Friday Fox Follies – D’bate, D’polls, and D’fense of D’onald

Last updated on July 17th, 2023 at 09:16 pm

First the good news that Fox “News” is trumpeting [geddit?]: it won the debate ratings sweepstakes, as if every other channel wasn’t showing the exact same thing at the exact same time. BUT THAT’S NOT ALL!!!  Now Fox has reached a new milestone in hoodwinking daytime viewers. As I am fond of pointing out, ratings have never equaled truth.

However, that’s the only good news for the station after its champion, Donald J. Trump, was gored [geddit?] at the Presidential Debate. Ever since, Fox “News” has had to spend an inordinate amount of time finding every way to defend him. Or make excuses for him.

In fact, as this week’s Friday Fox Follies is collated, compiled, and carefully crafted, Curvy Couch Chicolinis are furthering Trump’s attacks over husband Bill’s infidelities, even though Trump has surrounded himself with a “Philanderers Club”, according to Jake Tapper, a fairly accurate description.

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Then there are his equally personal attacks on the former Miss Universe, a Latina who he called Miss Piggy and Miss Housekeeping. No snickering:

BILL O’REILLY: Do you think that was a cheap shot by Secretary Clinton to bring [you attacking Alicia Machado] up?
 
DONALD TRUMP: Well, I think it was.

To paraphrase Trump: Worst! Miss Universe!! Evah!!! YUGE!!!

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D’BAIT: Fox “News” is trying to spin it every way they can to make Trump’s disastrous debate performance seem credible:

Hannity And Kilmeade Disregard Fox Memo Discrediting Online Polls • Online Polls Are “Garbage,” But Fox News Still Cites Them • Fox News hosts help Donald Trump promote unscientific online polls as supposed evidence he won debate • Trump’s Fans Declare Unscientific Online Polls To Be The New Gold Standard • After Initially Calling It ‘Very Fair,’ Trump Now Says Debate Was ‘Rigged’ • Gen. Mike Flynn: Trump ‘Hands Down’ Won The Debate, We Just Didn’t Spin It Well Enough

However, the best post debate analysis was supplied by the always sober pundit Seth Myers:

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D’FOXY FRIENDS: Donald Trump has no better friends on Fox than his Foxy Friends, unless you count Bill O’Reilly. Or Sean Hannity. Oh, never mind.

This week Steve Doocy not only blamed Birtherism on Hillary Clinton, despite blaming Trump previously and the fact it’s been thoroughly debunked many times, but also ‘just asked’ whether Clinton’s condemnation of racism is “just to get out the vote”; Ainsley Earhardt skated past Trump’s documented racism; and didn’t laugh in his face when he blamed vast microphone conspiracy for him losing the debate.

Overall Fox “News” is a cozy pillow for Trump to rest upon.

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A ROSEN BY ANY OTHER NAME: It’s always fun to read snark served up against someone I’ve had a bun fight with and accused of covering up treason. The Wemple Blog went after James Rosen and, much to my amusement, Rosen pretty much fact-checked the humour. You’d never know that had not Eric Wemple printed Rosen’s whine in full.

In White House briefing, Fox News’s
James Rosen attacks … Lester Holt

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I’VE SEEN FIRE AND I’VE SEEN BRIMSTONE: Bill O’Reilly’s really KILLING it [geddit?] on his book promotion tour and appeared on Ellen for the very first time for a softball interview where The Falafel King said things he wouldn’t dare say in the No Spin Zone.

O’Reilly to Ellen: Trump Isn’t Some ‘Irresponsible Crazy Man’

Well, maybe not in private when he’s hanging out with O’Reilly, but he sure comes across that way in public. It’s amusing that in this interview he claims he doesn’t hang around with Donald Trump while he explains how he and Donald Trump hang out together.

Yet Loofah Lad attacked the usual targets some more this week: the Muslim community, football-activist Colin Kaepernick, and then he tried to get his non-hang out milkshakin’ buddy Trump to attack Kaepernick.

When he he sent out a tweet on debate night the response was Twitterific:

And then, there’s this:

Bill O’Reilly responds to James Taylor’s
request to turn off Fox News at Logan

But I always thought that I’d see you again.

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TANTAROS THE TARANTULA: This aspect of the Roger Ailes scandal is proving to have legs. [Geddit?]

Andrea Tantaros’ Shrink Backs
Sexual Harassment Claims
Against Roger Ailes & Fox News

Andrea Tantaros Refuses ‘Seven Figure’ Settlement
Offer From Fox News to Drop Harassment Case

Fox News, Andrea Tantaros Disagree Over Whether Settlement Exists

As they say, “Stay tuned.”

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WHITE ON BLACK CRIME: There’s nothing better than when the Whitest people Whitesplaining The Black Experience:

Bill O’Reilly Lectures President Obama
About The Correct Way To Talk
About Black Disenfranchisement

In Fox News Tradition, O’Reilly And
Megyn Kelly Smear Police Shooting
Victim Keith Lamont Scott As A Criminal

I guess that makes it alright for me to expound on the Irish.

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CREDIT WHERE CREDIT’S DUE: Megyn Kelly has made this section so often lately that it’s skewing the accurate perception that she’s biased as hell. First she tells the Trumpets to shut up about women and weight, then she rips Trump spox Kellyanne Conway a new one, and lastly makes a very subtle slam at Sean Hannity, while elevating herself.

Elsewhere O’Reilly accidentally blurts out the truth, while a Fox personality laughs in Eric Trump’s face, and Mark Cuban is given the jump ball to trash Trump. Watch:

Every once in a while the truth is told on Fox.

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FOX BYTES: Fox Admits New Clinton Emails Mostly Duplicates, Hypes Scandal Anyway • Brzezinski Slams Fox & Friends Hosts: ‘How Could Two Men and a Woman in This Day and Age…’ • Fox News Should Tell the Truth About Climate Change

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When Headly Westerfield is not needling Fox “News” he writes investigative advocacy journalism for the Not Now Silly Newsroom.