Moments after noting both Bushes “led wars in the Gulf,” Gibson criticized Henican for bringing up Iraq

Written by Ben Armbruster

Published

As John Gibson introduced a segment comparing the Middle East policies of the two Bush presidencies, he noted that both Bushes “led wars in the Gulf.” But when Newsday columnist Ellis Henican tried to contrast “the allies we had in the Iraq war the first time” under George H.W. Bush with George W. Bush's approach to the current Iraq war, Gibson criticized Henican for “always want[ing] to go back to that Iraq war.”

On the August 2 edition of Fox News' The Big Story, host John Gibson introduced a segment comparing the Middle East policies of Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush by stating that “they both led wars in the Gulf, but it's not 'like father, like son' when it comes to their policies in the Middle East.” Yet when Newsday columnist Ellis Henican, a guest on the program, attempted to discuss the two “wars in the Gulf” by contrasting “the allies we had in the Iraq war the first time” under George H.W. Bush with George W. Bush's approach to the current Iraq war, Gibson castigated Henican for “always want[ing] to go back to that Iraq war.” Iraq was not discussed at any other point during the segment.

From a discussion on the August 2 edition of Fox News' The Big Story with John Gibson, which also included National Review editor Rich Lowry:

GIBSON: President Bush and his dad share a lot in common. They both became American presidents, they both led wars in the Gulf, but it's not “like father, like son” when it comes to their policies in the Middle East.

Here to debate their policies are Fox News political analyst Ellis Henican, a Newsday columnist; and Rich Lowry, editor of the National Review.

Gents, they differ on Israel. President Bush the elder was tougher on Israel; President Bush the younger seems to be more permissive. Rich Lowry, who's right?

[...]

LOWRY: And if you also -- Ellis, if you listen to -- if -- some of the public statements of these Arab leaders have gotten more critical of Israel, but basically, they're on our side. They want Hezbollah to be destroyed as soon as possible because they know it's the agent of Iran.

HENICAN: Absolutely. Absolutely. So let's work together with our potential --

LOWRY: That's what we're trying to do.

HENICAN: It's the same thing with the Iraq war. Look at the comparison of the allies we had in the Iraq war the first time and how it worked.

GIBSON: You always want to go back to that Iraq war. Stick with the Hezbollah for a second. Are you telling me that President Bush the elder wouldn't have been just as tough on Hezbollah?

HENICAN: No, no, I'm not -- we're all tough on Hezbollah. Hezbollah needs to be reined in and pacified, but the question is how you go about doing it.

LOWRY: Yeah, and you know, the first step to doing that, Ellis, is -- the first step to doing that --

HENNICAN: Do you do it in an isolation approach?