Megyn Kelly began her show with 10 minutes of scripted outrage over Harry Reid’s lack of remorse for his 2012 allegation that Mitt Romney had not filed his taxes for 10 years. This from the woman who either promoted or helped Fox News promote a series of designed-to-be-damaging untruths and inflammatory, law-breaking rhetoric.
Kelly’s hammy wrath would have been comical even if it were not so hypocritical nor coming from a woman who likes to call herself a “straight news anchor.”
KELLY: Breaking tonight: More than 12 hours after the Senate Minority Leader all but admitted that he repeatedly lied to the American people in the interest of helping the president win re-election, we are still waiting to see if any of his peers will step forward to speak out on this ugly breach of the public trust.
Kelly ran through the atrocity: Reid cited an anonymous source; The Washington Post awarded him four Pinocchios. “But it didn’t matter. The accusation was already out there. From the Senate Leader! A man in an immense position of trust!”
“Fast forward to today,” Kelly said melodramatically. “Mr. Reid recently announced he’s retiring. And he was in the middle of a ‘looking-back interview’ this morning.” Kelly now switched to sarcasm. “Sort of a moment of honesty apparently overcame the man.”
Kelly played a CNN clip in which Reid was asked about his lack of regret for that remark and others which “some people” have called “McCarthyite.”
Reid never said the tax claim wasn’t true. He merely said, “Well, they can call it whatever they want. Romney didn’t win, did he?”
I don’t know if Reid was saying the ends justify the means or shrugging the whole thing off as irrelevant now. Either way, it’s certainly not one of Reid’s best moments. However, it’s hardly the only moment in his long career worth focusing on. Unless you’ve got an agenda.
Moreover, Reid’s claim pales in comparison to the reckless falsehoods promoted on Fox, some by Megyn Kelly herself:
- Kelly orchestrated a series of accusations – over at least 45 segments - that Attorney General Eric Holder had refused to prosecute some members of the New Black Panther Party for voter intimidation because they’re black. Even though no voter intimidation had occurred. Kelly abruptly dropped her attacks after she was confronted on the air for race baiting a phony story. But Kelly didn’t seem to think she owed her viewers an apology.
- Fox News relentlessly promoted Donald Trump’s utterly bogus birther attacks on President Obama, falsely insinuating – and blowing a racial dog whistle – that Obama was born in Africa, not the U.S. and thus ineligible to be president. Where was the apology? And why is Trump still considered a credible Fox pundit?
- Fox’s Sean Hannity promoted criminal rancher Cliven Bundy’s threatened armed insurrection against the U.S. Instead of apologizing, Hannity played the victim.
- Megyn Kelly’s own show helped promote a flattering picture of racist Bundy. Where was her apology?
Yet Kelly had the nerve to denounce Reid - and his colleagues for not similarly denouncing him - as if she were some beacon of truthful integrity. You know, as opposed to a political operative playing the role of straight news anchor.
You really need to watch the video to get the full flavor of Kelly’s schtick as she ranted about Reid’s “complete lack of honesty, complete lack of integrity, never mind respect for the American people!” And, “None of his peers so far has seen fit to be at least a little bit ashamed? What does this say about Washington? About America? About our politics these days?”
Or about our news?
Kelly hosted not one but two guests to discuss the matter. She complained first to conservative guest Dana Loesch, “Disgusting. It’s just disgusting! He’s not even ashamed that he lied.” Kelly also compared Reid to an athlete taking steroids.
Predictably, Loesch picked up Kelly’s indignation and ran with it. “There’s a reason why American politics are so polarizing,” Loesch said. And yes, it’s “because of people like Harry Reid.” This from a woman who unhesitatingly hate mongers against liberals.
But almost as bad as all that was the toothlessness of “nationally syndicated radio host” Richard Fowler, a regular liberal guest on Fox. He either failed to notice the laughable hypocrisy or decided not to call it out.
Fowler made the argument, essentially, that “everybody lies” in political campaigns. He even said, “Let’s talk about all the people who thought the president was born in Kenya. And they proliferated that lie.” Yet he never mentioned how Fox News did much of the proliferating - even after Kelly dismissed the argument by saying, “I don’t remember anyone going on to the Senate floor and saying that. I don’t remember that.”
This was shameful alright, but not the way Kelly meant it.
Watch it below, from last night's The Kelly File.
It’s too bad he’s in the Senate right now. He’d have been able to do a sequel a few years ago (or simply an “expanded, 10th anniversary” edition).
“There’s a reason why American politics are so polarizing,” Loesch said. And yes, it’s “because of people like Harry Reid.” Really, Fox “News?” REALLY?!