During President Obama's question and answer session with Republican members of Congress at the GOP House Issues Conference, Fox News Channel was the only cable news network to cut away and not show the exchange in its entirety. However, Fox News subsequently aired all of the “Republican response” press conference held by House Minority Leader Rep. John Boehner (R-OH), Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN), and Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA) after the question and answer session with Obama.
Fox cuts away from Obama-GOP Q&A but airs GOP “response” in its entirety
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Fox News only cable news network not to show Q&A in its entirety
Fox cuts away 20 minutes before end of Obama's Q&A with House Republicans. With twenty minutes remaining in President Obama's question and answer session with House Republicans at their retreat in Baltimore, Fox News cut to The Live Desk co-host Trace Gallagher who asserted that Obama was “at times being a little bit combative” and that “there was a little bit of lecturing there.” By contrast, MSNBC and CNN aired the event in its entirety.
Think Progress: “Fox News decided to cut away and begin its commentary.” Think Progress' Amanda Terkel noted:
President Obama held a candid, face-to-face conversation with House Republicans today at their annual retreat in Baltimore. After Obama gave his remarks, he had to answer tough questions from Republican lawmakers about health care, the budget, taxes, and other issues. Although the riveting exchange lasted over an hour, both CNN and MSNBC aired the entire event.
However, at 1:11 p.m. ET - when there was still 20 minutes left to go - Fox News decided to cut away and begin its commentary. Anchor Trace Gallagher's immediate reaction was that Obama was being too “combative” and “lecturing” - like he was at his State of the Union address. [Think Progress, 1/29/10]
Fox showed all of “Republican response.” Fox News aired all of a press conference with House Minority Leader Rep. John Boehner (R-OH), Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN), and Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA) which Gallagher referred to as the “Republican response” following the event with Obama. Fox News featured Karl Rove's commentary on the event as they “Await[ed] House GOP Response”:
