Mike Pence is the latest Trump administration official to sit down with Eric Bolling for a softball interview
Bolling is a race-baiting Trump loyalist who promotes conspiracy theories
Written by Pam Vogel
Published
Vice President Mike Pence joined conservative media personality Eric Bolling for an interview airing on Bolling’s online BlazeTV show. Bolling is a Trump loyalist and reported sexual harasser who currently hosts online shows for two right-wing outlets: BlazeTV and Sinclair Broadcast Group. He has used both programs to interview conspiracy theorists and extremists -- along with numerous members of the Trump inner circle.
Pence appeared on the August 27 edition of America with Eric Bolling, a program that streams on the BlazeTV online platform. In a 13-minute softball interview with Bolling, Pence pushed positive spin on President Donald Trump’s G-7 summit plans, trade relations with China, and 2020 reelection campaign. At several points in the interview, Bolling offered praise for the administration, mentioning that he had supported Trump’s presidential run and was longtime friends with the president. Bolling asked Pence about the recent story that Trump had floated using nuclear weapons to stop hurricanes from reaching the U.S., which Pence called “fake news.” The interview clip ended with Bolling asking about the recent retirement of Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck, then congratulating Pence on “a very successful three years” and wishing he will “continue forward for another five.”
Citation From the August 27 edition of BlazeTV's America with Eric Bolling
ERIC BOLLING (HOST): There was a breaking news piece over the last couple of days. Jon Swan at Axios said that the president, on two occasions, had suggested employing a nuclear bomb into a hurricane. Do you know anything about it? Were you in any of those meetings, first of all? And, if you were, do you know anything about it?
VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE: The president has made it very clear that he's never made a suggestion like that, and I've never heard him make a suggestion like that. We've got a term for that sort of thing at the White House: It's called fake news.
BOLLING: Fake news, fake news.
PENCE: It just seems like not a day goes by that somebody in the media doesn't find something to print or publish or put on the internet. But it's one of the things I most admire about this president, is no matter what the media is out there talking about on any given day, no matter what the critics or the naysayers are talking about, this is a president who literally gets up every day and fights to keep the promises he made to the American people.
...
BOLLING: Mr. Vice President, congratulations on a very successful three years, and continue forward for another five.
Bolling’s BlazeTV show streams online most weekdays for a subscription audience. The episodes vary in length and format, but often feature short interviews with (usually right-wing) D.C. lawmakers, strategists, and reporters; monologues; man-on-the-street interviews and games; and bizarre viral-video-like moments.
Bolling was previously a host and co-host at Fox News, where he regularly pushed conspiracy theories, misogyny, and race-baiting commentary; he was a central figure in promoting the racist birther conspiracy theory about President Barack Obama. He left the network in 2017 amid reports that he sent unsolicited images of genitalia to multiple colleagues.
This is far from the first time a Trump administration official has given an interview to Bolling. In the 22 episodes of his Sinclair show so far, Bolling has doled out softball interviews to the president, 11 administration officials (some multiple times), five current or former Trump campaign staffers, eight Republican congressmen, and Republican National Chairwoman Ronna Romney McDaniel. He has also hosted a number of right-wing extremists, conspiracy theorists, and hacks, including Steve Bannon, Roger Stone, and fellow disgraced former Fox News host Bill O’Reilly. And Bolling interviewed his “good friend” Alex Jones on his BlazeTV show (and appeared on Jones' show) in April.