President Obama Jokes With Bar Patron: 'Turn Off Fox News'

Call him the media critic in chief.

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During a campaign bus tour stop in Amherst, Ohio, President Obama made an appearance at Ziggy's Pub and Restaurant, where a patron named Jeff Hawks pointed out that Fox News, the Rupert Murdoch-owned cable news channel infamous for its right-leaning opinion shows, was playing in the bar.

Obama's response?

According to the White House Press Pool Report, he jokingly asked Hawks to request a switch, adding, "The customer is always right."

Not a bad slogan for a candidacy, actually.

Hawks continued his exchange with Obama, offering that he'd arm wrestle the president for his vote. "No, I'll play basketball for your vote," Obama replied.

The Obama administration, of course, has long had difficulties with Fox News, which is run by former Republican operative Roger Aisles and whose evening show hosts such as Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity and, at one time, Glenn Beck, consistently admonish the president. Obama told reporters in May that he believed Fox had a "point of view that I think is ultimately destructive for the long-term growth of a country that has a vibrant middle class and is competitive in the world.

"But as an economic enterprise, it's been wildly successful," he added. "And I suspect that if you ask Mr. Murdoch what his No. 1 concern is, it's that Fox is very successful."

Murdoch, who recently called Obama a socialist on Twitter, has been critical of the president's opponent, Mitt Romney, as well, though his concern has been more about political strategy than policy.