Why Mitt Romney ONLY does Fox News Interviews: 5 theories

Poor Mittens. He can't even handle tough questions but he thinks he can handle Ahmadinejad or Kim Jong-un?

CBS News' Bob Schieffer wants to know why Romney is largely ignoring other networks. Here, some explanations.
When he interviews with Fox News, Romney is guaranteed as much air time as he wants, in front of huge amounts of friendly voters.

The only Sunday morning talk show Mitt Romney has appeared on this election season is Fox News Sunday, and the other networks are annoyed that the Republican presidential candidate is ignoring their invitations. "I know he does Fox," Bob Schieffer said to senior Romney adviser Ed Gillespie on CBS's Face the Nation this weekend, "but we'd love to have him some time, as would Meet the Press and the ABC folk, I would guess." Gillespie replied: "We're going to take our message to the American people. You saw him talking to schoolchildren last week." And it's not just the Sunday shows Romney is avoiding. Aside from two sit-downs alongside his wife, Ann — on CBS and ABC — and appearances on CNBC and CNN, Romney has only talked with Fox News since securing the GOP nod nearly two months ago. Why is Romney sticking with the "fair and balanced" network? Here, five theories:

1. He only wants softball questions
Romney is following the lead of other conservative Republicans, says Joe Gandelman at The Moderate Voice, "using Fox News as a way to avoid having to answer those pesky, non–public relations, non-softball questions and follow-up questions that he'd get on CBS, NBC, ABC." Much like Sarah Palin, he has "had a hard time in other interviews beyond Fox," says Ron Chusid at Liberal Values. Romney doesn't like to get into specifics on his secret plan for the economy or why his Bain Capital record is an asset, and heaven forbid "clips of his past statements were brought up."

2. Romney learned his lesson from the primaries
Sticking with Fox is a deliberate strategy by Team Romney "to limit national media exposure this time around," says Michael Calderone at The Huffington Post. Romney did the Sunday shows and magazine profiles in 2008, and his GOP rivals "made the weekend rounds" this year, and how well did any of that work out? After the contentious primary, Romney has "benefited from learning the importance of hammering home a singular message on safe turf," says Justin Sink at The Hill.

3. He's still shoring up his right flank
Team Romney is working hard to strengthen its bridges to the Right, and Fox News is just part of that strategy, says Calderone at The Huffington Post. Along with his two appearances on Fox News Sunday, the former Massachusetts governor recently held an off-the-record meeting with "dozens of conservative columnists, reporters, and bloggers," followed by interviews last week with two of the sites represented at the meeting, Hot Air and Townhall. One attendee at the private sit-down said Romney's message to conservatives is "we want you on our side and working with the campaign."

4. He has no reason not to stick with Fox
Appearing on Fox News gives Romney a lot of advantages, says The Moderate Voice's Gandelman. Like other Republican candidates, he is almost guaranteed as much air time as he wants, "where the candidate can regurgitate talking points" in front of huge amounts of right-leaning voters. Plus, if he makes a verbal misstep, "more likely than not his interviewer would gloss over the gaffe, try to discreetly explain it away, and re-ask the question." It's smart PR, and today, unlike a decade ago, "Romney can get away with it."

5. He's getting bad advice
Can you really "run for the presidency more or less exclusively through Fox News?" says Richard K. Barry at Lippmann's Ghost. Maybe: After all, the only people who really pay attention to public affairs programs are political junkies and reporters. But "I think it is foolish to try." Not only is it risky to alienate reporters who help shape the campaign narrative, but I doubt ignoring the press "plays well with the mainstream of the country, the kind of people you need to vote for you outside your conservative base if you hope to win the presidency."
http://theweek.com/article/index/228498/why-mitt-romney-only-does-fox-news-interviews-5-theories

 

Romney is such a feckless coward.

 

Honestly, it's a sound strategy. One of the worst things a candidate can do is talk too much (see this season's Republican primaries), especially on programs that will ask the tough questions. Consequently, that strategy also means voters are left with unanswered questions...but overall, it benefits someone who is weak in policy...or in explaining policy.

Basically, if you aren't that smart, or your platform is weak, or you don't really have a clue, it's in your best interest to avoid answering questions wherever possible. (See: "Jr.") Then again, Jr. had a difficult time putting words into sentences (not an exaggeration), yet was a two-timer himself.

It may be sound strategy, but yes... it's also cowardly.

 

Oh, I have no doubt that it benefits Romney but does it really allow us to vet this guy for the highest office in the land of the most powerful country on the planet? Not so much.

As a strategy to win the office, I agree that it is a good idea but as a sign that this guy has no business being the commander-in-chief, I’d have to point out that hiding from scrutiny only fools the highly partisan idiots of this country and they should not be picking our leaders. Chimps throwing crap at spinning wheel of presidential choices would make a better decision than they.

 

To me it indicates an intention to deceive. By him not addressing those tough questions, it says he isn't interested in discussing those issues or in potentially revealing any information that may not already be known. It's secretive, which would be a good trait for a CIA or other law enforcement, but it's a slap in the face to voters... a "catch me if you can" mentality that I personally don't care for in politicians. On the flip-side you have Obama, who does face those types of questions...and gets slammed by the right for doing so, but I'd rather know the truth about someone then have to guess.

 

Why does "above my paygrade" come to mind?

 

I will tell you what and bet my bottom dollar that come election time Romney will have spent more time on the left wing media (NBC, CBS, ABC, MSNBC, etc.) than the current idiot-in-charge will spend on the right wing media. Giving them credit that CNN is neutral (I am not totally convinced of that), the right wing media would be Fox. In fact a factor of 3 or more would not surprise me in the least.

 

And wouldn't it be nice if those hounding Romney would spend 1/10th of that energy exploring BO's past?

 

Yeah, but that does not even qualify as a dream!

 

I saw Obama on O'Reilly once when I stil watched tv news and it was very confrontational, BO never had to guts to do a follow up when asked.
Trying hard to remember or even google when he has been back, or even on radio with Hannity, Limbaugh, Beck, Levin, Neil Bortz or Michael Savage. Instead, BO likes to go on The View, Oprah, etc etc and answer all those realy tough questions from his greatest sheepfans in the flock.
Simple case of pot calling kettle black. Typical.

My Nation Wasserman Shultz, after you email my comment to and then you get your opinion from Media Matters, please reply

 

And O'Reilly and Hannity have standing invitations to Obama, Obama, and Biden.

 

Of course they do. Why would Obama support GOP TV? They aren't real news. Again false equivalencies from the RW'ers here. You people are just slow.

 

People righties confuse news-people with commentators...or manipulators, like O'Really.

 

Definitely! They don't realize that there is a difference. Bill Maher is a commentator, Ed Schultz is a commentator, Even Rachel Maddow is a commentator. What the Right-wingers can't admit is that the entire Fox Network is nothing but commentary which is a systematic series of explanations or interpretations. When you interpret an event, IT IS COMMENTARY. They just can't figure this out.

 

Did anybody happen to catch Romney on CNBC this morning? You know, NBC, that very republican network?
When is the last time someomne on FOX called Moochelle a dumb .... ??? When has anybody on FOX called Rachel a talk whore slut? Happens on MSNBC but I have never heard of it on FOX. Why are you so silent about that crap? Ahhhhh, only selective objections. Hipocrite.