Fox News: Obama had an opinion, Curt Schilling Incited Violence, Biden's Bribes and Trantifa!
A condensed overview of 20 hours of Fox News for the week ending 6/18/23
Somehow a podcast appearance by former President Barack Obama was an incredibly important story on Fox News last week. Of course, the network included extended segments about the criminal arraignment of Donald J. Trump as he was portrayed as a hero of the common man persecuted for standing up to the tyrannical deep state.
Fox News didn’t spend a lot of time breaking down the charges against Trump. The network framed the story as evidence of a two-tiered system of justice where Democrats could get away with stealing classified documents but Republicans couldn’t.
Never mind that former Vice President Mike Pence was cleared of any wrongdoing after the FBI discovered classified documents in his Indiana home.
I dedicated a separate podcast to the primetime coverage of the night of the arraignment. This newsletter is focused on everything else Fox News covered last week.
As usual Fox News didn’t inform it’s viewers about climate catastrophes, regional conflicts, advancements in the Ukraine War or the conviction the man who carried out the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history.
Shows I analyzed last week:
Fox & Friends - the first hour
The Five
Jesse Watters Primetime
Fox News Tonight
Obama Appeared on a Podcast - Why was this a Major Story?
On Thursday Brian Kilmeade went on an extended monologue about former President Barack Obama’s recent appearance on the podcast “The Axe Files with David Axelrod.”. Kilmeade cited Obama 21 times in seven and a half minutes.
“President Obama believes America is a terrible, racist country, never good, hates Black people. There's been no progress. He believes the country John Lewis was born in is unchanged when he passed away.
And that, to me is sad. Now, when you hear President Obama speak, it's hard to believe he has actually ever president. No one had more power than Barack Obama when he took office. He had the power to improve race relations in the country to show that anything is possible. Just look at his biography. But too often, his success was not conveyed.
Cynicism oozed out on almost every inflection point when he was in power. He seemed to make things worse. . . So intentional or not, President Obama actually did the exact opposite. He fanned the flames of racial divide in this nation. That's not our opinion. It's a fact. During Obama's last year in office, there was a poll done that CNN actually did it.
So, a majority of Americans, 54%, believe race relations worsened under President Obama. This is a poll and that it could if 40% of the black population and the numbers of Americans who believe the criminal justice system treated black and whites equally. Actually decreased six points last year. Now, a New York Times poll that same year had similar results,” said Kilmeade.
Fox News puts a lot of faith in polls when they agree with its agenda.
Kilmeade went on to boast that Black unemployment was lower during the Trump administration than under Obama.
The Fox News host seemingly forgot that Obama started his administration during a global financial crisis and the Great Recession. Trump began his one term in office with a healthy economy left by. his predecessor.
Kilmeade also didn’t seem to know that Black unemployment is lower now under Biden than it was when Trump was president.
The Black unemployment rate in May was the lowest in recorded history.
Curt Schilling Incited Violence
During a discussion about the Los Angeles Dodgers’ decision to honor a LGBTQ advocacy group, the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, retired major league baseball player Curt Schilling appeared to make a call for politically motivated violence.
Schilling: But it's it's it's a sad day. And the problem is, Jesse, you know, if you look at, you know, I love coming on this show. I love talking to you. I love what you've done, what you're doing in your voice. But the fact of the matter is, you know, I'm tired of listening to Jim Jordan and Matt Getz and Dan Crenshaw and all these people talk, talk. That's all they're doing. They're talking. We're up against a side and a force that doesn't play by the rules, refuses to play by the rules. Just look no further than the unconstitutional legal thing going with former President Trump.
And we're not doing anything about it. We're talking about it. And we get excited and we get emotional. That's it. They break the law. They do the things they need to do to ensure their agenda is driven forward. And we're watching them gut our nation from the inside out. And I don't know where the rubber is going to meet the road because, you know, it's true. But, you know, you look at the guys that the young men that signed the Constitution and all the things that they sacrificed everything to come out from under a tyrannical government.
And then eventually, at some point, there was a man in Concord who decided he was going to pull the trigger. And I feel like we're getting back to a point where somebody is going to have to pull a trigger because everything we hold dear, everything this country was founded on, is being just dragged through the mud and mocked and made fun of.
Right after Schilling made the statement about “somebody is going to have to pull a trigger Jesse Watters looked down. The move was intentional and awkward.
Schilling: This country, was founded on godly principles, no matter how offensive that is to the left. It's true.
Jesse Watters abruptly cut him off.
Watters: Well, I'm going to assume that we weren't pull the trigger metaphorically.
As Watters said this a red rectangle that indicated the segment was “LIVE” appeared on the left-hand side of the screen.
It seemed fairly obvious that a producer either passed a note to Watters or someone told him in his earpiece to steer Schilling away from an overt call to violence.
Schilling: Absolutely. Well, no, I mean, it doesn't matter if I say metaphorically, because they're going to run with that quote, no matter how I put it. I could have phrased it in any positive way, saying stand up and fight and blah, blah, blah, and I would be inciting a riot while Maxine Waters says, you know, get in their face.
Watters interrupted Schilling and talked right over his last line.
Watters: No, I understand. And I've said this to Jim Jordan, have said this to these Congressmen. You know, they throw a subpoena around, they fire off a really bold letter. Gotcha. Republicans need to go on the warpath. And that means that you got to use every tool necessary. They got to do what's being done to them, because that's the only way this is going to stop.
Who’s the Groomer? - Kirk Cameron or a Drag Queen?
On Wednesday also on “Primetime with Jesse Watters,” Christian advocate and author Kirk Cameron came on to trash the LGBTQ community and promote his latest children’s book.
“What does that mean pride comes before the fall?” asked Watters.
Cameron picked up a copy of his book by the same name and explained the title.
“This is actually quoting a scripture verse. Pride comes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. It's better to be humble with the lowly than to share plunder with the proud. Kids need to understand that pride is the pregnant mother that gives birth to all forms of evil, because it's about myself and about me. Humility is about others, and that's where their blessing is,” said Cameron.
I’m not sure how a line like “pride is the pregnant mother that gives birth to all forms of evil,” is kid friendly but Cameron seemed to think it was. Cameron is also outspokenly against abortion so his choice of a pregnant mother being the source of all evil was an odd one.
Victor Davis Hanson Blames LGBTQ People on the Destruction of Civilization
On Friday on “Fox News Tonight” during a discussion that began with a confluence of the LGBTQ community and the woke agenda. Victor Davis Hanson, of the Hoover Institute, went on a diatribe where he seemingly blamed LGBTQ folks with every societal ill.
“It is. I think people in the last couple of years, Brian their live and let live. And so they thought, well, if somebody wants to fly the flag, fine. If they're going to be a little lenient here in San Francisco, fine. But now they're starting to see it's existential, it's civilizational. If you can't go to a park without stepping on feces or a syringe or you're a hard working small business person and you can't stop a shoplifter or you're in a plane and you don't know whether the pilot was selected on the basis a meritocracy.
This is a whole new dimension. And I think almost collectively, people are saying it's not enough to turn off the Oscars or not watch the NBA anymore or, you know, don't don't go to the first run movies in a theater. You can't. Has to be more than that. Because if we don't strike back, if we don't push back, these people are nihilist, anarchist, and they're going to destroy the very basis of our civilization,” said Hanson.
Francey Hakes Defends an Alleged Rapist
Also on Friday on “Fox News Tonight,” former federal prosecutor Francey Hakes came on to discuss an allegation of rape against UFC fighter Conor McGregor.
McGregor is a darling of sorts on Fox News as the network has featured him several times on various programs as some sort of hero.
Hakes took victim blaming to a whole new level in this segment.
“Conor could be in a little bit of trouble in the sense that this is not the first time there have been sexual assault allegations against him. However, he's never been convicted of anything,” said Hakes.
McGregor has actually been accused of raping multiple women. Two women in Ireland claimed he raped them in 2018 and one woman in Corsica accused him of attempted sexual assault and indecent exposure in 2020.
For various reasons the accusations never led to any criminal indictments.
Hakes continued.
“And I want to be clear that at this point it is, again, only allegations and it doesn't look good for her that she's changed her story or that we've learned her story is not quite what she first made it out to be, because I did watch the videotape, Brian, and it looked very clearly to me like she went into that bathroom with him voluntarily.
Now, there are really not that many good explanations for why someone would voluntarily go into a men's VIP bathroom with Conor McGregor in the middle of a Miami Heat game. I don't know what she was doing. It sounds like she was at minimum impaired. But I think we're going to have to hear from eyewitnesses on the scene before we know the real story,” said Hakes.
Brian Kilmeade interrupted.
“Just drilling down just a little bit. She said she's had at least six drinks and said she thought she was going back to the Four Seasons Hotel with him. What does that do for the allegations?” asked Kilmeade.
Kilmeade brought up a point that is typically used to blame victims of sexual assault - that she was somehow responsible for a man attacking her because she’d consumed alcohol. Of course McGregor would also be responsible for his actions.
The amount of alcohol or drugs he consumed that evening was never even mentioned. Both Kilmeade and Hakes put all the responsibility on the woman.
Hakes continued.
“Well, it makes it a little harder to accept that this was a sexual assault case because it seems like she was very interested in Mr. McGregor, at least from her own words. She thought she was going back to his hotel and she was drinking heavily. And she does appear to have gone in that bathroom voluntarily. Now, all of this is not to say that she has not been sexually assaulted. I'm not saying that we're not We just don't know. But it doesn't look good for her to be drinking that heavily and to make decisions like going back to a hotel with someone who appears to be a complete stranger to her and has a reputation for violence, said Hakes.
Again, all the responsibility is put on the alleged victim. The woman in this case should have known McGregor was violent and she should have avoided drinking alcohol.
The amount of alcohol she consumed is not relevant. Being intoxicated is not consent to have sex with anyone.
McGregor is also an adult who might have made a choice that having sex with a stranger in a bathroom could lead to another accusation of sexual assault.
Even if the woman had agreed to go back to a hotel room with McGregor that is no indication of consent that she wanted to have sex with him in the hotel room or the VIP bathroom.
Neither Hakes or Kilmeade have any idea what transpired between McGregor and the woman except for a brief clip of blurry video where they both appear to walk into a private bathroom together.
Kilmeade seemed more concerned about McGregor.
“In fact, his job is to inflict violence and win against other skilled fighters. He also beat up a mascot, sent him to the hospital. Not a great day for McGregor,” said Kilmeade.
Hakes continued to criticize McGregor’s accuser.
“No, it's not a great day. And that's another thing about the story that's interesting, Brian. She talks about having gotten away from him in the bathroom by elbowing him a few times. And I do not mean to demean her or her story, but he is an MMA fighter, one of the baddest men on the planet. I find it very difficult to believe that if he was hellbent on doing something illegal, then her elbows would not have stopped him,” said Hakes.
By this logic no woman should ever go near McGregor unless they expect to be raped.
Doocy Goes Rogue - The Biden Bribery Scandal
On Friday on “Fox & Friends,” Steve Doocy went on one of his signature “Doocy goes rogue” rants as he poked holes in the latest Hunter Biden scandal pushed by Republican members of the House Oversight Committee.
“Okay. Where's the money? That's malarkey. Well, now they're going after the money. So the House Oversight Committee has subpoenaed four different banks. Bank of America, HSBC, Cafe and Citi, JPMorgan. And so they're getting all these things. And he told Fox that apparently it could go up as high as nine different members of the Biden family, according to people who know about this.
Apparently, Joe Biden is not on the list of somebody who has gotten any money. Also, if it is $30 million, it will be interesting to see what the source was. You know, there weren't any laws broken. And we've asked Mr. Cohen of that. And he said, well, at this point, he cannot tell us what specific was. And that's why they're looking into this stuff.
Steve Hilton was on the channel a little while ago talking to your point, Ainsley, about how we're talking about this story that is out there that people are talking about. But why isn't anybody else?” said Doocy.
On the PBS News Hour on Monday this so called scandal was addressed briefly by Lisa Desjardins.
“This is something that's going on separately in the House where some House lawmakers were able to see an FBI report that accuses the Biden family of some bribery. It is unsubstantiated. There was not an investigation, but the Republicans are raising that as an example of a double standard. We know that the FBI is also investigating Biden in terms of documents, but that's ongoing right now,” said Desjardins.
That brief statement was the extent PBS covered the story.
So far only members of the Congressional Oversight Committee have seen the document in question. No copies of the report have been offered to the press and there is no way to verify the story that anyone offered President Biden or his son a bribe of any kind.
The Rise of Trantifa - A Completely Made-up Terrorist Movement
On Wednesday on “Fox News Tonight” Brian Kilmeade warned his viewers of a new leftist terrorist threat - Trantifa!
What could this be? A roving gang of anti-fascist drag queens? Trans activists dressed in black bloc? Was it an Antifa group who had a trans mascot?
“This. They think of Antifa and Black Lives Matter in many cases. But according to experts, there's a new movement. The movement's emerging, evolving radical transgender activists. They were reportedly growing increasingly violent and extreme. Some are using the term drum roll. Please Trantifa. To describe the phenomenon. Journalist Andy Ngo,”
I won’t include a single word Ngo said during the segment since he’s a well known propagandist and fabricator. He also brought no evidence to back up his claim that a new activist group had formed.
Ngo provided no video clips, no photographs, no specifics about the organization, and no witness testimony. He just claimed Trantifa was a terrorist organization and Kilmeade did not push back for a moment.
Stories Fox News Ignored
Every week I compare Fox News to five hours of the PBS NewsHour. The following are stories PBS covered that Fox News did not.
The Ukrainian military began a counter-offensive in an attempt to drive Russia out of occupied territory.
The U.S. and Iran have discussed a possible prisoner exchange. The deal would include freeing up $7 billion in South Korean banks currently blocked by U.S. sanctions.
Sixteen young plaintiffs have sued the state of Montana saying elected officials have ignored scientific evidence that shows the dangers of climate change while promoting fossil fuels. Montana is the fifth largest coal producer in the country.
The U.S. will rejoin UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). The U.S. left the agency after the organization agreed to allow Palestine to join as a separate country from Israel. By joining UNESCO, the U.S. agrees to pay $600 million in back dues. The move is seen as a way to counter China’s influence.
PBS included a short segment about the various winners of the Tony Awards. This year included the first acting awards for nonbinary performers, and prizes for two shows about antisemitism.
PBS produced a comprehensive segment about gender affirming care for minors which included medical professionals who support treating children and critics who were against it. The piece included a profile of a family in Texas with a 12-year-old trans daughter who will face obstacles once laws banning care for minors are put in place.
The consumer price index (CPI) rose 4% in year-over-year in May which was below the 4.9% in April and below the 4.1% economists were expecting. Inflation has been steadily falling for the past 12 months. Core inflation remains higher at 5.3%.
A Tropical Cyclone Biparjoy caused flooding and power outages in Pakistan and India. More than 100,000 people were evacuated in anticipation of the storm.
Reddit will start charging fees for third party apps. Thousands of subreddits chose to go dark in protest of the changes.
A crowded boat with over 700 migrant passengers sank off the coast of Greece. Eighty-one have been confirmed dead with hundreds more missing. Even though the boat was filled with women and children only 104 men survived the shipwreck.
Dozens of people remain missing after a boat carrying wedding guests capsized in Northern Nigeria killing over 100 including women and children. At least 144 people were rescued and recovery efforts continued.
The European Parliament voted on the world’s first comprehensive set of rules for artificial intelligence last week.
European Union regulators issued a preliminary finding that Google must sell off parts of its advertising business as part of an anti-trust complaint. Google is appealing the ruling.
President Biden vetoed a bill that would have rolled back new regulations on truck pollution.
A jury ruled that the utility company Pacific Corp must pay punitive damages for its role in the Labor Day fires of 2020. The payouts could be in the billions of dollars.
PBS included a segment about Biden’s proposed student loan forgiveness plan and the impact it will have on borrowers if the Supreme Court rules against it.
The civil war in Sudan continues to escalate and has spread to neighboring West Darfur, a small country the size of Spain with a history of conflict.
North Korea fired two ballistic missiles in the Sea of Japan. The U.S., South Korea and Japan, released a statement condemning the action saying North Korea's "unlawful weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs pose a threat to the region."
An investigation by British lawmakers found that Boris Johnson lied about parties he threw during COVID-19 lockdowns while serving as prime minster. After the report was issued Johnson resigned from the House of Commons.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported suicides and homicides spiked among American teenagers and young adults during the pandemic.
A tentative agreement between union dock workers and management has been reached ending 13 months of talks.
The Southern Baptist Convention, the countries largest protestant denomination, has moved to ban all women pastors including the expulsion of two churches for having women pastors.
NOAA or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recorded the highest temperatures for the world’s oceans in history.
A Department of Justice investigation into the Minneapolis Police Department found reasonable cause to believed that the MPD engaged in a pattern or practice of conduct that deprived people of their rights under the Constitution and federal law.
The actor Treat Williams died in a motorcycle accident at the age of 71. Williams had an extensive career in both film and television.
Roger Payne, a biologist, died at the age of 88. Payne was the first researcher to discover how whales communicated with each other through song.
The highly decorated Olympic sprinter, Tori Bowie, died due to pregnancy complications at her home. Her child was stillborn at 8 months. Bowie was only 32 years old. Black Americans have a higher risk of dying before and after pregnancy than the general population, the reasons for this disparity are not completely understood many experts believe systemic racism plays a role.
Actress and former member of British Parliament, Glenda Jackson, died at the age of 87. A prolific actress she won two Academy Awards, three Emmy Awards and a Tony Award.
Popular author, Cormac McCarthy, died at the age of 89. McCarthy was best known for his novels, “Blood Meridian,” “The Road” and “All the Pretty Horses.”
Donald Triplett the first person diagnosed with autism died at age 89.
Robert Bowers the man accused of killing 11 people in a Pittsburgh synagogue in 2018 was convicted on all 63 federal counts. The attack was the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history.
By the Numbers
Coming up…
This week I’ll be capturing “Fox & Friends,” “The Five,” “Hannity,” and “Fox News Tonight.” I have some other projects planned. If Trump stays out of the news cycle I might eventually catch up with things. The man is a VORTEX!
I enjoy your podcasts!!