Fox News Channel was once seen as a reliably right-leaning alternative within a leftist-dominated cable news environment.
As on-air personalities have become more abrasive in their approach to conservative lawmakers and the network implemented an apparent unofficial ban on former President Donald Trump in recent months, however, critics say much of Fox News has become indistinguishable from its competitors.
One example is the long-running morning program “Fox & Friends,” which has featured co-host Brian Kilmeade aggressively questioning GOP political figures including U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) and presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.
For House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY), however, it was a different “Fox & Friends” co-host who has convinced him not to appear on the program anymore.
Comer discussed the matter during a recent Newsmax TV interview after host Eric Bolling played a clip of Fox News personality Steve Doocy claiming that the Oversight panel had no evidence to support impeaching President Joe Biden on corruption charges.
“They’ve connected the dots, the Department of Justice did on Hunter [Biden], but they have not shown where Joe Biden, you know, did anything illegally,” Doocy said in the clip.
The Kentucky Republican responded by asserting that he believes House Republicans have “done a pretty good job connecting the dots,” laying out evidence including “two checks from influence-peddling schemes” that went “directly into Joe Biden’s pocket.”
When Bolling asked why Doocy would claim there is no evidence, Comer asserted that such rhetoric has become par for the course.
Comer: I quit going on Fox and Friends because of Doocy. He's the one guy on Fox that's been very critical of the investigation. I have my theory why.. But I don't think the average viewer Fox News agrees with Doocy pic.twitter.com/JvmAo3XDgL
— Acyn (@Acyn) December 13, 2023
“He’s had that position from the very beginning,” the lawmaker said. “I’ve quit going on ‘Fox & Friends’ because of Doocy, you know? I mean, he’s the one guy on Fox that has been very critical of the investigation.”
Comer noted that he has a theory regarding why Doocy has embraced that position but declined to expound on it further during the interview.
“But at the end of the day, he’s entitled to his opinion, but I don’t think the average view of Fox News agrees with Doocy one bit,” he concluded.
Comer was instrumental in pushing for a vote on Wednesday to formally launch an impeachment inquiry into the president.
“We are very pleased with the vote today,” he said in a press conference after the motion passed. “I think that sent a message loud and clear to the White House.”
