Truce in the White House War with Fox News

The war of words between the White House and Fox News appears to have abaited, with some kind of truce in place and administration officials once again appearing on the news channel.  Mediabistro first came across a meeting that had taken place between Fox News and the White House press secretary saying;

A very reliable source tells FishbowlDC that Fox News VP Michael Clemente met with White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs and reached what some are calling a "truce."

US News' Ken Walsh also commented on the situation after talking with a senior Obama adviser saying;

One drawback, which even Obama aides concede, is that Fox is using the quarrel with the White House as a public-relations tool to stir up its own support among conservatives and to boost ratings. "They're still at it," says a senior Obama aide, who adds that White House officials don't expect to fire another shot in the battle unless Fox strikes first.

Inside Cable News makes an interesting point on the subject also;

I think the term “truce” is vastly over-hyping things. The attacks have been pretty one sided as far as “the war” goes. It’s been all White House practically. It’s the White House that got itself in this mess. It’s the White House that backed itself into a corner. FNC, on the other hand, doesn’t have anything to really back down from. So now we’re hearing the word “truce”. A truce implies that both sides knock it off (see: Olbermann/O’Reilly). What does FNC have to knock off? Glenn Beck’s rhetoric? Not going to happen. FNC doesn’t have anything to gain by throttling Beck. The whole reason Beck was hired by Ailes in the first place, as Beck tells it, is that Ailes wanted the equivalent of the “last defender at the gate” fighting off the hordes. Or something to that effect. Which, whether you like his tactics or not or agree with him or not, is exactly what Beck has been doing. Neutering or restraining Beck does not get you there. A “truce” from FNC’s side makes no sense.

No feud however, would be complete without Bill O'rielly chiming in with his opinion, commenting; "I don't have a point of view, I'm basically an independent guy," adding, "I sent Barack Obama, President Obama a fruit basket for all that comments because our ratings are up 20% since he made it. We want him to not like us. Although I like him. I mean, I like the guy. But we want him to keep saying bad things about us."

So, with administration officials and representatives now appearing on Fox News programmes, it seems, at least for now, that the battle is over.... or at least on pause.