White House officials on Fox News: 'It's not a news organization'

Two White House officials on Sunday talk shows fired another salvo in the administration's feud with Fox News.

“It’s not a news organization so much as it has a perspective, and that’s a different take," White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel told CNN's "State of the Union." "And more importantly, it’s important not to have the CNN’s and the others of the world being led and following Fox, as if what they’re trying to do is a legitimate news organization."

"It's not really a news organization," White House Senior Adviser David Axelrod said on ABC's' "This Week." "We're going to appear on their shows, we're going to participate, but understanding they have a point of view."

Both Emanuel and Axelrod's lines on Sunday are sure to add fuel to a fire first inflamed by adviser Anita Dunn, who charged last week that Fox was the "communications arm of the Republican Party." It was the second time Dunn rebuked the network in October; previously, she insisted the channel was "opinion journalism masquerading as news."

Fox News, as expected, has reacted equally aggressively to the White House's original comments. Last week, Senior Vice President of News Michael Clemente insisted his channel's audience was able to distinguish fact and opinion on his network.

"The average news consumer can certainly distinguish between the A section of the newspaper and the editorial page, which is what our programming represents," he explained. "So, with all due respect to anyone who still might be confused about the difference between news reporting and vibrant opinion, my suggestion would be to talk about the stories and the facts rather than attack the messenger…which over time, has never worked."

Interestingly enough, Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace said earlier today he invited the president's advisers to his show to discuss the brewing spat. However, he added, the White House declined any interview on the matter.