Apparently, this morning on Fox & Friends, they were criticizing two New York Times reporters who had been critical of FOX. During the report, they showed pictures of the reporters. Huffington Post and Media Matters are reporting that pictures have been altered to make the reporters look uglier.

The ones who truly come out looking ugly are the folks at FOX who repeatedly treat the American public to overdoses of the wretched side of humanity.

I get that the network is set up to promote the conservative agenda. And it's not as though they couldn't argue on the merits, if they truly understood them. There is a real and valid conservative school of thought that is based in history and fact. Small government, strong defense, and whatever else.

But Fox News, along with the 527s and their smear campaign, fails again and again to present cogent arguments, devovling instead into twisted jocks vs. geeks high school cafeteria fights. 

If I thought it it was because they are too dogmatic to argue the merits of the conservative point of view, I might cut them some slack. I too can sometimes get so wrapped up in liberal dogma that I become emotional cease to be an articulate advocate for the causes that are important to me. I have even resorted to name calling.

But I'm not sure that they understand the point of view that they espouse. I think they just get a kick out of riling people up and it's in their own self interest to keep those who promote those views with them in office.

The New York Times responded that they wouldn't retaliate. The Times Culture Editor said, "It's like fighting with a pig. Everybody gets dirty and the pig likes it."

Well put.