Sean Hannity Tweet-Shouts At Brian Stelter, Who’s Blocked By Bartiromo
Seems if Fox News hosts aren’t tweet-screaming at CNN’s Brian Stelter, they’re blocking him entirely. Fox’s Sean Hannity took the former approach during Stelter’s Reliable Sources program this morning, while Fox Business’ Maria Bartiromo just kept shunning.
The Stelter-Hannity skirmish – or at least the latest iteration of it – reached the ALL CAPS phase today after Hannity learned that Stelter had invited Angelo Carusone, president of the liberal watchdog group Media Matters, onto this morning’s show.
Carusone has led the call for an advertising boycott against Hannity, a months-long effort that took on some renewed energy last week after Hannity waded into the Roy Moore mud pit. Last weekend there was a boiling point with coffeemaker company Keurig and other Hannity advertisers (or non-advertisers) keeping their distance.
So Hannity was none too pleased over the Reliable Sources booking, and before the show aired tweeted that Carusone is a RACIST, BIGOT, ANTI-SEMITE and VICTIM SHAME(r) and why does Stelter SUPPORT THIS?
RACIST, BIGOT, AND ANTI-SEMITE PRES. OF @MMFA @GOANGELO WHY DO YOU VICTIM SHAME? WHY DON'T YOU SUPPORT WOMEN OF ABUSE? @CNN @BRIANSTELTER WHY DO YOU SUPPORT THIS? https://t.co/kjixSTixdh pic.twitter.com/kV9Kwei8f7
— Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) November 19, 2017
Asked about Hannity’s accusations, Carusone told Stelter, “Well, this in particular is rather hurtful because I am gay and my boyfriend – and now husband, for a while we weren’t allowed to get married – of 14 years is Jewish and so right on its face this is sort of a ridiculous jab to come at me in the most personal way. We see that reflected all the time with not just Sean Hannity but the right-wing as a whole. They always go after people’s strengths or characteristics that is, they think, a sore spot. I think it’s a reflection of who they are.”
Carusone also explained his motives for the boycott:
Media Matters President Angelo Carusone explains why he's leading an advertising boycott against Sean Hannity https://t.co/8UjWsv7Uqx
— Reliable Sources (@ReliableSources) November 19, 2017
Hannity tweeted a response to the segment, CNN and Media Matters for America.
Zuckers @CNN gives a platform and pass to a known racist, anti Semitic bigot. Mmfa record is atrocious as they are the most anti free speech, pro censorship group in America. This is why so few people watch #FakeNewsCNN tick tock… https://t.co/177yzUKTWc
— Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) November 19, 2017
Hannity’s Fox colleague Geraldo Rivera couldn’t resist either:
Watching fast talking @GoAngelo of #MediaMatters on #CNN attempting to justify his creepy, totalitarian campaign to censor what Americans can watch on television. With his attacks on @seanhannity he’s gone a bridge too far & failed
— Geraldo Rivera (@GeraldoRivera) November 19, 2017
Stelter’s other apparent Fox foe, Maria Bartiromo, took a quieter approach this weekend, seeming to block Stelter (among others) for twitter-challenging her woefully inaccurate on-air statement Friday that President Donald Trump has “no allegations” against him from women claiming sexual harassment.
“Just to be clear, there are no allegations against the President,” Bartiromo told Chris Lu, former deputy Secretary of Labor in the Obama administration.
When Lu brought up the dozen-plus women who have made exactly those allegations, Bartiromo, referencing the now famous Al Franken photo, explained that Trump “said during the campaign that wasn’t true. In fact, didn’t he say also that, you know, all of this will come to light and there will be a lawsuit? I mean… we’re talking about a situation where we have a picture with the guy’s hands on her breasts. You can’t compare the two, Chris.”
When Stelter tweeted that Bartiromo’s comment was “really strange,” he found himself twitterer non grata.
“I’ve always had a cordial relationship with @MariaBartiromo. I can only assume that this tweeted observation is why she suddenly blocked me…”
I’ve always had a cordial relationship with @MariaBartiromo. I can only assume that this tweeted observation is why she suddenly blocked me…
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) November 18, 2017
Former Fox host Gretchen Carlson commiserated. “She blocked me too!,” Carlson tweeted to Stelter. “The truth is just so tough. Hypocrite”.
She blocked me too! The truth is just so tough. Hypocrite https://t.co/2poMXnEHXY
— Gretchen Carlson (@GretchenCarlson) November 18, 2017
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