History Main / FoxNewsLiberal

** Arnold Vinick, the Republican presidential nominee in the final season, rejects enough Republican principles that it's almost impossible the real-life Republican party would nominate him for president. He's pro-choice and not at all religious, although he's a big believer in economic conservatism, as in big tax cuts and reducing the size of government. Vinick's strong economic conservatism would not go far in the Democratic party, and he's not extreme enough to be accepted by the Libertarian party, so he's more of a Republican than anything else. Of course, he's from California, where Arnold Schwarzenegger, with similar views, was successful as a Republican politician, so his being a Republican Senator is believable. But as for his presidential nomination, it's telling that the nomination fight itself happens completely off-camera. WordOfGod says Vinick was based on John [=McCain=] who at the time of the show held similar views, though [=McCain=] is strongly pro-life. And [=McCain=] ''did'' win the 2008 nomination of his party, but by the time of the 2008 election he had shifted considerably to the right.

Otherwise known as a DINO ('''D'''emocrat '''I'''n '''N'''ame '''O'''nly), a 'Fox News Liberal', is an [[UsefulNotes/PoliticalIdeologies ideological]] [[TheWarOnStraw Strawman]] character who is used to bring the ''illusion'' of political balance in a narrative or discourse that is otherwise overwhelmingly slanted in the other direction. Named after a critique of the Creator/FoxNewsChannel, a United States news organization with conservative-leaning opinion programming, it has an opposite counterpart in the 'MSNBC Conservative' -- named for a competing left-leaning US news organization -- or RINO ('''R'''epublican '''I'''n '''N'''ame '''O'''nly). A conservative or RINO pundit appearing on Creator/{{CNN}}, Creator/{{MSNBC}} or Creator/{{PBS}} is also referred to as a [[http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Very_Serious_People Very Serious Person]] (VSP).

Otherwise known as a DINO ('''D'''emocrat '''I'''n '''N'''ame '''O'''nly), a 'Fox News Liberal', is an [[UsefulNotes/PoliticalIdeologies ideological]] [[TheWarOnStraw Strawman]] character who is used to bring the ''illusion'' of political balance in a narrative or discourse that is otherwise overwhelmingly slanted in the other direction. Named after a critique of the Creator/FoxNewsChannel, a United States news organization with conservative-leaning opinion programming, it has an opposite counterpart in the 'MSNBC Conservative' - named for a competing left-leaning US news organization - or RINO ('''R'''epublican '''I'''n '''N'''ame '''O'''nly). A conservative or RINO pundit appearing on Creator/{{CNN}}, Creator/{{MSNBC}} or Creator/{{PBS}} is also referred to as a [[http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Very_Serious_People Very Serious Person]] (VSP).

* Cessy from ''[[Literature/OrsonScottCardsEmpire Empire]]'' is a housewife who at one point in the novel even provides a biblical case for militarism in American foreign policy. At no point does she express any liberal views other than to remind the audience, every few pages, of how liberal she is. Needless to say, she is the ''only'' self-described liberal in the book who is not an evil, craven plotter out to destroy America.

* Alan Colmes was accused of this when he co-hosted ''Hannity and Colmes'' with Sean Hannity on [[Creator/FoxNewsChannel Fox News]], and might be the UrExample of this trope. The show was the poster child for the channel's "[[BlatantLies Fair and Balanced]]" tagline, as the two ostensibly took on issues from different ends of the political spectrum. However, Hannity is a hard-right, conservative Republican, while Colmes is a self-described moderate, so it really seemed that Colmes' purpose was to make Hannity look good. Creator/AlFranken rakes Colmes over the coals for this in his book, ''Lies, and the Lying Liars that Tell Them'', including a RunningGag of printing Hannity's name in large text and Colmes' name in small text (which was later adopted by Wiki/RationalWiki).

** Arnold Vinick, the Republican presidential nominee in the final season, rejects enough Republican principles that it's almost impossible the real-life Republican party would nominate him for president. He's pro-choice and not at all religious, although he's a big believer in economic conservatism, as in big tax cuts and reducing the size of government. Vinick's strong economic conservatism would not go far in the Democratic party, and he's not extreme enough to be accepted by the Libertarian party, so he's more of a Republican than anything else. Of course, he's from California, where Arnold Schwarzenegger, with similar views, was successful as a Republican politician, so his being a Republican Senator is believable. But as for his presidential nomination, it's telling that the nomination fight itself happens completely off-camera. WordOfGod says Vinick was based on John [=McCain=] who at the time of the show held similar views, though [=McCain=] was strongly pro-life. And [=McCain=] ''did'' win the 2008 nomination of his party, but by the time of the 2008 election he had shifted considerably to the right.

* {{Parodied}} in ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' episode "Politically Inept with Homer Simpson", where a network executive tells Homer that they only have a few political pundits on staff, including their liberal strawman. [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments Cut to an over the top left-wing stereotype singing]] "Oh, the plain and simple fact is, I'd love to raise your taxes, and make your children gay..."

Otherwise known as a DINO ('''D'''emocrat '''I'''n '''N'''ame '''O'''nly), a 'Fox News Liberal', is an [[UsefulNotes/PoliticalIdeologies ideological]] [[TheWarOnStraw Strawman]] character who is used to bring the ''illusion'' of political balance in a narrative or discourse that is otherwise overwhelmingly slanted in the other direction. Named after a critique of the Creator/FoxNewsChannel, a United States news organization with conservative-leaning opinion programming, it has an opposite counterpart in the 'MSNBC Conservative' - named for a competing left-leaning US news organization - or RINO ('''R'''epublican '''I'''n '''N'''ame '''O'''nly). A conservative pundit appearing on Creator/{{CNN}}, Creator/{{MSNBC}} or Creator/{{PBS}} is also referred to as a [[http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Very_Serious_People Very Serious Person]] (VSP).

Otherwise known as a DINO ('''D'''emocrat '''I'''n '''N'''ame '''O'''nly), a 'Fox News Liberal', is an [[UsefulNotes/PoliticalIdeologies ideological]] [[TheWarOnStraw Strawman]] character who is used to bring the ''illusion'' of political balance in a narrative or discourse that is otherwise overwhelmingly slanted in the other direction. Named after a critique of the Creator/FoxNewsChannel, a United States news organization with conservative-leaning opinion programming, it has an opposite counterpart in the 'MSNBC Conservative' - named for a competing left-leaning US news organization - or RINO ('''R'''epublican '''I'''n '''N'''ame '''O'''nly). A conservative pundit appearing on either Creator/{{CNN}}, Creator/{{MSNBC}} or Creator/{{PBS}} is often referred to as a [[http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Very_Serious_People Very Serious Person]] (VSP).

* Mrs. Bingham and the other "strong women" on the Confederation's side in ''Literature/{{Victoria}}''. They appear to be intended to show that women in the Confederation aren't oppressed, and do have agency and power, which sort of works (to a point)—But they seemingly only ever use that agency to push an anti-feminist agenda.

Otherwise known as a DINO ('''D'''emocrat '''I'''n '''N'''ame '''O'''nly), a 'Fox News Liberal', is an [[UsefulNotes/PoliticalIdeologies ideological]] [[TheWarOnStraw Strawman]] character who is used to bring the ''illusion'' of political balance in a narrative or discourse that is otherwise overwhelmingly slanted in the other direction. Named after a critique of the Creator/FoxNewsChannel, a United States news organization with conservative-leaning opinion programming, it has an opposite counterpart in the 'MSNBC Conservative' - named for a competing left-leaning US news organization - or RINO ('''R'''epublican '''I'''n '''N'''ame '''O'''nly). A conservative pundit appearing on either Creator/{{CNN}} or Creator/{{MSNBC}} is often referred to as a [[http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Very_Serious_People Very Serious Person]] (VSP).

Otherwise known as a DINO ('''D'''emocrat '''I'''n '''N'''ame '''O'''nly), a 'Fox News Liberal', is an [[UsefulNotes/PoliticalIdeologies ideological]] [[TheWarOnStraw Strawman]] character who is used to bring the ''illusion'' of political balance in a narrative or discourse that is otherwise overwhelmingly slanted in the other direction. Named after a critique of the Creator/FoxNewsChannel, a United States news organization with conservative-leaning opinion programming, it has an opposite counterpart in the 'MSNBC Conservative' - named for a competing left-leaning US news organization - or RINO ('''R'''epublican '''I'''n '''N'''ame '''O'''nly).

-->--''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoViceCity'', ''[[Radio/GTARadio Pressing Issues]]''

Otherwise known as a DINO ('''D'''emocrat '''I'''n '''N'''ame '''O'''nly), a 'Fox News Liberal', is an [[PoliticalIdeologies ideological]] [[TheWarOnStraw Strawman]] character who is used to bring the ''illusion'' of political balance in a narrative or discourse that is otherwise overwhelmingly slanted in the other direction. Named after a critique of the Creator/FoxNewsChannel, a United States news organization with conservative-leaning opinion programming, it has an opposite counterpart in the 'MSNBC Conservative' - named for a competing left-leaning US news organization - or RINO ('''R'''epublican '''I'''n '''N'''ame '''O'''nly).

* In-universe, one episode of ''Series/AllInTheFamily'' has Archie Bunker complain to a local TV station about [[AmericanGunPolitics a pro-gun-control editorial]]. After he confronts the station manager, he's offered airtime to present an opposing view, with the clear implication that the manager is cynically satisfying the letter of the then-extant Fairness Doctrine while making the pro-gun side of the argument look bad.

Within the USA, a 'Fox News Liberal', otherwise known as a DINO ('''D'''emocrat '''I'''n '''N'''ame '''O'''nly), is an [[PoliticalIdeologies ideological]] [[TheWarOnStraw Strawman]] character who is used to bring the ''illusion'' of political balance in a narrative or discourse that is otherwise overwhelmingly slanted in the other direction. Named after a critique of the Creator/FoxNewsChannel, a United States news organization with conservative-leaning opinion programming, it has an opposite counterpart in the 'MSNBC Conservative' - named for a competing left-leaning US news organization - or RINO ('''R'''epublican '''I'''n '''N'''ame '''O'''nly).

Within the USA, a 'Fox News Liberal', otherwise known as a DINO ('''D'''emocrat '''I'''n '''N'''ame '''O'''nly), is an [[PoliticalIdeologies ideological]] [[TheWarOnStraw Strawman]] character who is used to bring the ''illusion'' of political balance in a narrative or discourse that is otherwise overwhelmingly slanted in the other direction. Named after a critique of the Creator/FoxNewsChannel, a United States news organization whose commentary favors nationalist and neoliberal-leaning policies. Its opposite counterpart on MSNBC - a competing US news organization which favors social-liberal and social-welfare policies - is the 'MSNBC Conservative' or RINO ('''R'''epublican '''I'''n '''N'''ame '''O'''nly).

** Arnold Vinick, the Republican presidential nominee in the final season, rejects enough Republican principles that it's almost impossible the real-life Republican party would nominate him for president. He's pro-choice and not at all religious, although he's a big believer in economic conservatism, as in big tax cuts and reducing the size of government. Vinick's strong economic conservatism would not go far in the Democratic party, and he's not extreme enough to be accepted by the Libertarian party, so he's more of a Republican than anything else. Of course, he's from California, where Arnold Schwarzenegger, with similar views, was successful as a Republican politician, so his being a Republican Senator is believable. But as for his presidential nomination, it's telling that the nomination fight itself happens completely off-camera. WordOfGod says Vinick was based on John [=McCain=] who at the time of the show held similar views, though McCain was strongly pro-life. And McCain ''did'' win the 2008 nomination of his party, but by the time of the 2008 election he had shifted considerably to the right.

Within the USA, a 'Fox News Liberal', otherwise known as a DINO ('''D'''emocrat '''I'''n '''N'''ame '''O'''nly), is an [[PoliticalIdeologies ideological]] [[TheWarOnStraw Strawman]] character who is used to bring the ''illusion'' of political balance in a narrative or discourse that is otherwise overwhelmingly slanted in the other direction. Named after a critique of the Creator/FoxNewsChannel, a United States news organization with nationalist- and Neo-liberal-leaning opinion programming, it has an opposite counterpart in the 'MSNBC Conservative' - a competing centrist US news organization which favours Social-liberalism but never strays into [[RedScare the heresy of card-carrying Socialism that the world's non-USA countries (including the rest of the Anglosphere) consider 'left' politics]] - or RINO ('''R'''epublican '''I'''n '''N'''ame '''O'''nly).

It's also very common for them to admit that the solutions proposed by people with the (what their superiors consider to be ) 'correct' political views are basically good and desirable, but quibble about the details or minutae of their 'correct' policies. [[note]] e.g. "[[PragmaticVillainy You're right, we 'should' kill everyone over sixty to solve the pensions-crisis. ''However'', we should do this by issuing licences to unpaid volunteer-executioners so these 'Useless Mouths' can be eliminated at no cost to the taxpayer. 'My kind' are, after all, opposed to the use of the taxpayer's money to execute genocide."]] [[/note]]

** Arnold Vinick, the Republican presidential nominee in the final season, rejects enough Republican principles that it's almost impossible the real-life Republican party would nominate him for president. He's pro-choice and not at all religious, although he's a big believer in economic conservatism, as in big tax cuts and reducing the size of government. Vinick's strong economic conservatism would not go far in the Democratic party, and he's not extreme enough to be accepted by the Libertarian party, so he's more of a Republican than anything else. Of course, he's from California, where Arnold Schwarzenegger, with similar views, was successful as a Republican politician, so his being a Republican Senator is believable. But as for his presidential nomination.... WordOfGod says Vinick was based on John [=McCain=] who at the time of the show held similar views and ''did'' win the 2008 nomination of his party. However, by the time of the 2008 election he had shifted considerably to the right.

Within the USA, otherwise known as a DINO ('''D'''emocrat '''I'''n '''N'''ame '''O'''nly), a 'Fox News Liberal' is an [[PoliticalIdeologies ideological]] [[TheWarOnStraw Strawman]] character who is used to bring the ''illusion'' of political balance in a narrative or discourse that is otherwise overwhelmingly slanted in the other direction. Named after a critique of the Creator/FoxNewsChannel, a United States news organization with nationalist- and Neo-liberal-leaning opinion programming, it has an opposite counterpart in the 'MSNBC Conservative' - a competing centrist US news organization which favours Social-liberalism but never strays into [[RedScare the heresy of card-carrying Socialism that the world's non-USA countries (including the rest of the Anglosphere) consider 'left' politics]] - or RINO ('''R'''epublican '''I'''n '''N'''ame '''O'''nly).

Within the USA, otherwise known as a DINO ('''D'''emocrat '''I'''n '''N'''ame '''O'''nly), a 'Fox News Liberal' is an [[PoliticalIdeologies ideological]] [[TheWarOnStraw Strawman]] character who is used to bring the ''illusion'' of political balance in a narrative or discourse that is otherwise overwhelmingly slanted in the other direction. Named after a critique of the Creator/FoxNewsChannel, a United States news organization with nationalist- and Neo-liberal-leaning opinion programming, it has an opposite counterpart in the 'MSNBC Conservative' - a competing centrist US news organization which favours Social-liberalism but never strays into [[RedScare the heresy of outright Socialism that non-American countries (even in the Anglosphere) would consider to be truly 'left' politics]] - or RINO ('''R'''epublican '''I'''n '''N'''ame '''O'''nly).

Within the USA, otherwise known as a DINO ('''D'''emocrat '''I'''n '''N'''ame '''O'''nly), a 'Fox News Liberal' is an [[PoliticalIdeologies ideological]] [[TheWarOnStraw Strawman]] character who is used to bring the ''illusion'' of political balance in a narrative or discourse that is otherwise overwhelmingly slanted in the other direction. Named after a critique of the Creator/FoxNewsChannel, a United States news organization with nationalist- and Neo-liberal-leaning opinion programming, it has an opposite counterpart in the 'MSNBC Conservative' - a competing centrist US news organization which favours Social- instead of Neo-liberalism - or RINO ('''R'''epublican '''I'''n '''N'''ame '''O'''nly).

'''Rep. Alex Shrub:''' So you suggest we just stop making babies? People need a place to park their boat and trailer and to put their swimming pool! You're beginning to sound red, and by that I mean you prefer a hammer and sickle over a hamburger.

Otherwise known as a DINO ('''D'''emocrat '''I'''n '''N'''ame '''O'''nly), a Fox News Liberal is an [[PoliticalIdeologies ideological]] [[TheWarOnStraw Strawman]] character who is used to bring the ''illusion'' of political balance in a narrative or discourse that is otherwise overwhelmingly slanted in the other direction. Named after a critique of the Creator/FoxNewsChannel, a United States news organization with conservative-leaning opinion programming, it has an opposite counterpart in the 'MSNBC Conservative' - a competing left-wing US news organization - or RINO ('''R'''epublican '''I'''n '''N'''ame '''O'''nly).

Like any straw man trope, the *INO character's job is to seem to be representing one point of view when in fact he is promoting the opposite. What makes a Fox News Liberal/MSNBC Conservative different from other straw men is that they are not playing a satirical or sarcastic role, and they aren't playing a fictional character.

It's also very common for them to admit that the solutions proposed by people with 'correct' political views are basically good and desirable, but quibble about the details or minutae of their 'correct' policies. [[note]] e.g. "[[PragmaticVillainy You're right, we 'should' kill everyone over sixty to solve the pensions-crisis. ''However'', we should do this by issuing licences to unpaid volunteer-executioners so these 'Useless Mouths' can be eliminated at no cost to the taxpayer. 'My kind' are, after all, opposed to the use of the taxpayer's money to execute genocide."]] [[/note]]

The show itself sets the agenda for what is discussed - a Fox News Liberal will almost never be presented with a topic which "their kind" think is actually important, and the topic is often deliberately chosen to invoke all the poor argument techniques listed above. Other favorites include being more soft-spoken than the other hosts/guests, allowing themselves to be talked over, bullied, representing a skewed, poorly-articulated or crazily extreme perspective (even by the standard of their own party) for the host to handily dismantle, and never, ever getting the last word.

* Julia Shumway, the InformedAttribute Republican editor of the newspaper in Creator/StephenKing's ''UnderTheDome'', is considered by some to be the conservative version of a Fox News Liberal. On the one hand, she doesn't talk about politics at all, and the only reason to believe that she is a Republican is because [[ShowDontTell the author says she is]]. On the other hand, almost no one (who is sane) mentions politics at all because, well, ''[[CaptainObvious they're trapped under a dome]]'', and sometimes little things like that have to take precedence.

* While Marvel's ''ComicBook/CivilWar'' was meant to be both topical and balanced, the need to make it topical had too many Pro-Registration characters do morally questionable things, including many they themselves had violently opposed [[CharacterDerailment only a short time ago.]]

Like any straw man trope, the *INO character's job is to seem to be representing one point of view when in fact he is promoting the opposite. What makes a Fox News Liberal/MSNBC Conservative different from other straw men is:

* They appear on a news show, pundit panel, or other non-fiction political broadcast.
* They claim to be sincerely representing their own point of view. They're not playing a fictional character or being sarcastic/satirical.
* They take positions or use debating tactics that help their opponents. (Thus, YMMV when it comes to whether a given person actually qualifies. A good sign is seeing who mostly quotes, links, or references a pundit. If the pundit's appearances are far more often used as ammunition for their opponents than their allies, it's a good chance they're a Fox News Liberal.)

It's quite common for them to propose [[GoldenMeanFallacy 'compromises' when their opponents are clearly 'wrong/crazy' by their own standards, meaning they 'should' think the solution at least half-wrong/crazy]].

Otherwise known as a DINO ('''D'''emocrat '''I'''n '''N'''ame '''O'''nly), a Fox News Liberal is an [[PoliticalIdeologies ideological]] [[TheWarOnStraw Strawman]] character who is used to bring the ''illusion'' of political balance in a narrative or discourse that is otherwise overwhelmingly slanted in the other direction. Named after a critique of the Creator/FoxNewsChannel, a right-wing news organization of the USA, it has an opposite counterpart in the 'MSNBC Conservative' - a competing left-wing US news organization - or RINO ('''R'''epublican '''I'''n '''N'''ame '''O'''nly).

* ComicBook/{{Icon}} from MilestoneComics was created by a black liberal writer as a supposed black conservative. However, the in-story reason for him being a conservative is that he was born in the days of slavery when the Republicans were on the anti-slavery side (as well as being the more liberal of the two major U.S. parties, something that wouldn't change until the mid-1960s, when the Civil Rights Act and other similar laws were passed) and in modern times his sidekick started convincing him that conservatism is bad for the poor. This doesn't exactly fit the definition, but it approaches it. It's as if the writer wanted to put a conservative in, but as the trope description says, couldn't think of any way for a reasonable person to be one today. This is a complicated example, as "liberals" and "conservatives" of 150 years ago share very few traits with their counterparts of today except for the names, not to mention that he's a two-century-old alien ex-slave and probably wouldn't think like a modern human anyway.

* Music/PhilOchs' "Love Me, I'm a Liberal" (later covered with updated lyrics by Music/JelloBiafra and Music/MojoNixon) is a scathing attack on RealLife Fox News Liberals.

** Arnold Vinick, the Republican presidential nominee in the final season, rejects enough Republican principles that it's almost impossible the real-life Republican party would nominate him for president. He's pro-choice and not at all religious, although he's a big believer in economic conservatism, as in big tax cuts and reducing the size of government. Vinick's strong economic conservatism would not go far in the Democratic party, and he's not extreme enough to be accepted by the Libertarian party, so he's more of a Republican than anything else. Of course, he's from California, where Arnold Schwarzenegger, with similar views, was successful as a Republican politician, so his being a Republican Senator is believable. But as for his presidential nomination.... WordOfGod says Vinick was based on John McCain who at the time of the show held similar views and ''did'' win the 2008 nomination of his party. However, by the time of the 2008 election he had shifted considerably to the right.