By WC Windbag

Last month, the Obama White House began an open war on the number one cable news outlet, and was rightly and widely criticized by both the right and the left. After executives from Fox and staffers from the White House met, all seemed to be leading to a truce, and hopefully away from Nixon Part II. Heck, David Axelrod even appeared on an post-election segment on the Fox News Channel.

Alas, when a scorpion is on the back of a frog, it is his nature to sting. And so it continues… from the Tribune:

At least one Democratic political strategist has gotten a blunt warning from the White House to never appear on Fox News Channel, an outlet that presidential aides have depicted as not so much a news-gathering operation as a political opponent bent on damaging the Obama administration.

Political consultants are a staple of cable television talk shows, analyzing current events based on their own experiences working on campaigns or in government.

One Democratic strategist said that shortly after an appearance on Fox he got a phone call from a White House official telling him not to be a guest on the show again. The call had an intimidating tone, he said.

The message was, “We better not see you on again,” said the strategist, who spoke on condition of anonymity so as not to run afoul of the White House. An implicit suggestion, he said, was that “clients might stop using you if you continue.”

Sounds like an overt threat, so what to do if you are a Pro-Fox Democrat? If you are Juan Williams, Mara Liasson, or Marc Lamont Hill, you probably have little to worry about. They all have day jobs that allow them speak freely and not fear retribution. But what of others with consulting firms and other positions that could be boycotted by inspired minions?

But no worry, Anita Dunn of “Fox is not a news network” fame denies that these conversations ever took place. No one would have ever encouraged let alone threaten someone not to appear on a the non-news network:

White House Communications Director Anita Dunn said Thursday night that she had checked with colleagues who “deal with TV issues” and they had not told people to avoid Fox. On the contrary, they had urged people to appear on the network, Dunn wrote in an email.

Move along… nothing to see here drive-by media. And since Anita Dunn said it, I believe her. Why would I have reason to doubt the sincerity of this White House?

Update: As Ed Morrissey points out at Hot Air, the White House claims that Fox is not balanced, and is doing all it can to make that fantasy come true but threatening the Democrats that appear on the network, providing it with balance. Nice.

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