Fox “straight news” anchors attacked VP Kamala Harris for buying cookware ahead of Thanksgiving

Written by John Whitehouse

Research contributions from Media Matters Staff

Published

In one of the dumbest right-wing media news cycles in recent years (and that is saying something), right-wing figures spent recent days attacking Vice President Kamala Harris for purchasing cookware during a diplomatic trip to Paris. The story even lept to “straight news” anchors at Fox.

From the November 26, 2021, edition of Fox News’ America’s Newsroom

JULIE BANDERAS (GUEST CO-ANCHOR): Vice President Harris taking heat in some quarters for spending more than $500 on cookware during her recent Paris trip, while Americans struggle with rising inflation and economic uncertainty. Well, among the VP's purchases, a $375 serving dish, and a frying pan that costs around $160. I do not cook. I don't know about you, Benjamin, so I make no sense of spending money on cookware. But again, I don't cook, so I'm not really an expert on this. How about yourself?

BENJAMIN HALL (GUEST CO-ANCHOR): That's a lot of money, that’s a lot of money—

BANDERAS: Is it?

HALL: For a pot, and I think if she is going to buy a pot that expensive, maybe buy it in America rather than in France. Spend the money over here.

BANDERAS: That’s true, yeah. I don’t know, I have no reason to buy cookware. But I suppose I would probably spend that money on something else like, I don’t know, wine.

HALL: Who does the cooking?

BANDERAS: Not me. My husband does all the cooking, or my mother — just anyone else but me. All right, moving on.

The vice president’s purchases were reported last week by the right-wing Washington Free Beacon. Others have pointed out, however, that by all appearances Harris spent her own money, and she is also an avid cook who would use those items herself. And while a Marketwatch headline called the items “pricey,” the piece notes that they're recommended by chefs.

Of course, this sudden concern with spending rings hollow from the network aligned for years with Donald Trump. Even putting Trump's personal spending aside, these facts also contrast sharply with all the government money that Trump as president reportedly funneled to his own properties.