It turns out that skipping the Fox News debate did not sink Donald Trump’s presidential chances, after all.
Fox News repeatedly crowed that Donald Trump’s decision to skip its debate right before the Iowa caucuses cost him a win. But even if that were the case, Trump’s big victory in New Hampshire last night stops that narrative from hereon. Even worse, as far as Fox News’ mojo is concerned, Marco Rubio, apparently heir apparent to the Fox News anointment, tanked to fifth place.
Worse still for the “fair and balanced” network is that its own standing seems to be what got diminished in its showdown with Trump, not his. And Fox is the one now off its game, not Trump. New York Magazine’s Gabriel Sherman explains:
By claiming more than a third of the New Hampshire vote, Trump not only exceeded expectations and more than doubled the vote tally of any of his rivals — but also demonstrated that disregarding Fox News doesn’t spell political ruin for a Republican. The grip that Rupert Murdoch, Roger Ailes, and Co. have held on the GOP for nearly a generation got a little looser Tuesday night.
Inside Fox there is confusion about what role the network should play in this altered media ecosystem going forward. According to three insiders I spoke to, the channel’s hosts and producers are split over how to cover Trump. Historically, in moments like this, the strategy would be clear: Punish the person who publicly crosses Fox. But network boss Ailes has tried that, and Trump not only survived the PR assaults, including one last month, but he seems to have emerged stronger than ever. The situation is even more dire because Marco Rubio, a favorite of many high-profile voices at the network, fared badly in the New Hampshire primary, only a few days after political analysts were floating the possibility that he might even beat Trump. Tuesday night, Fox’s pundit class had to accept that his robotic performance during ABC’s debate may have destroyed his candidacy. Charles Krauthammer even compared it to Ed Muskie’s 1972 implosion.
On top of all that, there is the Bill O’Reilly, Megyn Kelly feud. CNN’s Brian Stelter has previously reported on that (and coincidentally, O’Reilly attacked CNN shortly thereafter). Now, Sherman notes,
According to sources, the prime-time hosts are at war, in part over Kelly’s Trump-fueled stardom. O’Reilly is said to be outraged that Kelly went on Stephen Colbert’s post–Super Bowl show and seemed to criticize his program because it’s taped at 5 p.m. and airs at 8 p.m. “If you’re not live at night — because the show before me and the show after me are taped — you lose a lot,” she told Colbert, the comedian famous for playing a buffoonish version of O’Reilly for years. O’Reilly has also told people he’s furious that Kelly hasn’t shown him respect for helping make her Fox’s brightest light. Things got so bad that back in September Kelly switched talent agents — she’d been represented by longtime O’Reilly agent Carole Cooper but left for CAA. “They’re at each other’s throats big time,” one Fox insider said. “I mean, like big time. Roger doesn’t know what the hell to do.” It’s possibly a sign that Murdoch wants to keep Kelly in the fold that last week his book publisher HarperCollins signed her to a reported $10 million book deal.
Does this mean that Trump has vanquished Fox? I doubt it. Sherman notes that the network is still a ratings juggernaut. But in another sign that its power has slipped, Ted Cruz today mockingly called out Fox’s bias. From Breitbart:
(A)fter coming off his own third-place finish in New Hampshire, Cruz took a jab at Fox News for its coverage of third-place finishers by seemingly mocking it as he said he was looking forward to their coverage of his third-place finish.
“I’m looking forward to a wall-to-wall coverage of Fox News of the impressive third-place finish, which Marco Rubio got,” Cruz said. “So, I’m sure that’s what we’ll see on every show on Fox today, the shockingly impressive third-place finish of Cruz.”
Couldn’t happen to a more deserving bunch.
Caricature of Donald Trump by DonkeyHotey
Breitbart published a damaging piece on Ruthless Rupy, Fox “News”, and the Prince of Saudi Arabia, and the hits keep on coming.
The Foxies’ reputation among conservative masses is damaged, and Nixon Trainee Ailes is powerless to stop the onslaughter of anti-Fox rhetoric.
Very few people like Billy. The Second Floor does not like Billy. No one will miss this old, bitter hack. He can spend the rest of his miserable life writing books.
There has always been turmoil and backstabbing at this usless network for years. Jealousy and envy is common with these mouthpieces. They cry about the other mouthpieces to the head suits.
The GOP is going down in flames and they are taking the Foxies with them.
NOTE TO AILES
You are weak, powerless, pathetic, and useless. Retire old man.
Illegal immigration hurts every working American, our system of social services and lowest incomes get hurt the most. The illegal alien invasion that has got far worse since Obama stepped into the White House. For some unfortunate reason that is beyond my understanding the Democrats specifically believe the money comes from the federal treasuries? But then think about where that cold hard cash materializes from? It’s from YOU the taxpayers; it’s from your pockets. Should you have a job, the IRS takes it from you and hands it out to the 15/20 million plus illegal aliens and your get the remnants, after a share is collected by the deadbeats, who prefer to sit at home and watch TV, unless they have a under the table job, that majority of foreign nationals survive on.
A WORD OF WARNING ABOUT THE RUMOR THAT A GOP ESTABLISHMENT SUPER PAC IS GATHERING TO TAKE DOWN DONALD TRUMP. ANY UNDERHAND TRICKS AGAINST BEN CARSON AS USED BY TED CRUZ, WILL HOLD JEB BUSH, CHRISTIE, KASICH & MARCO RUBIO, AND THE POSSIBLE INTERVENTION OF MICHAEL BLOOMBURG, WHO HAS OPENLY SAID THAT HE WANTS ILLEGAL ALIEN AMNESTY WILL NOT BE TOLERATED BY THE PEOPLE THEN WE KNOW ELECTIONS ARE RIGGED.
THE RESIDENT ESTABLISHED POLITICIANS IN BOTH PARTIES WILL DO ANYTHING, TO ERASE ANY CHANCE OF BUSINESSMAN, OUTSIDER DONALD TRUMP TO GET HIS FOOT ON THE STEPS OF THE WHITE HOUSE.
Whether you’re in Maine, Oregon or Colorado and anyone of the 50 states this government has secretly released 1000’s of criminal illegal aliens and releasing no information to the police authorities wherever they dumped the buses occupants. Many would have fled to San Francisco, or many other cities that have been branded a Sanctuary City where not to long ago Kate Steinle was murdered by a five time deported illegal alien. Then as if it never happened, a silence has emanated from the mainstream press or the police. As I have learned lately police Departments have been ordered to say nothing about illegal immigrants, or could collect a pink slip. Donald Trump was not far from the truth, when he said murderers, rapists.
DON’T THINK THE ILLEGAL ALIEN INVASION WILL NOT EFFECT YOU, YOUR JOBS; BECAUSE OF OBAMAS ILLEGAL EXECUTIVE ORDERS, GOP SYNDICATE CHEAP LABOR DEMANDS OR DEMOCRATS WANTING MORE VOTER’S WHETHER THEY ARE CITIZENS OR NON-CITIZENS TO VOTE ILLEGALLY. JUST BECAUSE YOU CAME TO THIS COUNTRY LEGALLY, YOUR JOB IS AT RISK AS ANY BIRTHRIGHT OR NATURALIZED CITIZEN.
The first primary in New Hampshire is over, but now comes a Nevada caucus and South Carolina follows. Donald Trump won for the the angry American movement, with a large proportion of Independence, and usually none voters who may appear, but eliminating all but a few GOP establishment presidential nominees. To reiterate every one of the hopes for the White House has been left afloat by millions of dollars from Special Interests. I was even surprised to hear from Hillary Clintons adversary had collected a large sum of money from a wealthy donor, who I imagine was Communist billionaire George Soros. It must be clearly understood that all the Super Pac money and not so benevolent donors who will return at some unknown date, saying they had contributed to each and every governor on the stage, outsiders—but only Donald Trump cannot be faulted, because he has used his own money.
Next primary on the very close horizon is South Carolina, and the millions of people fed up with the hierarchy in either the Democratic establishment or GOP should review the economic issues. Without doubt illegal immigration comes top of the list, as it spreads out to every point in our society causing a major disruption in our lives. Over a hundred billions dollars go to feed, house and the medically manage their families to keep them well. Then what do we get in return demonstrations demanding even more and flag waving of foreign nations.
There is a war going on, and it’s hidden by Homeland Security that is supposed to protect the borders. Only our Southern border doesn’t exist in many sectors from Texas to California. Only in major populated areas, will you find a strong barrier that exists, as the rest is nothing but a small river that can be crossed, or some old barbed wire that the Environmentalist crazies cry a wall cannot be built because of a rare toad, or lizard. Yet beyond that demarcation line between a not so friendly Mexico is a no mans land, which drug dealers inhabit and where property owners live in fear. Just in many counties a single sheriff with a few deputies, must enforce the law, which is almost an impossible task.
Inside our country ICE has a formidable task, but is held at bay by Obamas policies. Even at the border the US Border Patrol they have been restrained from their responsibility to detain into custody the daily load of illegal aliens. They are only required by their directives to check for criminals and then release nationals into our society, not knowing if they will report to federal immigration court for a hearing. Most by then have vanished and will only see immigration judge if caught at some future time.
There is no detection at airports or other ports of entry as pregnant women slip past immigration to purposely have their child here. Once again, Illegal mothers arrive in America as a tourist, to have their child/children here and claiming citizenship for the child, placing the costs for hospital, aftercare and every other benefit. The problem of visa overstays is gargantuan, and must be addressed. Over 40% of current illegal aliens actually came here legally, many on temporary visas, and just never left. Now, there is a real occasion to effectively deal with this type of illegal immigration and show contempt for our laws significantly less tempting, if overstays were finally validated as illegal.
Rep. Lou Barletta (R-PA) has introduced HR 2848, the Visa Overstay Enforcement Act of 2015, to bring penalties for visa overstays in-line with existing laws for crossing our borders illegally. This logical move will remove the special treatment that some illegal aliens currently benefit from, just because they had permission to stay in the U.S., for a limited time, at some point in the past.
Although illegal immigration is the dominating event, Trump will end Obamacare, which premiums are about to rise. A new fighting force with the weaponry and equipment to provided to keep us safe, from dangerous adversaries. Monetary aftercare for our Veterans and Senior citizens that have been forgotten, while there is always funds in government for foreign nationals who violated the law. The renegotiation of fairer terms in international trade and not being cheated by foreign governments who are stealing hundreds of billions of dollars, A return of companies, jobs to the United States as taxes will be lowered for multi national companies, corporate in locations as Mexico. Our right to bear arms will be back in the hands of states, and no controlled by Obama administration. Certain federal agencies should be controlled by the 50 states and not mismanaged by bureaucrats in Washington.
The truth is out there and you can read all the ugly details of every form of crime by illegal aliens at http://www.illegalaliencrimereport.com/ the truth can no longer be hidden by the Leftists newspapers, although they have tried to dumb me down on writing about it; these listings of obnoxious crimes are not for children to read; government also hides the truth, as Congress is to blame when they have had more than one chance to impeach King Obama.