Obama to Appear on Fox News to Sell Health Care Reform

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President Obama will appear Wednesday on Fox News to pitch health care reform, showing that even the "enemy" network has its uses for the administration as Congress heads toward showdown votes on overhaul legislation.

"We are pulling out all the stops to make the case for health reform, and Fox has a significant audience share and provides a good platform. We expect it to be a challenging but fair interview," White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer told Politics Daily on Wednesday.

Last October, the Obama White House, led by then-communications chief Anita Dunn, called out Fox News "as either the research arm or the communications arm of the Republican Party." But Dunn, in that CNN interview, said that the president could end up on Fox at some point because he "engages with ideological opponents."

Obama's major problem in getting his health overhaul passed is lining up Democratic votes in the House. Neither the Democratic House leadership nor the White House is counting on any Republicans to back the plan.

The president will be interviewed by Fox News "Special Report" anchor Bret Baier. Baier oversees a news show and is not one of Fox's rabidly anti-Obama hosts, such as Glenn Beck or Sean Hannity.

Fox will run the entire interview "uninterrupted" at 6 p.m. Eastern time.

"Baier will discuss with the president the policy, politics and head counting behind efforts to pass Obama's signature domestic priority. The two will also talk about other key issues facing the Obama administration and the country," the news channel says in an announcement at Foxnews.com. Baier solicited viewers to submit questions for him to ask the president.

This is not the first thaw between the White House and Fox. The Obama team picks its spots. First Lady Michelle Obama last month appeared on Mike Huckabee's show, sitting down with the former presidential candidate and Arkansas governor -- who has struggled with his weight -- to discuss her campaign against childhood obesity.

And on Monday, Education Secretary Arne Duncan was on "Fox and Friends" as well as other morning shows in a media blitz to discuss rewriting the "No Child Left Behind" law.

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs was asked Tuesday about the Fox booking and what it could accomplish.

"Obviously they have a pretty big audience share and I think it's safe to say that a lot of members that are undecided are going to be -- they watch and their constituents watch this news. So we're happy to continue the argument on why health care reform is important to pass this year on Fox," Gibbs said.

Asked if he really thought Obama was "going to change the minds of Fox viewers," Gibbs said, "It's certainly worth a shot."

Tagged: bret baier, BretBaier, Daily Guidance, DailyGuidance, fox news channel, FoxNewsChannel, health care reform, HealthCareReform

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