NEW YORK (AP) – Fox News Channel on Wednesday cut a dismissal administrator in the middle of sentencing while presenting spectacular video footage of people attacking the U.S. Capitol last month and government leaders putting themselves in danger.
“Political math doesn’t add up,” said Jesse Watters of Fox. “Democrats don’t have the votes, but they keep moving forward.”
The incident was a dramatic illustration of the tightrope walkers of television network programmers luring fans of former President Donald Trump during his second impeachment trial.
Fox, along with ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN and MSNBC, had been covering House executives who were exposing their case against Trump live for nearly five hours on Wednesday. Although sometimes dry and methodical, the presentation reached an emotional climax when California Rep. Eric Swalwell showed a graphic video, much of it unseen before.
That’s when Fox cut things short, shortly after 5 p.m. in the East, when the network began its “Five” commentary program.
“This is all emotional political theater,” said cohost Greg Gutfeld, one of four commentators who spoke out against the dismissal before Juan Williams, exasperated, had a chance to speak.
“I’m a little shocked,” Williams said. “I want you back. Come back, join the conversation. Pay attention to the news. “
Williams described the case the house administrators were constructing as a creepy and important democratic exercise. “The trial of dismissal that you are all ignorant of, I suppose you are afraid …”
At this time, he was called by Watters and Gutfeld.
“You’re so rude because I’m very right,” Williams said.
A Fox News spokeswoman made no comment on the choice of programming.
Minutes later, as Swalwell showed images from the body camera of a Capitol police officer attacked by a U.S.-flagged protester, Fox panelists were debating the launch of President Joe Biden’s COVID vaccine. At Newsmax, a Republican congressman was being interviewed about the 2022 midterm elections.
Meanwhile, ABC’s George Stephanopoulos and NBC’s Kasie Hunt seemed visibly shocked by what they had seen. NBC News’ Lester Holt called her “emotionally heartbreaking.”
“Senate members almost dare not vote for the impeachment,” Holt said.
For networks that attract a conservative audience, judgment is not exactly a forced television. During the first day on Tuesday, MSNBC coverage was seen by 2.87 million people, CNN’s audience was 2.66 million and Fox News had 1.95 million, the Nielsen company said.
Fox’s most popular personality, Tucker Carlson, said he didn’t see any of the early days of the trial.
“At this point, honestly, who cares?” Carlson said. “Accusation? Everything is ridiculous. They literally accuse a president who is no longer the president. They call someone who has already left the room.
Still, Fox devoted much of his daytime hours to it and even returned to trial on Wednesday after “The Five.” Newsmax, after silencing the opening of Wednesday’s session to talk about a change in Aunt Jemima’s food brand, showed much of the afternoon’s session, as did One America News Network.
During the trial breaks, they addressed Trump fans among their audience.
“We will continue to offer you live coverage of the impeachment trial here on One America News,” anchor Jennifer Franco said. “Meanwhile, despite endless lies and attacks from Democrats and the mainstream media, former President Trump has fought hard for the country for the past four years.”
He introduced a two-minute film that combined the flattering clips of Trump in office with a narrator reading Rudyard Kipling’s poem, “Yes,” which opens with the line, “If you can keep your head down when all this he is losing his and blaming you ”.
It was followed by a segment on whether the “Biden honeymoon” with Congress was over.
During the first afternoon break of the trial, Fox addressed Trump spokesman Jason Miller, who denounced the Democrats’ case. He said he was on the phone with his head minutes before.
Bob Sellers of Newsmax had his own review of the procedures.
“It sounds extracted, a little exaggerated,” he said.
___
Associated Press Television writer Lynn Elber contributed to this report.