Even besides spoiling the party for the DeSantis-Haley debate — to which CNN also invited Trump, who has refused to participate in any primary debates — Fox is giving the former president a leg up by putting his town hall in prime time, while the other candidates will have only been interviewed in the early evening. The network could, in theory, have equalized the playing field with its viewers by also holding the Haley and DeSantis town halls in prime time, but Fox News chose to give just one candidate this special treatment.
It was clear months ago heading into Fox’s GOP primary debates, in which Baier and MacCallum worked as moderators, that the two of them were major vectors for misinformation with long records of helping to push Trump’s election lies. This impression was only further strengthened when they failed to fact-check multiple false claims the candidates made at the first debate on topics such as crime, immigration, climate change, and more.
In addition, Baier and MacCallum both have shameful records of downplaying Trump’s attempt to stay in office illegitimately. Last month, Baier seemed to act like he’d never heard of the former president refusing to leave office, in response to widespread fears that Trump would seek to become a dictator if returned to the White House.
“Some of the things he’s said have, you know, been troubling,” Baier said. “But would it be a dictatorship that doesn’t step down from office? It’s hard for me to back that up as of yet.”
Baier also claimed that President Joe Biden’s attempts to implement COVID-19 vaccine mandates and to relieve student loan debt represented a similar threat to democracy as Trump’s literal failed coup d’etat.
And this past Friday, MacCallum spread a made-up quote to attack Biden when she claimed in his speech to mark the anniversary of the January 6 insurrection, “He went a few times after what he calls ‘MAGA Americans.’” This, she said, stood in stark contrast to Biden’s campaign promises to be a president on behalf of all the people.
In fact, Biden never used the phrase “MAGA Americans.” Instead, he used terms such as “MAGA followers” and “MAGA Republicans” as he described the failed attempt to overthrow the 2020 election by violence, as well Trump’s continued threats against American democracy. Though based on her other past comments, MacCallum believes the election lies should be a legitimate part of public discussion, as well.
