Donna Brazile on Fox News: Laughed at by Tucker, idolized by Hannity
Fox News’s new favorite author, former interim Democratic National Committee chair Donna Brazile, was interviewed on Tucker Carlson Tonight Wednesday. Because of remarks she makes in her new memoir, Hacks, that are critical of Hillary Clinton and her 2016 campaign, Brazile is suddenly being lionized as a fearless truth-teller on Fox News. Well, not entirely: She’s also being laughed at. Carlson asked her about the widely reported leak of a debate question to the Clinton campaign, which she is accused of doing. When Brazile responded with a feeble excuse — “I didn’t want them to be blindsided” — Carlson guffawed loudly, momentarily stopping the show. Then he semi-apologized, saying, “I don’t typically laugh in the middle of an interview.” This is, of course, not true: It’s one of Carlson’s regular devices; when he’s overwhelmed with contempt for his guest, he often erupts in gales of laughter, as can be seen here, here, and here.
An hour later on Hannity, Sean Hannity was having his rabid nervous breakdowns over what he called Wednesday night “the fake-news-anti-Trump-Russian-propaganda-lying dossier.” He wiped the froth from his jaw momentarily, however, to sing the praises of Brazile for the Tucker appearance she had just made: “Donna Brazile continues to spill the Democrats’ dark secrets!” he crowed, playing excerpts from the Tucker set-to. It’s amazing, the gall the Fox News zoo-crew displays in embracing Brazile now that she’s airing her grudges against their common target: Hillary. During the campaign, Brazile was not considered a brave spiller of beans — she was constantly pilloried by Fox News hosts, as a devious sneak who leaked debate info. Megyn Kelly, then at Fox, grilled her grimly here. Watch The Five’s Eric Bolling say, “What Donna Brazile did was shameful and treasonous,” to nods of agreement from four Five hosts here. The hypocrisy, whenever it’s convenient, is perpetually shocking.
Less shocking was the appearance of former Donald Trump chief strategist Steve Bannon on Wednesday’s Hannity. Booked to post-mortem the Republicans’ Election Day loss in Virginia, Bannon looked like someone had thrown an open can of tomato sauce at his face. Blaming the Democratic victory on an insufficiently Trumpian candidate, Ed Gillespie, Bannon soon veered off topic to start babbling randomly. “The Clintons have been corrupt for so long,” he said — not that Sean had asked a question about the Clintons. “To bring unity to the party, Mitch McConnell should tender his resignation tomorrow,” he said. In fact, he liked the phrase “tender his resignation” so much, he said it two more times in the same segment.
And, ye gods, Bannon started in again on Hannity’s super-favorite topic: the Uranium One deal. Kids, have I ever shown you Joy Reid’s brisk demolition of that pseudo-scandal? I have? Well, enjoy it again here. We are one year into the Trump presidency as of yesterday, friends, and Fox News is doing its best to keep reminding you of two things you already know: Donald Trump won, and Hillary Clinton lost. Sometimes you watch Fox and realize they wish the reverse was true, so they’d have their favorite person around to hate 24/7.
Tucker Carlson Tonight airs weeknights at 8 p.m. on Fox News. Hannity airs weeknights at 9 p.m. on Fox News.
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