Fox News Abruptly Cuts Off Impeachment Trial During Chilling Testimony

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

02/10/2021 09:41 pm ET

Fox News cut off a trial manager, as he was providing video evidence giving an inside look at the violence at the Capitol during Trump’s impeachment trial.

David Bauder

NEW YORK (AP) — Fox News Channel cut off an impeachment manager in mid-sentence Wednesday as he was presenting dramatic video footage of the mob attacking the U.S. Capitol last month and government leaders running for safety.

“The political math doesn’t add up,” Fox’s Jesse Watters said. “Democrats don’t have the votes, yet they’re still pressing ahead.”

The incident was a dramatic illustration of the tightrope walked by programmers at television networks that appeal to fans of former President Donald Trump during his second impeachment trial.

Fox, along with ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN and MSNBC, had been covering House managers outlining their case against Trump live for nearly five hours Wednesday. While sometimes dry and methodical, the presentation reached an emotional climax when California Rep. Eric Swalwell showed graphic video, much of it not seen before.

Read more: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/fox-news-cuts-off-trump-impeachment-trial_n_60249386c5b681d09342bdf2

[Judi Lynn]

1. Juan Williams Accuses Fox News Co-Hosts Of 'Ignoring' Impeachment Trial

02/10/2021 07:29 pm ET

“You don’t want to deal with the news!” Williams shouted after “The Five” segment devolved into a yelling match.

By Josephine Harvey

Fox News co-host Juan Williams set off a firestorm Wednesday on “The Five” when he accused his colleagues of ignoring the damning evidence presented at the impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump.

“I want you guys to come back, come and join the conversation, pay attention to the news!” Williams said. “Clearly, what’s going on on Capitol Hill today is an attempt to hold democracy and the Constitution up. To celebrate that as the basis that we are a country of laws.”

At Wednesday’s Senate trial, Democratic impeachment managers presented chilling videos of the Jan. 6 insurrection, showing rioters assaulting police and smashing their way into the U.S. Capitol. One security video shows Vice President Mike Pence being evacuated from the Senate chamber, fleeing the mob that was hunting for him. Others show House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) running to safety.

“This impeachment trial that you guys are all ignoring, I guess you are afraid of it because it’s a reminder,” Williams continued, until he was interrupted by Greg Gutfeld, who burst out, “Don’t mind read, Juan!” The two then shouted over one another for almost 20 seconds.

More:
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/juan-williams-fox-news-fight_n_6024620bc5b6ddb358159167

[Gore1FL]

2. The Jesse Waters quote reminded me of something.

Doesn't

“'The political math doesn’t add up,' Fox’s Jesse Watters said. 'Democrats don’t have the votes, yet they’re still pressing ahead.'”

Sound an awful lot like

"Nevertheless, she persisted."

[SergeStorms]

3. Well of course they did!

Wouldn't want any of their viewers to be exposed to anything that puts His Assholiness into a bad light. That would interfere with the alternative reality they inhabit.

[Nitram]

4. Fox News is for right wing snowflakes.

[still_one]

5. This is so important to expose how fox new censors what their viewers see

[LuckyLib]

6. Juan, Juan. Did you wake up and smell the coffee? Finally?

[TeamPooka]

7. Better cut that feed before they infect their viewers with facts.

[Aussie105]

8. Why would Fox cut away?

Most of us will have seen the footage of:

1. The policeman being killed with a fire extinguisher.
2. The policeman's head being squashed in the doorway.
3. The close range headshot from a secret service person.

Why would Fox not show that?

Oh yeah, trying to trivialize the whole thing.

It was just a little coup attempt, no harm done! As if! Fox, you suck!

[Mike Nelson]

9. Juan, Juan, Juan...

... what are you still doing there? You know you are used to make Trumpsters look young, hip, and reasonable. You know you are there to make them look fair and balanced. Whatever they are paying you is not enough. Surely you have a healthy bank account and can quit... get off that show. NOW.

[Ford_Prefect]

10. Fox isn't news as we know. It is selling ideas to gullible people.

Watters made that calculation clear and on air. They don't want their captive audience exposed to uncomfortable truths that break the FOX narrative. They certainly don't want the full dimension of Trump's terror history shocking their loyal viewers. "It was a mob that got out a little out of hand" works when you don't see the blood, can't follow the chase, and hear about the degree of preparation and manipulation that leads to it in detail.

Propaganda works best when people cannot see alternatives to it which might raise awkward questions. We joke about FAUX Spews, and the fools that inhabit their program desks, and the consumers who seem to hang on their every word. However, that is the FOX condition and content. They sell ideas and falsehoods and always have done. Rupert the Horrible formed them as a fully fledged propaganda agency for the American Right Wing and Oligarchs of all stripes and nations.

Shutting off the feed was an attempt to stifle the truth that doesn't support Trump's narrative. More significantly it was also done to marginalize what went on as less threatening than it really was. The FOX context presents the video as if it were a football game where the fans got too rowdy rather than a genuine, intentionally violent assault on the people who govern our country in the process of enacting the people's will and their constitutional responsibility.

[CaptYossarian]

11. There was another form of RW propaganda this morning.

My wife watches the local ABC affiliate for some reason. There is a constant GOP slant in their reporting. The cheerleader-looking news reader said that 40 officers were injured (instead of the actual 140). I wondered why someone couldn't read NUMBERS, but then it occurred to me that she, like Ron Burgundy, only says what's in front of her.

Usually, it's the mispronounced words that could be a drinking game.

I don't believe any of the news readers on any of their broadcasts are responsible for what's on the teleprompter. Don Henley was right all along about them.