In an attempt at counter-programming John McCain's nomination acceptance speech, Barack Obama has agreed to appear tomorrow on The O'Reilly Factor, a popular programme on Rupert Murdoch's Fox News channel.

The Obama interview comes after months of behind-the-scenes peacemaking between the candidate and the Fox News chief Roger Ailes -- talks brokered by Murdoch himself. Widespread Democratic concern over the Murdoch channel's conservative slant had fuelled a de facto boycott of Fox News by the Obama camp.

Ailes told the Washington Post that Obama's concern during their face-to-face meeting was simple. "I just want to know if I'm going to get a fair shake from Fox News channel," he recalled the Democratic senator saying.

No matter how Obama handles an encounter with Bill O'Reilly, a programme host with a penchant for putting guests on the spot, the interview is sure to distract some attention from McCain's acceptance speech.

McCain embarked on effort to pull focus from Obama's convention speech last week, running a congratulatory advert that featured the Republican nominee speaking directly into the camera to his opponent.

While Obama warms to Fox News, no signs of a similar détente are appearing at the MSNBC network, which McCain and other high-profile Republicans have accused of favouring the Democratic nominee.

McCain's campaign manager, Rick Davis, wrote a letter to the president of MSNBC parent network NBC to protest against what he called "irresponsible" coverage of the Republican candidate.

Ailes described both MSNBC and CNN as "in the tank" for Obama, a notion disputed by executives at both stations.

I Pray Obama murder O Rielly with his words!!! Cant wait!!

I can't wait either, he should have went after that fool Sean Hannity too!

hmmmmm . . . . . O'Reilly is not to be messed with. . . .that guy can trip people up easily. . . if I was Obama, I would steer well clear of FOX News. . . . they don't even sound like a News Network. . . everytime I watch FOX, I feel I am watching Tabloid TV. . . .if CNN and NBC are biased toward the democrats, at least CNN and NBC are respected Worldwide as fair and concise news channels , whilst FOX News is viewed as a[b] joke[/b]. Their biased propaganda is obvious to any viewer.

8pm eastern time its a must watch.I love Obama for teh timing mayne,this is gonna take some shine off McCain campaign , go obama.

Fox news go abt their slant and tilt to the right wout any professional touch really.Bunch of weed takers

Ibime:

hmmmmm . . . . . O'Reilly is not to be messed with. . . .that guy can trip people up easily. . . if I was Obama, I would steer well clear of FOX News. . . . they don't even sound like a News Network. . . everytime I watch FOX, I feel I am watching Tabloid TV. . . .if CNN and NBC are biased toward the democrats, at least CNN and NBC are respected Worldwide as fair and concise news channels , whilst FOX News is viewed as a[b] joke[/b]. Their biased propaganda is obvious to any viewer.

Actually, NBC leans towards the Dems.

This has got to be interesting.

Ibime:

hmmmmm . . . . . O'Reilly is not to be messed with. . . .that guy can trip people up easily. . . if I was Obama, I would steer well clear of FOX News. . . . they don't even sound like a News Network. . . everytime I watch FOX, I feel I am watching Tabloid TV. . . .if CNN and NBC are biased toward the democrats, at least CNN and NBC are respected Worldwide as fair and concise news channels , whilst FOX News is viewed as a[b] joke[/b]. Their biased propaganda is obvious to any viewer.

I think CNN is pretty fair to both parties. it just does not make sense to support the republicans in this time and day.

nila07:

I think CNN is pretty fair to both parties. it just does not make sense to support the republicans in this time and day.

That only started after the outcry from the public on how the media should not take sides. I have a pro-Obama friend who quit CNN because he felt the network was pushing it too far with it's left leaning logic as pertains the election. He lives in the UK, and confessed that that disturbed him quit a bit.

Kobojunkie:

That only started after the outcry from the public on how the media should not take sides. I have a pro-Obama friend who quit CNN because he felt the network was pushing it too far with it's left leaning logic as pertains the election. He lives in the UK, and confessed that that disturbed him quit a bit.

What nonsense! We have been watching CNN since the 1980's in Nigeria. CNN is known as THE American channel. BBC even takes live feeds from ABC, NBC and CNN. . . . never from FOX! FOX is so far off, they don't even count anywhere outside America. CNN is smack bang in the centre of American politics. Only a FOX watcher like yourself would accuse CNN of bias.

Kobojunkie:

That only started after the outcry from the public on how the media should not take sides. I have a pro-Obama friend who quit CNN because he felt the network was pushing it too far with it's left leaning logic as pertains the election. He lives in the UK, and confessed that that disturbed him quit a bit.

abeg dude find a better lie

pro-obama friend of kobojunkie must be some bloody obama hater

left CNN? was he an employee there? or he went for interview? this day and age someone left his job(high unemployment in the US o) and this information is coming from kobojunkie ( a top brat post hillary defeat republican of sudden on-set

abeg find another tori

all the stuff about msnbc being pro obama, do you guys watch[i] morning joe[/i]?

from 6.00am - 9.00 am daily (ET) anchored by joe scarborough, a defeated republican. always anti obama. do you guys watch it?

only keith and rachel are core obama fans in msnbc.

darfur:

all the stuff about msnbc being pro obama, do you guys watch[i] morning joe[/i]?

from 6.00am - 9.00 am daily (ET) anchored by joe scarborough, a defeated republican. always anti obama. do you guys watch it?

only keith and rachel are core obama fans in msnbc.

Republicans always accuse any channel outside of FOX of being left-leaning. If you are in the centre of American politics, they still call you left leaning. They are just mad because NBC always expose FOX's ties to the Republicans. . . . the fact is that there is no left leaning channel in America to the extent that FOX is right-leaning. . . .

oreily was aggressive, watched part 1 and clips of part 2