Fox News Is Now Attacking Republicans
We are officially living in an alternate universe: Fox News is siding with the Democrats.
The right-wing cable news outlet seems to have defected from its typical blind support of the Republican Party, and all it took was President Donald Trump striking a deal with Democrats on Wednesday to continue funding the government through the month and to provide billions of dollars in relief to victims of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma.
Related: Fox News was attacking Barack Obama for using dijon mustard at this point in his presidency
Ever since, the network’s anchors and co-hosts have been praising the president for his support of the rebuilding efforts in Texas, as well as for Trump’s "art of the deal" in reaching an agreement with Democratic lawmakers—even though the move reportedly left GOP officials feeling "blindsided."
"Some conservatives are upset" about the decision Trump made to support the Democratic spending bill, Fox & Friends co-host Pete Hegseth said Thursday morning.
"Big time," Steve Doocy, his co-host, agreed.
"Big time," Hegseth echoed. "But you know what? This is a clear shot at [Senate Majority Leader] Mitch McConnell and [Speaker of the House] Paul Ryan: 'Hey guys, if you can't get things done, then, listen, I'll go work with the Democrats.'"
"'And I'll work with the things like raising the debt ceiling, and the continuing resolution to fund the government, and [Hurricane] Irma,'" Hegseth said, trailing off while listing the various benefits included in the Democratic package. He went on to commend the president for being "very strategic" in working with the House and Senate minority leaders, Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer.
"Isn't it refreshing to see them work together, though?" co-host Ainsley Earhardt said.
The morning show wasn’t the only Fox program with a fiery take against the Republicans, after another apparent failure to lead despite holding majorities in both houses under Trump.
Lou Dobbs, the Fox Business Network anchor of Lou Dobbs Tonight, delivered a scathing rebuke of Ryan on Tuesday, saying the president "booted the hapless fool" out of the way to prevent a government shutdown.
"The president not only took RINO [Republican In Name Only] Ryan to the woodshed but eliminated any need for any Republican to ever pretend again that Ryan is a real Republican in any way or that any RINO has a political future after Mr. Trump simply booted the hapless fool of a Speaker out of the way of those trying to get the nation’s business done," Dobbs said.
He then went on to suggest Democrats have begun calming divisive rhetoric toward Trump in order to advance their agenda in Washington, while Republican leaders like Ryan have remained stagnant, even while increasingly attacking the president.
"Contrast Ryan’s inane insults, his obstinance and subversion of President Trump to the behavior and rhetoric of Democratic leadership of late," Dobbs continued. "They’ve calmed themselves. They’ve been far more conciliatory in their rhetoric over recent weekends and now Ryan is fully exposed to the nation."
The bill is expected to provide Democrats an upper hand in upcoming negotiations surrounding tax reform, government spending and debt, as the package requires Congress to pass a new debt-ceiling agreement before the three-month deal expires. Whether that means Trump continues providing Democratic leadership a seat at the table remains unseen. It’s also equally unclear if Fox News will now begin moving away from supporting only one political party, and instead provide a fair and balanced assessment of developments from within Washington.
As the good friends at Fox said Thursday, that would certainly be "refreshing."
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