Fox's Starnes Equates Obama Immigration Statement To “Declaring Martial Law”

Written by Eric Hananoki

Published

During a radio interview today on WSAU, Fox News Radio's Todd Starnes defended Daily Caller reporter Neil Munro for his heckling of President Obama last week. Starnes justified Munro's behavior by comparing Obama's statement on the immigration policy change to appearing in front of reporters and “declaring martial law effective immediately.”

“What if the president had gotten up there and said, 'I'm declaring martial law effective immediately,'” Starnes asked. “Would decorum still be in place for something like that?”

When asked if he was equating Obama's policy and martial law, Starnes replied: “Absolutely. Absolutely.”

From the June 19 edition of WSAU's Wisconsin Morning News:

STARNES: I mean, there's question over the legality of what he did. And of course, you know, it's funny because people raised Cain because that reporter dared ask a question. They accused him of breaching protocol. Well, some people say the president breached the Constitution by what he did.

And let me ask you a question. You know, that's raised a lot of controversy over this reporter who interrupted the president. But here's my -- just a hypothetical here. What if the president had gotten up there and said, “I'm declaring martial law effective immediately.” Would decorum still be in place for something like that?

TOM KING (CO-HOST): Are you equating the two?

STARNES: Absolutely. Absolutely.

KING: The announcement he made with declaring martial law, you're equating the two?

STARNES: Absolutely. The president has just -- the president has just welcomed 800,000 people, illegals, into this country. And without any -- without any consideration for Congress. This president -- so my president is this. At point does the mainstream media -- at what point are they allowed to breach the decorum?

Fox News' Sean Hannity hosted Munro last night and claimed “the mainstream Obama-mania media has jumped all over Munro for daring to question the president.” Though Munro has defenders in Starnes and Hannity, several high profile Fox Newsers have criticized his behavior. Appearing on today's edition of Fox News Radio, Bret Baier agreed that Munro's behavior was out of line. And yesterday, White House reporter Ed Henry also said on Fox News Radio that it “was a big mistake.”