larger proposal. (It also includes aid to families having trouble paying heating bills, which seems like a clever way to put cash in the hands of people likely to spend it.) The Edwards and Clinton proposals both contain provisions for bigger stimulus if the economy worsens. And you have to say that Mrs. Clinton seems comfortable with and knowledgeable about economic policy.