Fox News reported that President Obama accused the media, specifically Fox News, of propagating harmful stereotypes about poor Americans.
Posted by The Daily Show: Ears Edition, Checked
- Sources
- 4 support
- Said
- 1 time·
- Confidence
- 40%
The Daily Show: Ears EditionAug 28, 2026
Sources confirm that Obama criticized Fox News in May 2015 for portraying poor people as lazy 'leeches' and freeloaders, and a Fox News segment responded to it.
The played clip relays this claim without endorsing it. It counts as passed on, not against the post.
What was said
… He was on stage. I can't wait to see Fox's happiness and satisfaction. Fox News alert, Fox News front and center: President Obama taking time out today for one of his favorite topics, Fox News. President Obama accused Fox News of propagating harmful stereotypes about poor Americans, accused the media, in particular Fox News, suggesting the poor are unwilling to work. Yep, just like college students at a four hour commencement, Fox basically pays no attention until they hear their own names. …
The Daily Show: Ears Edition · · from the transcriptPost →What we found
Supports. Multiple reports from May 2015 confirm Obama, speaking at a Georgetown University poverty panel, said the effort to portray the poor as 'sponges, leeches, don't want to work, are lazy' had gained traction and singled out Fox News for it.[1][2][3]
Supports. A Fox News transcript piece covered Obama's remarks, reporting that he took a dig at Fox while discussing the war on poverty, which partly matches the claim's 'Fox News reported' framing.[4]
Context. The claimed attribution to Fox News reporting is not in the passage: the post is a Daily Show clip titled 'TDS Time Machine' using satirical 'Fox News alert' phrasing, and it does not say Fox reported Obama's remarks. Under extraction fidelity, this addition is not graded as the poster's claim.
Context. Obama's remarks were specifically about Fox News's coverage of poor people, and the claim's wording 'accused the media, specifically Fox News' matches the record. The core event is documented, but the verdict is limited by the extraction departure.[1][3]
Sources
4 sources: 1 fact-checker, 2 tier 2, 1 rated low
- 1Fox News, Barack Obama and their 'lazy' back-and-forth - PolitiFactpolitifact.com · fact-checker · cited for: supports, context
- 2Obama said Fox News vilifies the poor. Jon Stewart presses his point.washingtonpost.com · tier 2 · cited for: supports
- 3Obama: Fox News portrays poor people as 'leeches'politico.com · tier 2 · cited for: supports, context
- 4Obama takes dig at Fox while discussing war on povertyfoxnews.com · rated low for factual reporting by Iffy.news · cited for: supports
Where this claim was made
Said in 1 published post
Related claims
- Fox News has used the words lazy, sponges, and leeches to describe poor people.True
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- In 2009, David Axelrod appeared on ABC News to discuss whether Fox News qualified as a legitimate news organization.True