The co-hosts of Fox News' The Five attempted to defend their mockery of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's recent concussion by dismissing their remarks as mere “skepticism.”
On December 15, The Washington Post reported that Clinton sustained a concussion after she fainted due to dehydration. After the incident, the State Department explained that due to the concussion, Clinton would have to postpone her testimony on the attack in Benghazi, Libya.
On Friday, The Five co-host Greg Gutfeld asked why it was considered “offensive to question the odd timing of an illness,” and insisted that he and his Fox colleagues were simply “exercising of our First Amendment right to ask questions.” He accused journalists of “ginning up fake hatred, or outrage, towards skeptics,” and claimed “skepticism” was on “life support.”
Co-host Andrea Tantaros further accused Clinton of “a history” of “being a professional victim.” Tantaros concluded that though some want her and others to apologize for their Clinton remarks, she does not think it's necessary.
However, the previous remarks from The Five co-hosts on Clinton's concussion were not merely skepticism, but outright mockery. They suggested Clinton faked her condition to avoid giving testimony on the Benghazi attack. On December 19, The Five co-host Kimberly Guilfoyle accused Clinton of a “duck and cover,” and Gutfeld asked, “How could she get a concussion when she's been ducking everything [related to Benghazi]?”
These remarks were echoed by other Fox figures, who accused Clinton of having “Benghazi allergy” and faking a “diplomatic illness.”