Fox News Tries To Influence People

Dale Carnegie came up with a list of ways to "Win people to your way of thinking,"  in his famous book How to Win Friends and Influence People.  Notice the last one:

Win people to your way of thinking

1. The only way to get the best of an argument is to avoid it.
2. Show respect for the other person's opinions. Never say, "You're wrong."
3. If you are wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically.
4. Begin in a friendly way.
5. Get the other person saying "yes, yes" immediately.
6. Let the other person do a great deal of the talking.
7. Let the other person feel that the idea is his or hers.
8. Try honestly to see things from the other person's point of view.
9. Be sympathetic with the other person's ideas and desires.
10. Appeal to the nobler motives.
11. Dramatize your ideas.
12. Throw down a challenge.

Now Fox News makes use of the last one, throw down a challenge.  I noticed a post on another blog, In an Alternate Universe, pointing to this Fox item:

[...] Several popular left-leaning blogs have taken up the cause to keep the story alive, encouraging readers to contact media outlets. A Web site, DowningStreetMemo.com, tells readers to contact the White House directly with complaints.

"This is a test of the left-wing blogosphere," said Jim Pinkerton, syndicated columnist and regular contributor to FOX News Watch [...] [emphasis added]

I'm not sure Fox News is trying to win friends, but they certainly are trying to influence people.  In this case, it may influence liberal bloggers to keep up the pressure.