Fox host: The only problem with Trump's “offhand comment” about disinfectants and injections is how it was covered: “This is hilarious”
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From the April 24, 2020, edition of Fox News The Five
JESSE WATTERS (CO-HOST): All right, Greg. I watched this thing live as it came in. And to me, I didn't think he was being sarcastic. It looked like he was just spit-balling ideas to knock this thing out. What do you think?
GREG GUTFELD: Well here -- There's a couple of ways to look at this. They are two things that don't matter and one that does. Was it off-the-cuff? Maybe, doesn't matter. Was it sarcasm? Maybe, maybe not, doesn't matter.
What matters is that anyone actually believes that he was saying you should inject Clorox into people, I mean, one thousand days with Trump plus as president and we still have an entire industry mobilized by an offhand comment. How can any adult believe seriously believe that he was saying, hey, people should inject Clorox into their body?
I mean, I kept wanting to believe that because you have a pre-existing condition to believe the worst about everything that comes out of Trump's mouth, or to believe the worst about anybody, really. I would challenge the media one day to look at somebody they don't like and try to assume the best of their comments. But it's -- I can't believe that they are actually interviewing experts. So, just tell us, you can't put Clorox injected into your body, can you? I mean -- people. This is actually a news cycle, as other stuff is going on. This is hilarious.
JESSE WATTERS: Yeah, I think that Lysol released a statement on social media. Juan, can you try to be fair here? You cannot believe the president was telling Americans to put bleach down their throats?
JUAN WILLIAMS: I hope not. But I mean, that's what I heard. But I hope not. It makes no sense, Jesse.
I think, Jesse, when you said spit bawling, I think you are right. He was riffing. Today I thought he tried to get off the hook saying that he was being sarcastic. The press secretary said he was taken out of context. Well, you can't do both. So you have to pick one. And the thing is, for me to see him at the White House in the briefing room, saying something like that, and believe me, there was no gotcha question. There was no question at all. He was just riffing, spit bawling, he just came out with this stuff. And I think that to some extent, you know, for people who are listening to him, I think that it's upsetting and dangerous. I just, can't -- Greg says it is the media.
But I just think that the President needs to be presidential and saying something like that, I think it invites disaster.
WATTERS: Well I am having Dr. Birx on my weekend show, and I actually asked her, "You were there Dr. Birx, do you think that the President was saying anything dangerous?' And Emily, she said no, she said he was probably, as he does, thinking out loud and trying to come up with a good idea. And just talking to the person at DHS.
EMILY COMPAGNO: You guys, it's literally how Heather number one was killed in Heathers