Biden is Officially Running For President - Everyone on Fox is FREAKING OUT!
A condensed overview of 20 hours of Fox News for the week ending 4/30/23
By Tuesday morning President Biden released his official presidential campaign video and everyone on Fox News acted as if the country had just experienced a communist revolution. This wasn’t just an incumbent president announcing he’d run again, it was the end of America.
On “Fox & Friends” producers included five short segments in the first hour about Biden’s announcement.
The network even broadcast almost the entire three-minute campaign video, then repeated specific clips from it throughout the rest of the day. It was described as dark, hateful and divisive.
On every show I analyzed last week Fox News hosts featured polls that indicted Biden’s unpopularity and negative opinions about his age. The fact that Donald J. Trump is nearly as old as Biden was never really seriously addressed.
When Fox hosts weren’t screaming about Biden they fell back on their favorite themes: the border crisis, Hunter Biden and crime.
As always the network ignored a slew of stories about investigations into Trump, climate change catastrophes and developments in the war in Ukraine.
Shows I covered last week
Fox & Friends
The Five
Jesse Watters Primetime
Fox News Tonight
Steve Doocy Dissed Trump While Comparing Biden to Reagan
I’m not sure what is in Doocy’s coffee lately but he’s made a number of statements in the past few months that seem to be off script for a Fox News morning host.
On Tuesday he pointed out that Biden could still beat Trump, and that Trump was as equally unpopular as the sitting president.
“And according to the same poll, a thousand people were queried. 60% say Donald Trump should not run. Right now, according to this NBC poll, it looks as if they were asked, who do you support? Would you support Joe Biden or the Republican 41% say they would vote for Joe Biden. 47% said they would vote for the Republican nominee.
Obviously, we don't know who the Republican nominee would be at this point. But right now we know that in the polls Donald Trump has been leading. It's interesting. There was a Wall Street Journal poll that came out over the weekend by Tony Fabrizio, that he's the pollster for Donald Trump. Ron DeSantis is leading Joe Biden by three. And Donald Trump is trailing Joe Biden by three,” said Doocy.
On Friday, Doocy compared President Biden to Ronald Reagan.
“You know what? We know that you are interested in who is going to lead the United States of America coming up in the next election cycle. And if you take a look at the latest approval rating for the president, it's going to be setting off alarm bells at the White House right now, according to Gallup, to Gallup. Joe Biden's approval rating is at 37%.
Last year, in July, he was in 38%. And he's been stuck in the low forties ever since. The withdrawal from Afghanistan. And as bad as that number is. I looked it up this morning with Joe Biden at 37%. You know who is lower than him? Ronald Reagan. Ronald Reagan in 1983 is 1983, kicked off, had a 35% job approval rating.
But then again, the economy stunk. Unemployment was about 10%. But Ronald Reagan ran for reelection when his end recovered completely because by the time election rolled around, he was in the sixties. So, you know, I'm sure the White House is going we've got to do something about the economy, but it's possible to pull out of this nosedive,” said Doocy.
Fox Continues to Bash Trans People and Demonize the LGBTQ Community
It seems every week Fox News produces a segment that is so heinous I debate if I should even re-post it. In this case I thought it was important to show how the network is trying to tie gender-affirming care with the sexual abuse of children.
On Friday during a brief segment on “Fox News Tonight,” the temporary replacement for Tucker Carlson’s show, Brian Kilmeade discussed how the Department of Justice is suing the state of Tennessee over a law that bans gender affirming care for minors.
“It's hard to believe it's we change gears, but there's a growing element of the left that wants to sexualize children, and it comes with the support of the Biden administration. There's nothing else you could conclude. The DOJ is now suing the state of Tennessee over a law that protects children from radical gender experiments. According to the DOJ, children must be entitled to mutilate themselves with puberty blockers in surgery,” said Kilmeade.
Gender affirming care for minors is contentious issue for many. The Department of Justice is basically making the argument that the decision to seek treatment should be up to the parents, doctors and patient rather than the government.
What Brian Kilmeade did next was absolutely disgusting and sinister.
He then pivoted to a story about a post on Twitter that was allegedly in support of Minor Attracted Persons, which is one term for an adult who is sexually attracted to children.
“Meanwhile, there's troubling support online for so-called youth attracted persons. That's what we call pedophiles. Elon Musk just had to ban a user that proudly displayed a flag that apparently represents a community of children loving adults. You want must says it will not be tolerated,” said Kilmeade.
The LGBTQ community has come out strongly against any sort of inclusion of adults who abuse children for decades. There is no mainstream movement to include pedophiles into the LGBTQ spectrum.
The history of rejecting pedophiles is as old as the gay rights movement.
A group promoting sexual relations between underage boys and adult men tried to include their organization NAMBLA (North American Man Boy Love Assoc.) in the first gay march parade on Washington in 1979. The group was soundly rejected during the conference that organized the event.
Nothing has changed since 1979. The LGBTQ community views pedophilia as sexual abuse of children, not a sexual orientation.
Numerous studies that go back decades have also debunked any links between homosexuality and pedophilia.
The term MAP (Minor Attracted Person) comes from researchers and advocates who are trying to stop the sexual abuse of children. The theory is extremely controversial as it’s meant to de-stigmatize people who have sexual attraction to children in order to help them get therapy and treatment before they abuse a child.
Some doctors and scientists who research pedophiles think this will help but they are not without critics. Many groups that represent victims of childhood sexual abuse and survivors themselves have been extremely critical of this approach.
A lot of phony anti-LGBTQ propaganda gets posted on social media designed to make it seem like pedophilia is welcome in the LGBTQ community. I suspect the Twitter post featured in the segment on “Fox News Tonight,” was most likely a hoax.
Fox News won’t stop at criticizing the trans community. The network obviously has no problem also ensnaring gay and bisexual adults in their hateful rhetoric. To equate LGBTQ folks with pedophiles is absolutely abhorrent. In the past several months the homophobic and transphobic hate promoted on Fox News has reached dangerous levels.
Hunter Biden Again Because Why Not?
When Fox isn’t sure what to report on they bring up the never-ending story that involves anything to do with Hunter Biden. Anchors and hosts are always adamant that he’s about to be indicted yet nothing ever seems to happen.
Jessica Tarlov, the liberal voice on “The Five” pointed out why the Republican Party is so focused on any scandal involving the president’s son.
“I think it's correct that most families have someone who is an addict in their families. But obviously, the Bidens are an exceptional family.
They're exceptional for what they've achieved. They're exceptional for what they're worth. And because the press in the United States of America, there are other powerful families that have a lot of family turmoil and where kids are trading on their father's names. And that's very, very common. And I don't, you know, to the whataboutism front, I'm sure that Claire McCaskill, when she was talking about that, mentioned the Trumps and things that the Trump kids have gotten because their last name is Trump.
I don't want to minimize what the connection to Joe Biden from Hunter might be until we know exactly know everything that is out there. But the Republicans are doing themselves no favors. And I think that's what the Morning Joe Crew is reacting to by going on TV incessantly and talking about it. Put your head down and do the work.
I'll bring up the interview again. Jim Cramer on with the Fox and Friends host a couple of weeks ago talking about everything that they've got. And finally, I think it was Brian said, well, what do you got? And it was then a ton of what about is it from, you know, well, this could lead to this, and if this and if that the time has come to move past if if you want to lead news cycles with this, if you want to go out and do your job in private and not go on national TV all the time and boast about what you have when you definitively have nothing at this moment but to connect Hunter Biden's business dealings to his father personally, would you not agree?” said Tarlov.
Fox Guest Goes Rogue!
Sometimes a guest on Fox News goes rogue. On Thursday during a discussion about EV tanks on “Jesse Watters Primetime,” David Carlucci, a former NY State Senator made a good case for why EV vehicles might make a tactical difference in combat.
Pete Hegseth was the host as Watters was out on paternity leave.
“So what is the reason? Real reason why they would be obsessing over batteries in the military?” said Hegseth.
Carlucci responded.
“This hearing, they're talking about a $10 billion investment in the greatest military force on the planet. That's the men and women of our nation that run our military. We have to stay current. We have to have the most technologically advanced military on the face of the planet.
We have to do this. We want the batteries in the tanks. If China develops a Tesla style tank before us, we're in trouble,” said Carlucci.
Hegseth interrupted.
“Who says the Tesla style tank is going to be better than a diesel powered tank?” said Hegseth.
“Think of electric car on the street today. You can't hear it. Its its engine is so much cooler so meaning it wouldn't be detected on the battlefield. There are so many positives to moving in this direction,” said Carlucci.
“Well, if you could see it for tactical advantage, I can see it, but they're not putting tactical advantage first. They're saying 2030, all EVs, and then hopefully we make it tactically helpful,” said Hegseth.
“That's not because of this or that. I don't think our men and women in military will have to wait at the local mall charging the tank in order to go into the battlefield. It's not going to be there. I think that's why we have to figure this out now. That's why this investment think about $10 billion in our military is a small investment to make that will pay dividends if we can start to think of it,” said Carlucci.
Hegseth was not convinced.
‘So we're going to charge in the tanks when we get back to base. Hopefully they charge quick, but we don't have an electric grid because we're in a third world country,” said Hegseth.
“I think the concept we're thinking about is today 2023. We're talking about tomorrow. Seven years from now, what will the world look like? Look, when we were talking about when the electric car, we didn't think it'd be as sleek as fast as the Tesla and electric cars that are on the market today. It's possible we need to lead the world in innovation, and the military's always having the breakthroughs,” said Carlucci.
It’s OK if Dana Perino says Farmers Need Migrants to Help Pick Crops but it’s NOT OK if Nancy Pelosi says it.
Last Monday Dana Perino made some observations about migrants.
“The other thing is the Biden administration for having blown this off so long is that they've made it so much harder to get legislation passed. Yeah. Because until you deal with the security issue, nobody wants to talk about anything else. In the meantime, you have farmers who can't get their crops picked with legal temporary visa, migrant labor. And so what's going to happen? That fruit will rot on the vine or what makes it to the store will be so much more expensive and everybody will pay for it. And again, just keep adding up. How much you are paying, how much more you're paying in the last two years than you did before that,” said Perino.
Last September then Speaker Nancy Pelosi basically said the exact same thing.
Will Cain was outraged over it.
“Here's what she really thinks about illegal immigrants. In a senior moment, she said the quiet part out loud,” said Cain.
He then cut to a clip of Pelosi.
“We have a shortage of workers in our country. And you see even in Florida, some of the farmers in the growers saying, why are you shipping these immigrants up north? We need them to pick the crops down here. We need them to pick the crops,” said Pelosi
Cain was disgusted.
“Plantation Nancy Pelosi loves illegal immigrants. She even loves gang members who show up and murder people. Why? Look, they're God's children. And also because she needs someone to sweep the floor of her nail salon and pick the crops,” said Cain.
Elon Musk’s Blue Checkmark of Shame
On Wednesday on "Fox & Friends," Kurt Knutsson, The Cyberguy commented how Twitter's new Blue check mark campaign was a spectacular failure. The Blue check mark is now a mark of shame.
Kilmeade started the segment.
“What about the blue check? Should I be buying it? How is it going over that you now have to pay for it unless you're a celebrity who whines?” said Kilmeade.
Knutsson responded.
“Well, I mean, it just it's obviously a failure. The idea to rollout I mean, it's a good idea to say, hey, we've got to make some money somehow at Twitter if you're Elon Musk. But people just they've rejected it. They're not they're not buying it. And I mean, it's less than it's less than 1%, actually 0.1% of people who signed up for it that are on Twitter now. So they started putting it back on people's accounts. And now everybody is going on Twitter saying, I didn't pay for it. Just so you know.
So there's there's some controversy there. I don't know what he's going to do next with the blue checkmark, but it is now turned into a mark of shame,” said Knutsson.
Stories that Fox News Ignored
Every week I compare the hours I watch on Fox News with five hours of the PBS NewsHour. The following are stories that PBS reported on that Fox News did not.
A civil trial that involves an accusation that former President Donald J. Trump raped a woman began last week. E. Jean Carroll, a former advice columnist, is suing Trump for an undisclosed amount for alleging raping her 27 years ago in a department store dressing room.
Former Vice President Mike Pence testified before a federal grand jury for more than seven hours in Washington D.C.. His testimony is part of a two-year investigation lead by special counsel Jack Smith into former President Donald J. Trump’s role to attempt to overturn the 2020 election and the riot at the Capitol on January 6th.
The federal criminal trial against members of the hate group The Proud Boys wrapped up last week. All five of the defendants have pleaded not guilty
Jury selection began in the case of the accused shooter in the 2018 attack on the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. Robert Bowers is accused of killing 11 worshipers in an anti-semitic motivated attack, the worst assault on the Jewish community in U.S. history.
Carolyn Bryant, the woman who falsely accused a 14-year-old Black child, Emmett Till of sexually harassing her died at the age of 89. Her false accusation led to the brutal lynching death of Till. No one was ever convicted for his murder.
Former Minnesota police officer, Kim Potter, was released from prison after serving 16 months of a 2-year sentence for the fatal shooting of Daunte Wright. Potter killed Daunte after mistaking her gun for a taser during a traffic stop.
The police officer who killed Breonna Taylor in a botched raid was hired by a nearby county sheriff’s office. The family of Taylor issued a statement expressing disgust and disappointment about the hiring.
A ban on semi-automatic rifles passed in the Washington state legislature. The law would ban the sale, distribution, manufacture and importation of more than 50 gun models. The NRA immediately filed a lawsuit challenging the ban.
Montana became the latest state to ban gender affirming care for minors. A Democratic Rep. Zooey Zephyr who happens to be transgender, told lawmakers they would have blood on their hands if they passed the bill. Zephyr was banned from speaking in the House until she apologized. She is allowed to vote on bills remotely but cannot enter the gallery.
WNBA star Brittney Griner held her first press conference after being released from a Russian penal colony over a marijuana charge.
A new report from the non-partisan COVID Crisis Group: “COVID-19 - Lessons from the COVID War an Investigative Report,” was released last week. The report showcased strengths and weaknesses in how the U.S. government handled the pandemic.
The Russian military pummeled Ukraine with numerous airstrikes. The Ukrainian military prepares for a new offensive with their newly acquired armored vehicles and tanks.
Russia faced a rebuke of Western members of the U.N. Security Council.
Russia denied an U.S. embassy request to visit jailed American journalist Evan Gershkovich.
Alexei Navalny, an imprisoned Russian opposition leader, is facing new charges. He faces an additional 30 years that could be added to the 11 and a half year sentence he is currently serving.
The U.S. Army garrison once called Fort Lee was renamed Fort Gregg-Adams after two Black former officers. The garrison is part of a program to re-name military bases originally named after Confederates.
Reports of sexual assault slightly increased in the U.S. military last year. Cases dropped sharply in the U.S. Army but increased in the other three services.
The smoking rate among adults in the U.S. dropped to 11%, a new all time low.
The U.S. opened asylum processing centers for migrants in Columbia and Guatemala.
The president of South Korea met with Biden to announce an agreement to deter North Korea including deploying a nuclear armed submarine. He also addressed the U.S. Congress.
Japan’s attempt to land an unmanned mission to the moon failed only 33 feet from contact.
Biden’s nominee for Labor Secretary, Julie Su, advanced in a Senate Committee on a party line vote.
Pope Francis will allow women to vote in an upcoming meeting of Catholic bishops in October.
Two explosions at a counter terrorism police station in Pakistan killed 12 people and injured 50. The explosions could be due to explosive material that was stored in the basement. The exact cause of the disaster is still unknown.
The battle over medication used in abortion continues in the courts. For now patients in states where abortion is legal can still access the drug.
Anti-abortion bills were narrowly defeated by state legislatures in South Carolina and Nebraska last week.
Microsoft’s plan to acquire Activision Blizzard was blocked in the U.K. by an anti-trust regulator.
Fifty-five migrants drowned off the coast of Libya, while 41 migrants drowned off the coast of Tunisia. In both cases the boats they were crammed into were barely sea-worthy.
Water levels in the upper Mississippi River are at near record highs due to excessive snow melt.
The Supreme Court of North Carolina threw out a ruling that was meant to redraw heavily gerrymandered Republican leaning districts. The same court also banned felons from voting and added a voter ID requirement.
Harry Belafonte, the actor, singer and activist died at the age of 96. He was one of the few performers to win an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony awards. He was a passionate supporter of the civil rights movement.
By The Numbers
Coming up…
This week I’ll be covering “Fox & Friends,” “The Five,” and “Fox News Tonight,” which will be hosted by Lawrence Jones. I also managed to capture all of Tucker Carlson Original episodes this past weekend and plan to break them down for paid subscribers. I’m also slowly capturing as many “Tucker Carlson Today” episodes before they are removed from Fox Nation.