Not surprisingly, Fox News' Outnumbered Trumpettes were full of condemnation for Mitt Romney’s speech attacking Donald Trump. But the “fair and balanced” show went the extra Trump mile by suggesting that he counter with a piece of video showing Romney praising Trump – which Fox just happened to have ready - and then rolled it.
Cohost Sandra Smith criticized Romney for making personal attacks on Donald Trump while complaining about Trump’s personal attacks. “Mitt Romney just went after him with personal attacks! He didn’t just stick to policy attack,” she complained. But that’s not really true. Romney attacked Trump on the record he’s running on. The only personal attack I found in Romney’s remarks was his comment, “Trump relishes any poll that reflects what he thinks of himself.”
But cohost Andrea Tantaros took on the role of advisor. “If I were Donald Trump, I would roll the tape of Mitt Romney praising me in 2012 for being a job creator.” Apparently, someone talked in her ear as she continued, “And if you want to talk about, and if you want to talk about – I think we have that tape. Should we roll that?”
Cohost Harris Faulkner jumped in, “And not just praising, but endorsing. Watch.”
After the video, Faulkner sneered, “Donald Trump endorsing Mitt Romney and being thanked for being even a better businessman than Mitt Romney by Mitt Romney. Cue the videotape, don’t you always love videotape?”
It’s a fair point. But when was the last time there was this kind of scrutiny about Trump University, for which there are currently three legal cases for fraud? Or the kind of BS Trump tells which was so brilliantly exposed by John Oliver over the weekend (video below).
Eric Bolling, the show's #OneLuckyGuy, excused the Trump University matter quickly by disingenuously painting it as an example of American ingenuity. “Trump has some business, vodka, that failed or a college that failed but that’s America! How many people out there have tried a business that didn’t work out?” It’s worth pointing out Bolling also dismissed concerns about Trump’s refusal to disavow David Duke and the KKK.
The “balance” to this group was Meghan McCain, another Republican, but one who had the audacity to voice opposition to Trump - when she had the chance to speak. “Are any of you concerned,” she asked, about “the 48% of Republicans who don’t already back Trump?”
In a word, no.
Bolling pointed to an increase in Republican turnout in the primaries and a drop in Democratic turnout, without anyone considering whether that might be a reflection of the primary races more than the general electorate.
McCain had to fight to respond. Saying that she understands Trump will probably be the nominee, she said, “All I’m saying is, there’s splintering within the party right now.”
Smith interrupted. “Aren’t they making it worse, Meghan? They’re spending all this time attacking their own,” she lectured.
Faulkner accused Romney of “basically turning on a friend who had given him money for a campaign, I mean, let’s call this for what it is.”
As if “attacking their own” was not what was going on here.
Watch it below, from the March 3 Outnumbered.
I dunno Ellen, Mitt called Trump a phony and a fraud sound pretty personal to me. It’ll be interesting to see if Trump shows up to the debate.