Intellectual Property Law

Liberal bloggers are expressing outrage over Barack Obama's appearance this weekend on Fox News, accusing the Democratic presidential front-runner of kowtowing to the network's conservative viewers, and throwing his online supporters to the wolves.

Obama broke a self-imposed embargo on the Rupert Murdoch-owned network that lasted for more than two years when he sat for an interview with Fox News' Chris Wallace on Sunday.

Ahead of the appearance, an Obama spokesman told TPM Election Central that Fox has "been the tip of the spear when it comes to repeatedly broadcasting some of the most specious of rumors about Obama." Promising on-air fireworks, the spokesman said that Obama "is going on their Sunday show to take Fox on."

Instead, Obama was decidedly non-combative, and calmly addressed all of the issues thrown his way by the show's host. He even highlighted some of his differences with liberal blogs, singling out Daily Kos by name while discussing John Roberts' nomination to the Supreme Court.

"Although I voted against him, I strongly defended some of my colleagues who had voted for him on the Daily Kos, and was fiercely attacked as somebody who is, you know, caving in to Republicans on these fights," Obama told Wallace.

The reaction from the blogosphere was quick, and largely critical.

"To be clear, Obama wasn't obliged to go after Fox," wrote TPM's Greg Sargent. "But a senior adviser said Obama would, as a way of quieting criticism of him. And he didn't.

"This will likely further dismay liberal bloggers who had worked very hard to get Dems to boycott Fox as a way of delegitimizing the network and who already criticized Obama for agreeing to appear in the first place," Sargent continued.

"If you don't like that Obama steps on you, speak out," agreed Matt Stoller of OpenLeft.com. "It was a mistake for us to endorse Obama, just as it was a mistake for us to do nothing against Clinton after she accused Moveon of intimating her supporters at caucuses."

"By going on Fox News, Obama made the right-wing press legitimate," wrote Daily Kos diarist "Bonddad" Sunday morning. "Simply put, I cannot vote or support anyone who participates in this medium."

Some liberal bloggers, though, didn't find fault with Obama's placid approach. "Well, I can't speak for all liberal bloggers, but this one quickly came to peace with Obama's decision," wrote the anonymous blogger behind the Jed Report. "This all is just another reason I'm looking forward to the primary ending -- there's a much bigger fish to fry."

Blogger Jerome Armstrong at MyDD thinks Obama may have highlighted his disagreements with liberal bloggers in order "to make room for the pivot to 'the center,'" and to erase the perception that he's an angry, combative, netroots-endorsed, left-of-left political candidate.

In context, though, Obama's Fox News appearance seems part of a wider plan to cultivate a conciliatory tone, as he faces an ongoing controversy over pastor Jeremiah Wright's combative sermons.

History suggests that's a wise course. Howard Dean lost the presidential nomination in 2004 because of his perceived rage. Voters, it turns out, are turned off by anger, even if bloggers are craving a little ire from their candidate.