Source: Nicholas Fondacaro |
During a scathing takedown of CNN for justifying the Democratic National Committee’s ban on allowing Fox News to host a Democratic debate, Fox News host Tucker Carlson reminded viewers Thursday night of why his colleagues were the bigger people. And The Hill’s media reporter, Joe Concha recalled why CNN wasn’t the most trustworthy when it came to holding debates.
Carlson kicked off his program with a rundown of how Fox News had stood on principle in defense of the First Amendment and the press by sticking up for CNN against the Trump administration’s overreaches.
“Last summer, CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins was barred from the White House event after she asked questions the administration thought were too aggressive,” he explained. “Executives here at Fox didn’t hesitate. They loudly came to Kaitlan Collins’s defense. So did Special Report anchor Bret Baier, so did this show.”
He then recalled how Fox News even stood in the defense of insufferable CNN chief White House correspondent, Jim Acosta:
Then the White House briefly banned CNN correspondent Jim Acosta. Jim Acosta is not a great person. He’s awful. Ask anyone who knows him. Still, Fox News stuck to principle. Even awful people ought to be allowed to cover the White House. Fox immediately filed an amicus brief supporting Jim Acosta’s return to the White House press pool. Acosta got his credentials back.
“We defend speech, even when it’s unpopular, even when the person speaking has attacked us personally. Free expression is bigger than any one person or any organization. It is the very heart of this country, it’s the foundation of all other freedoms. We really believe that,” Carlson declared.
“CNN and MSNBC do not believe that,” he added before playing a soundbite of CNN’s “creepy little spokesman” Brian Stelter, who supported the DNC.
And after noting how CNN president Jeff Zucker once shared his machinations about running for political office as a Democrat and how Fox News had more political diversity, Carlson stated: “You will never see anything like that on CNN or MSNBC. On those channels, people are the sum total of their voter registrations.”
When it was time for Concha to give his take, the media reporter had a correction for Carlson’s opening monologue:
You said CNN had shared a debate question with the Clinton campaign. ‘A’ singular you mentioned. That actually happened twice at two different town halls one that they sponsored with another news organization. One that they did solo. So this happened twice through Donna Bazile to the Clinton campaign. So it is interesting to hear them talk about.
Concha then pointed out how the DNC might be afraid of Fox News, but many of their candidates weren’t, because Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard (HI), Senator Kamala Harris (CA), Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (NY), and businessman John Delaney were among those who had recently appeared on Fox News.
Senator Amy Klobuchar (MN) stood out in Concha’s mind because she’s been vocal about being on Fox News. “One of the reasons I came on this show is that I believe that candidates for office whether Democrat or Republican have to go not just where it’s comfortable but where it’s uncomfortable. But, you know, Fox may not always be comfortable for Democrats but I want to make that point,” he quoted.
