Last night, in response to ABC"s Jake Tapper defending FOX news against the White House declaring it not a real news network, I asked him a very simple question: We went back and forth for a while on twitter, but I NEVER got a straight answer. All I want to know, Jake, is if you think Fox is a legitimate news organization? I understand you have friends who are fine reporters and who work there. As far as I’m concerned, Fox was created TO BE an arm of the GOP from DAY ONE. There was no such thing as liberal bias. Everyone who is now a fixture at Fox (Hume, Wallace, Kristol, etc.) were all at those other “liberal” networks. That in itself should say something about the bogus claim. “Liberal bias” was Murdock’s/Ailes’ invention to justify what they were setting up. THEY have destroyed journalism in this country. THEY are the opposite of “Fair & Balanced.” THEY ARE 100% opinion, 24/7. It’s not just their opinion shows, it’s that their opinion shows actually dictates the next day’s NEWS cycle and within 24 hrs the entire network has joined in the “fun.” See this: Fox News: A 24/7 Political Operation: Fox News has responded to White House criticisms of its network by claiming that while its "editorial" programs are filled with "vibrant opinion," its news hours are straight and objective. However, Fox News' purportedly straight news programs often echo its "editorial" programs and feature smears, falsehoods, doctored and deceptive editing, and GOP talking points. Examples include: Hemmer advances smear that Jennings knew of "statutory rape" and "never reported it." During the October 1 edition of America's Newsroom, co-host Bill Hemmer joined his network's smears against Department of Education official Kevin Jennings by claiming that Jennings knew of a "statutory rape" case involving a student but "never reported it." In fact, as Media Matters has confirmed, the student in question was of legal age of consent at the time he was counseled by Jennings. Baier smears Jenning