It wasn't on the Fox News Channel (FNC) nor a Fox News production
carried on Fox (such as Fox News Sunday), but President Barack Obama
received a warm and appreciative session with John Walsh, marking the 1,000 edition of America's Most Wanted [1],
an entertainment program carried by the network which has failed to air
the Obama press conferences shown by ABC, CBS and NBC.
Walsh began by offering Obama "congratulations on all the work you've been doing since you were President" and proceeded to praise "the work you've done with the Recovery Act,"
aka the stimulus monstrosity, "but I know first-hand from the
rank-and-file cops on the street what you've done for law enforcement
on the local and state level." After Obama recounted how the funding
prevented layoffs amongst local police departments, Walsh reaffirmed: "I
know first-hand the law enforcement community respects you and is
appreciative of you getting that bill through in these tough economic
times."
The host of America's Most Wanted on Fox also hailed Obama as "a very loud voice for victims, which is much appreciated from the victim community," and admired him: "I know your daughters are proud of you, but you send a loud message and I feel the same way."
Several of Walsh's prompts to Obama in the interview conducted Wednesday at the White House and aired Saturday night:
> Mr. President, thank you for taking the time today, and congratulations on all the work you've been doing since you were President. It's nice to see it again. > Thank you so much for the kind words and I don't know if people are very familiar with the work you've done with the Recovery Act, but I know first-hand from the rank-and-file cops on the street what you've done for law enforcement on the local and state level.
> I know first-hand the law enforcement community respects you and is appreciative of you getting that bill through in these tough economic times. I wanted to talk to you about the Adam Walsh Act. I had the great honor on the 25th anniversary of our 6-year-old son Adam's abduction, turning a horrible day into a positive day. My family was in the Rose Garden. Elizabeth Smart was there. Many parents of murdered children when President Bush signed the bill. But the problem, of course - I know you're so well aware and the problem that Vice President Biden and I face - is focusing this Congress in on funding this act. The problem is that states are not becoming compliant because they're afraid that the federal money will come down. I know you want to try to help get that money.
> I know you're a very loud voice for victims, which is much appreciated from the victim community.
> I thank you for your time. I thank you for helping to focus this Congress on the Adam Walsh Act. I know your daughters are proud of you, but you send a loud message and I feel the same way. America's Most Wanted is the court of last resort. It's not about Americans being vigilantes or any of that, it's about saying we need justice, we need these people caught, we need them off the streets, and we need the highest level of politicians to focus in on our needs.
- Brent Baker is Vice President for Research and Publications at the Media Research Center. Click here [2] to follow him on Twitter.