We reported last night that Chris Wallace and Dana Perrino of Fox News were the first to jump in with praise for Biden’s speech at the end of the Democratic National Convention. Perrino used an old sports metaphor, saying that Biden had hit a home run in the bottom of the ninth, and Wallace made an even more piercing observation, that the Trump campaign’s claim about Biden being a “sleepy” dementia patient had just been blown out of the water for good. Meanwhile, Brett Baier said that Biden was “the best that he’s been” and that he “did what he needed to do.”
The observations aren’t novel. Biden was near-universally praised for a fantastic speech that, as we said last night, met the magnitude of the moment with clarity, strength, and compassion. But the Fox News observations are dangerous points to make when broadcasting to a cult. The cult is built around Trump and his personality, there is no room for anyone else, even former Republican presidents. Cults want their reality affirmed, not challenged.
This morning the MAGA cult is lashing out at Fox News, swearing it off as useless, something harmful to Trump and the MAGA movement.
I woke up this morning, pulled up https://t.co/RShnFmWXKa [1] & all I saw was gushing praise of @JoeBiden [2].
Outside of @TuckerCarlson [3] & a couple of others, @FoxNews [4] is dead to me!
— Bradley Scott 🙏🇺🇸 (@Hoosiers1986) August 21, 2020 [5]
Quintessential MAGA head. “Gushing praise of Joe Biden.” Notice, none of the observations above praised Joe Biden himself. No, they evaluated Joe Biden’s performance. Wallace, Perrino, and Baier limited their comments to the speech itself and its political effectiveness. But the MAGAs cannot see it that way, they see it as an affirmation of Biden himself, and that is not tolerated. Only Trump can be praised.
Yes Fox News seems to have come under the socialist and woke influence. Fox News here dead too
— Marinus Johnson (@JohnsonMarinus) August 21, 2020 [6]
This is the new cult slam. One is either a MAGA head, or one is a “socialist” who is “woke” (aka “not racist.”).
Spending my morning switching between OANN and NewsMax. You’ll find a great deal more reality if you change the channel!
— Lady Liberty Loves President Trump (@DutyOfAPatriot) August 21, 2020 [7]
There is your “reality.” OANN likely talked about how Biden was terrible.
Chris Wallace the worst! All Biden did was read a "script" that someone else wrote! Isn’t this the face of the Democratic Party!? Violence, anarchy, deceit, lies, fraud, foul language, intimidation, fear mongering, anti-police, calling riots and looting “peaceful protests”-evil!
— M. McKinnon (@ARascallion) August 21, 2020 [8]
Right? What are they gushing over? The fact that he completed a sentence? They have 6 people talking about Biden last night and nobody telling the truth except Katie Pavlich.
— RISING SON 38 (@38_rising) August 21, 2020 [9]
Same here foe some reason @FoxNews [4] are desperate to be CNN. They seem willing to alienate their viewers to try to gain acceptance from the lefties which will never happen.
— Pamela Murphey 🇺🇸 (@pmurphey47) August 21, 2020 [10]
Yes, the MAGA heads often say that Fox is trying to be CNN now.
Try @OANN [11] One America News! @ChanelRion [12] asks pertinent questions at the @WhiteHouse [13] press conferences. OAN does not break away from coverage of our President and covers the raw truth about the violence in America. @TuckerCarlson [3] @IngrahamAngle [14] @seanhannity [15] report the truth on FOX
— Alice Lowrance (@LowranceAlice) August 21, 2020 [16]
Switch your truth!
I disagree. You must not watch many of the programs where #Trump [17] is getting good coverage & support. Of course the news programs have to be fair and unbiased. But, over two thirds of their host support #Trump [17]. Yes, they have a number of guess that support Biden, we can handle.
— Gene Baker (@BakerGene) August 21, 2020 [18]
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Peace, y’all
Jason
[email protected] and on Twitter @MiciakZoom