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Fox News (NWS-A) chairman Roger Ailes struck out at John Edwards announced withdrawal from a scheduled televised debate that was set to be co-hosted by Fox in August. Ailes commented that any politician that is "afraid of journalists" may not be qualified for the nation's highest office.

Ailes said before the Radio and Television News Directors Foundation Dinner on Thursday that "Recently pressure groups are forcing candidates to conclude that the best strategy for journalists is divide and conquer, to only appear on those networks and venues that give them favorable coverage."

He added that while all of this isn't new, what is that it "has been tried again this year with the added wrinkle that candidates are being urged to boycott debates because certain pressure groups want to approve the sponsoring organizations."

Edwards' campaign even admitted that Fox News' connection to the debate was a major part of the decision to back out of the debate.

I think this is really a mistake by Edwards. He already looks like he's being controlled by out of touch groups like MoveOn.org who have been pressuring democratic candidates not to join in the debate.

It seems to me that Ailes gets it right when he says that the public is able to make the determination on whether a question that is asked is fair or not. To run away from this situation doesn't bode well for Edwards and his camp. There's simply no upside for this decision.

We live in a media world. To go to only friendly networks and receive powderpuff questions is a sign of weakness in Edwards. Whoever gave him this advice is going to regret it. Edwards shouldnt have given in. I don't think even Fox's competitors will back Edwards on this, as it's a slam against all media.