Fox & Friends Actually Admit GOP To Blame For 9-11 Health Bill -- Briefly

Written by Christine Schwen

Published

Over the past few weeks, Media Matters has documented the repeated attempts by Fox News personalities -- with the exception of Shep Smith -- to cover up for Republicans who've been blocking the 9-11 first responders health care bill from getting through Congress. And it hasn't been easy for Fox: Jon Stewart has been bringing attention to this issue for weeks, Fox's own Shep Smith read a list of Republicans who blocked the bill on air, and first responders have been aggressively lobbying Congress to try and help break the gridlock. But until today, Fox personalities have done everything possible to dance around the Republican obstructionism blocking the bill.

But an interesting thing happened on Fox & Friends this morning. Not only did Fox & Friends finally admit that Senate Republicans have been holding up the bill, but Brian Kilmeade actually called out Sen. Tom Coburn on his false claim that there hasn't been enough time to debate the bill. You're probably going to want to sit down for this one:

Shocking, I know. And of course, Kilmeade was right that Coburn's committee held a hearing on the bill in June. But for those of you who've had your faith in the consistent misinformation factory and Republican booster club that is Fox & Friends terribly shaken: Don't worry. Just minutes later they were back to blaming Democrats and defending Republicans over the bill and decrying the White House acknowledging Jon Stewart's involvement because his show isn't "real news."

But for one, brief, shining moment on Fox & Friends, the truth mattered.