Church may not be a part of my Sunday morning ritual but I occasionally ponder what heaven and hell might look like. My vision of heaven usually involves the clichéd white clouds and harp music, along with an all-you-can eat dessert bar where everything is magically calorie-free. But it’s when I think about hell — well, that’s when my imagination really runs wild. In my worst nightmares, Satan’s lair is actually the set of a Fox News show with all the anchors gathered around waiting to grill my liberal ass. So as both Clinton and Obama (as well as other Democratic leaders) turn to the network they once shied away from in the hope of attracting unsure and conservative voters, I’m left wondering: Have they made a deal with the devil?

Last year alone was proof enough that Dems see Fox News as a fiery inferno. In March 2007, the Nevada Democratic Party backed out of an agreement they had with the network to co-sponsor a debate. The reason? Fox News President had made a ridiculously inappropriate joke comparing Obama and Osama Bin Laden (good one). And throughout the course of last year, Edwards , Clinton, and Obama repeatedly turned down offers to appear on the network, most likely because of Fox anchors’ penchant for constantly attacking the Democratic candidates.

Yet since the start of 2008, there seems to have been a complete about-face. Clinton has made 10 appearances in the last four months, compared to her three last year. And Obama has already been on the network eight times, whereas he only made two appearances last year. The chairman of Clinton’s campaign even went so far as to declare Fox fair and balanced after they were the first to project her Pennsylvania win. These things alone have many left-wingers in a tizzy. How could Obama and Clinton turn to a news channel that has, time and again, shown a bias towards Republicans.

The simple answer: With the Democratic primaries as close as they are, Obama and Clinton are clearly feeling the need to reach a bigger audience. Sure, they could continue popping up on MSNBC and CNN to go over the campaign points but over there, they’re in all likelihood just preaching to the people they already have in the bag. And while Fox may be conservative, there’s no arguing that it’s the highest-rated and most-watched news channel. By making regular appearances, both candidates can reach out to viewers who are straddling the fence.

So while it might be tiresome and at times even offensive for Obama to walk the Fox gauntlet, it’s a necessary evil. We’re down to the final stretch. I, for one, want a candidate who’s willing to do what it takes to reach voters… even if it means squaring off against Bill O’Reilly.

– Bethany Heitman