But that is something they have STRENUOUSLY denied over the years. Everyone from Roger Ailes to Hannity to O'Reilly to Wallace to the FOX and Friends on the couch crowd have ALL, at various times, denied they were really mere partisan Republicans. They knew that was a damaged and discredited brand. They knew letting folks in on the joke would crush their ratings among the masses of low-information voters. No, they were better than that. They were CONSERVATIVES. That was the all-important identifier. Everyone else was that ignominious thing known as "liberal."

How ironic this happens at the hands of She Who Foams at the Mouth. In her moment of rage, Ann has summarily stripped Hannity of that fig leaf. AND HE AGREED WITH HER.  Listen to the exchange again. When she says:
 

THERE IS NO POINT TO YOU DOING YOUR SHOW.

Hannity replies:
 

I AGREE WITH YOU.

Game. Set. Match. Ding dong, the witch is dead.

To really appreciate just why this is such a big deal, try to imagine these alternative scenarios:

Imagine watching Keith Olbermann's Countdown and Howard Fineman is on talking about something foolish John Kerry did that indicates he really is not going to fight hard enough to beat Bush's attacks.  
 

Howard Fineman:  It's obvious that Kerry just doesn't have the fire in his belly.  I mean what's the point of doing your show if he isn't going to defend himself from the Swift boat ads?

Keith Olbermann:  I agree with you.  I guess that's a wrap.  Well, Good Night and Good Luck.

Imagine watching Lawrence O'Donnell's show and Chris Hayes is on talking about the ominous use of drones by the Obama administration.
 

Hayes:  We are rapidly approaching a point where military decisions are being made without any human in the decision loop.  This is truly a Brave New World, but it isn't the Hope and Change we were expecting.  I mean what's the point of doing your show if this guy is going to shred the Geneva Convention, the War Powers Act, and declare himself the Judge Dredd of global warfare?

O'Donnell: I agree with you.  It really is a waste of time.  I may as well go back to consulting on political dramas and movies.

Imagine if you saw something like this on Meet The Press, NPR, or even Howitzer Exploder Man'sSituation Room.

We all know what would happen. Those shows would be laughed off the idiot box faster thanCrossfire after Jon Stewart beat the kid with the bow tie like he was a rented mule. Even avid supporters would turn their backs on those shows in a heartbeat. Why?  Because no matter what political persuasion you hail from, no American likes to think they are punked into swallowing, much less supporting, propaganda.

This is one of those rare times when I think Ann is right. This is a turning point. But not the way she thinks. This is a real turning point for FOX on par with the famous Seinfeld episode where Jerry and George let everyone in on the joke behind their show.   The difference here is that unlike Seinfeld, which really was about nothing, little miss panicked partisan and block head just told the world what FOX is really about.  Spoiler alert:  It's not about "fair and balanced" news reporting.  

Like Seinfeld, I think it is going to be all down hill from here.  How is the corporate media going to continue pretending FOX is a legitimate news operation?  What will happen to their seat at the White House Press Briefing Room?  Will they have to give that seat up to a more reputable and even-handed operation like The Onion?

This is a point worth noting. When people look back, this may be remembered as the moment  when The Great Wizard was revealed by the yapping dog to be nothing but a carnival barker. Sure, they will try and distract people, shouting "Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!" in unison. But it will do no good. Like The Wizard of Oz, there isn't much more you can do with the plot but send everyone home.  

As Romney goes down in flames, maybe some of the credulous followers will gaze into the bonfire of their inanities and wake to the realization "these fuckers have been lying to us for YEARS."

Well done, Ann. Bless your heart. If it makes you feel any better, Romney's fate was probably sealed long before his spokesman tied Romneycare around his neck like an albatross. As you can see, history is just not on Romney's side.