Predictably, Fox News pundits gushed over Donald Trump’s address to Congress Tuesday night. And part of what made it so good some seemed to think, was that Trump used the words “radical Islamic terrorism.” Apparently, those three magic words just made America greater and safer.
First, in a panel discussion about the address, Chris Wallace, host of Fox News Sunday, highlighted Trump's use of the phrase:
WALLACE: [Trump] also talked about ‘radical Islamic terrorism.’ I believe that’s the first time any president has ever said that from the well of the House.
Later, Sebastian Gorka, a former Fox News contributor and Breitbart editor now working for the Trump administration, had a palsy chat with Sean Hannity who was nearly orgasmic over Trump’s address. There was no mention of the recent revelations of Gorka’s ties to anti-Semitic groups in Hungary.
Gorka sounded ecstatic at smearing another religion.
GORKA: I think the most important thing tonight? Did you hear the phrase that he said most clearly and most loudly? … And what happened tonight? They expected us to dilute the verbiage. He said, “radical Islamic terrorism.” Politico, did you hear it? New York Times, did you hear it? Washington Post, CNN, did you hear it? The president is not backing down.
Fox has long had a fixation on those words, as if just mentioning them is key to a victory over terrorism.
To Wallace, those three magic words are part of being presidential. And key to a victory over Democrats.
WALLACE: I feel like tonight, Donald Trump became the president of the United States. Yes, of course, he got it 35, 38 days ago, 40 days ago when he was sworn in. But so many Democrats didn’t recognize him. I think tonight, whether they agree with him or didn’t agree with him, he became the president of the United States and everyone’s going to have to accept that.
I’ve got news for Wallace: Just like it takes more than three little words to win the war on terror, it takes more than one speech to seem presidential. Let's see what happens the next time Alec Baldwin mocks him on Saturday Night Live or, more importantly, the next time there's a new report about Trump's ties to Russia.
Watch Wallace and Gorka below, from Fox’s coverage of Trump’s February 28, 2017 address to Congress.
THEY NEVER ACCEPTED OBAMA, WHY SHOULD WE ACCEPT VLADIMIR TRUMP?