Last night, I posted some of the subjects that Tucker Carlson Tonight covered after it dispatched the news that Donald Trump had divulged classified information to the Russians. Here are some of the ways the subsequent prime time shows avoided talking about Russiagate.
I'm sure it's important that Osama Bin Laden's son has sworn revenge. But unless an attack is imminent, this is hardly the kind of news that should supplant questions about a president, already under suspicion for collusion with Russia, just reported to have handed them classified information. Well, unless you're Trump TV aka Fox News:
On Fox, nothing is ever more important than a conservative victim. And since it's not easy to paint Trump as a victim for leaking classified information to our adversary (though Fox gave it a go), The Five made time to attack the left for criticizing Miss USA. I wasn't sure which of her comments Fox relished more: her attack on feminism or her claim that health care is a privilege.
But my favorite deflection goes to the Hannity show. There, the "breaking news" was not about Donald Trump or Russia but why FBI Director James Comey had been fired (last week). Spoiler: Think Hillary Clinton emails.
There’s no evidence any of Hillary’s classified emails got into the wrong hands, yet Trump surrogate Mike Hickabee was allowed to make the claim in a softball interview.
Trump has once again contradicted his staff’s spin in his own tweets. Fox News hasn’t seriously connected the dots while covering both stories.
Under the general theme of Fox News accepting at face value any defense of Trump, they’ve even reported on Russia denying classified material was given to them at face value.
And there’s their favorite excuse no law was broken. Just as if Trump used his legal authority to randomly fire off nukes what’s the harm?
Like the GOP, the only thing Fox News is concerned of leaks embarrassing Trump.