The presidential election may be over but Trump campaign operative Harlan Hill is still appearing on Fox News as a “Democratic strategist.” The latest deception was hosting Hill to help Fox and Trump demonize critical press coverage of the country’s least popular president-elect in two decades.
We've previously reported on Fox's attempts to pass off Hill as a Democrat, usually by calling him a "former Bernie Sanders supporter" who favored Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton. Hill was even called out as a fraud on Fox News by real Democrat Mark Levine. But Fox remains undaunted in its enthusiasm to use this guy to pull the wool over its viewers' eyes.
Crooks and Liars’ Frances Legum caught adulterer Ed Henry hosting Hill on Fox & Friends yesterday.
I guess the way Ed Henry is working on his marriage after his Las Vegas hostess sex scandal is to be at the office on Thanksgiving.
Let's hope Fox was thankful they had available someone “practiced at the art of deception” to quote a line from the Rolling Stones song Trump used as a campaign anthem against the groups' wishes.
Henry introduced the discussion by saying, “President-elect Trump diversifies his cabinet by adding the first two women."
He forgot to mention that one of them, Governor Nikki Haley, Trump’s choice as ambassador to the U.N., has zero experience in foreign policy. On Fox, ideology has once again trumped any concern for competence. Oh, and the other pick, Betsy DeVos, tapped to head the Department of Education, is an enemy of public education.
But rather than have a real examination of the controversial picks, Henry deflected – and helped sell Trump’s choices – by making them media victims:
HENRY: But the mainstream media continues to sound the alarm over the qualifications of his picks.
To add to the sleight-of-hand, Henry introduced Hill as a “Democratic strategist.” Even though Hill’s Twitter feed identifies him primarily as “Millennial for Trump // Fmr Dem Consultant.”
Hill did not correct Henry.
Henry’s first question was for Hill:
HENRY: Harlan, you say that the way the media has covered this cabinet selection process is “slanderous.” Is that true or are you just being dramatic?
No, Hill was serious. His first example was attorney general-pick Jeff Sessions being called a racist. “If he were a racist, there should be a number of instances that you could point to,” Harlan argued. In fact, there are a number of instances (as I have previously laid out) but Henry didn’t correct the record. Instead, he let Hill add, “They’re trying to do the same thing to people like Steve Bannon.” That’s Steve Bannon, the white nationalist and chief Trump strategist.
Henry still remained silent as Hill went on to suggest there should be a crackdown on criticism of Trump – in the name of journalistic integrity, no less.
HILL: This is a real concern. I think the media has abdicated their journalistic responsibility to properly cover this ‘cause they think that it is their responsibility to destroy him.
Not one person, not even PBS host Alexander Heffner, one of the other guests, commented on the dangerous, anti-American implications behind Hill’s veiled threat. Nor did anyone note that "Democrat" Hill’s anti-free press sentiment matches Trump’s.
It wasn’t until about 2:30 into the segment, more than halfway through, that Henry half-revealed Hill’s true identity. “You were a Democrat for Trump during the campaign,” Henry said.
“I was a Democrat but I’m an American first,” Hill acknowledged.
And yet, Hill was still allowed to promote his anti-Democratic opinions about the future of the party as a supposed insider.
Again, the other two guests went along with the deception.
Watch this fraudulent discussion below, from the November 24, 2016 Fox & Friends, via Crooks and Liars.
*A stupid bowtie, round face with glasses AND ridiculous commentary? It’s as if he is a cross between Tucker Carlson/Todd Starnes in both appearance and thought.
It’s an acquired taste.
I take it with the holidays ‘Democrat’ Pat Caddell was to busy eating turkey in Trump Tower.
Is it me or does seem Fox News is dumber than usual since Orange 🍊 Hitler’s election?