Only in Bizarro World — aka the Fox “News” Channel — is the firing of James Comey a reason to salivate over the Hillary Clinton email scandal being reopened. Fox may need a new lurch further to the right. As its ratings start to slide into the abyss, the propaganda channel will no longer have the Tee Vee Wingnut Landscape [TVWL] all to itself much longer:
Michael Wolff: Fox News Now Faces
Sinclair and (Gasp!) Real Competition
But rest assured: Fox will continue to defend Emperor Trump……even if it means siding with Russia.
COMEY COMEDY CALVACADE: Trump Tee Vee (psst! Fox) has done everything within its power to normalize the Emperor and his wildly chaotic administration. However, did Trump say “You’re fired!” only after Fox’s Judge Napolitano Recommended Trump Fire Comey Over Clinton Emails Less Than A Week Ago? We know he watches.
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Meanwhile, here’s how Fox continues to deflect:
Paul Ryan, Sean Hannity and every other Republican is deflecting from Russia-Trump investigation • From Fox News to the Senate floor, Republicans close ranks behind Trump firing Comey • Trump Lied About Why He Fired Comey, And Right-Wing Media Helped Him Sell It • Fox & Friends: Trump “Came Up With A Plan” For Firing Comey “When He Was Watching The Sunday Shows” • ‘Fox & Friends’ Host Steve Doocy Suggests Comey Firing Story Is Not a Big Deal • Fox & Friends’ Propagandistic Coverage Of Trump Firing The FBI Director, In 17 Captions • Hannity: Comey Was ‘Lucky the President Let Him Collect a Paycheck as Long as He Did’ • Sean Hannity Desperately Tries To Turn Russiagate Into An Obama Scandal • Fox’s Geraldo Rivera Questions Whether Collusion With Russian Government For Political Gain Is Even A Crime • Fox News Guests Have Acquitted Trump On Russia Already: ‘There’s No Crime’ • Fox’s Napolitano Is “Convinced” Flynn Scandal Shows “There Were Efforts To Destabilize” Trump • Fox’s Andrew Napolitano: “It Is Exquisitely Unfair” To Hold Trump Accountable For What He Said During The Campaign About The Muslim Ban • Fox News: “Current Issues” With Trump “Nowhere Near As Serious As Past Events” Like The Civil War
That last opinion from James Rosen who wrote an entire book covering for Richard Nixon’s treason (at the possible behest of Roger Ailes). So, it’s no stretch to assume the station will cover up for the Trump Crime Family.
THE REMAINING CARLSON: Because intelligent news viewers are watching Rachel Maddow, Tucker Carlson can sell manure to a brain-dead audience looking for chocolate. This brings me to one of the worst cases of journalistic malpractice I’ve ever seen. Alerted to this, I read Eric Wemple’s Fox News’s Tucker Carlson demagogued a rape case involving immigrants. Then they were cleared with rising anger. Firstly, Tucker with an F didn’t use “alleged” as he convicted these teens of crimes they didn’t commit. Then — worse — he trolled Wemple in a private exchange as the WashPo reporter tried to get him on the record. Finally, Carlson tries a walkback on his show that doesn’t quite cut it. Read the whole article and watch this:
https://youtu.be/JoxG_becUj8
There’s no doubt Tucker Carlson Is Trump’s Highest-Paid Smokescreen Salesman when he yells ‘This Is Totally Fake!’: Tucker Carlson Loses It Against Democratic Strategist Over Russia Probe, or after Tucker Goes Off: ‘It’s Not A Constitutional Crisis When The Constitution Allows You To Do It’. To listen to Tucker Carlson on Comey: ‘This Firing Was Overdue and Everyone in Washington Knows It’ and agrees when Trump Spokeswoman Goes on Fox News, Says It’s “Time to Move on” From Russia Investigation.
Also of note this week was when Tucker Carlson Launches A Racial Attack On Rep. Maxine Waters and when Tucker Carlson Botches Bogus Defense Of Racist Texas Voter ID Law.
No wonder he’s losing to Maddow among thinking people.
EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN: One of the best comedy segments on Trump Tee Vee are the appearances of Michelle Malkin, who had been scarce during the Obama Era.
I think she’s been taking acting lessons.
CREDIT WHERE CREDIT’S DUE: While well to the right of center, Charles Krauthammer doesn’t always drink the Fox Kool-Aid. This week he said much to commend:
Krauthammer: Comey firing ‘inexplicable’
Krauthammer: Trump ‘Completely
Undermined’ White House Comey Narrative
Charles Krauthammer: ‘Looks Pretty Improper’
That Trump Asked Comey About Investigation
With all that to choose from, lookie what Fox chose to highlight. Yes, eye-rolling:
Krauthammer: Comey Firing Has Sent the Press ‘Over the Edge’
Meanwhile, Krauthammer’s WashPo editorial is raising eyebrows, if not eye-rolls:
Trump: ‘normalized’ but still scary
With near unanimity, my never-Trump friends confess a sense of relief. It could have been worse. They thought it would be worse. A deep apprehension still endures but the international order remains intact, the republic still stands, and no “enemy of the people” has (yet) been arrested.
Admittedly, this is a low bar. And this is not to deny the insanity, incoherence and sheer weirdness emanating daily from the White House, with which we’ve all come up with our own coping technique. Here’s mine: I simply view President Trump as the Wizard of Oz.
Loud and bombastic. A charlatan. Nothing behind the screen — other than the institutional chaos that defines his White House and the psychic chaos that governs his ever-changing mind. What to do? Ignore what’s behind the curtain. Deal with what comes out in front: the policy, the pronouncements, the actions.
AUNTY EM!!! AUNTY EM!!!
THIS WEEK’S LAWSUIT:
Anti-Trump Protester Sues Fox News for Defamation
On Dec. 15, Crites’ attorneys sent Fox a demand for a retraction. On Dec. 23, Steve Doocy read an on-air apology to Crites and his grandmother.
“We used an exaggerated description, and we also stated that Austyn Crites was suspected of voting under his deceased grandmother’s name using his address. However, Mr. Crites tells us his grandmother is alive and he did not commit voter fraud,” Doocy said.
Crites’ attorney alleges that the apology fell short of a genuine retraction.
“Fox did not acknowledge or state that the information provided by Plaintiff was correct and true,” the lawsuit states.
SCANDAL CORNER: This ain’t going away any time soon.
Fox Reveals Cost of Sexual Harassment Allegations: $45 Million
Fox News Should Let “Gagged” Accusers
Speak, Lawyer Tells U.K. Regulator
Fox News may need to fire a lot
more people before it changes course
Fox News Accuser: Bill Shine Tried to Commit
Me to a Psychiatric Facility Against My Will
HOW CAN WE MISS YOU IF YOU WON’T GO AWAY? Sex scandal-related:
EXCLUSIVE: Disgraced Bill O’Reilly scouted by
conservative media outlets after Fox News exit
Geraldo Rivera Tweets Out Photo of Himself and Bill O’Reilly
‘This Was a Hit’: Bill O’Reilly Vows to ‘Explain’
What Happened at Fox, Talks Taking ‘Legal Action’
O’Reilly hinted that he may even take legal action.
“It’s coming,” he said ominously. “Unfortunately, I was target number one. It’s sad. It’s sad for me. It’s sad for my family. It’s grossly dishonest. I did what I thought I had to do to protect my family. Those days are over. From now on when I’m attacked, I’m going to take action, mostly legal action.”
Yes, please.
WATTERS’ WORLD IS SHRINKING:
Fox News Reportedly Trying to Stop Jesse
Watters from Reuniting With Bill O’Reilly
PASSAGES:
Frequent Fox Business ‘Expert’ Arrested
for Felony Fraud and Embezzlement
Fox News Recruits Industry Veteran
Marianne Gambelli to Lead Ad Sales
FOX BYTES: Racist Daily Mail Columnist On Fox & Friends Laments Le Pen Losing As A “Loss For Europe” • Fox’s Griff Jenkins Abruptly Ends Interview When Diner Suggests Trump Fired Comey To Quash Russia Investigation • Hannity’s Interview With Kris Kobach Proves Election Commission Is About Voter Suppression [radio] • Watch A Health Care Expert Dismantle Fox News’ Claims Of An Obamacare “Death Spiral” • Celebrity chef refuses to cook with Paul Ryan on Fox News: report • Fox News personality celebrates birthday in full Bluffton style this weekend
Headly Westerfield proudly beat James Rosen in a Beatles Trivia Contest.
