This week on The Enemies List, Rick is joined by Brian Stelter, former CNN host of "Reliable Sources" and renowned media analyst. Together they delve into the captivating world of his new book, "Network of Lies: The Epic Saga of Fox News, Donald Trump, and the Battle for American Democracy." Stelter takes us behind the scenes of one of the most influential news networks in the country, exploring its intricate relationship with Donald Trump and its far-reaching impact on American democracy.
Last week on Fox the network used the tragedy of unprecedented wildfires in Southern California as a cudgel to attack Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. In stark contrast the “PBS News Hour” covered the fires as if they were a natural disaster not a failure of leadership. Jesse Watters seems to think he’s the emperor of the universe and Janice Dean, the weather lady on Fox & Friends, went rouge!
Fox News promoted a false narrative about the terrorist attack in New Orleans on New Year’s Day. Even after the network issued a retraction hosts and guests alike kept insinuating that immigration played a role in the attack. The decades suspect was an American citizens and Army veteran not a foreign born extremist. I break everything down in a detailed timeline to show exactly how Fox wouldn’t let truth get in the way of its agenda.
Last week on Fox News the subject of vigilante violence was center focus as the network lionized Daniel Penny, a former Marine who was acquitted of criminally negligent homicide for killing a homeless man, while lambasting the public reaction towards the cold-blooded assassination of the CEO of UnitedHealthcare. The folks at Fox also seemed disappointed that Black Lives Matter protesters weren’t rioting across the country over Penny’s acquittal. Sean Hannity and Dr. Drew Pinsky both weaved fairy tales about the healthcare system in the United States while Hannity also obsessed over mysterious drones, Jessica Tarlov schooled her co-hosts on Biden’s economic accomplishments and Tom Homan said he would prosecute governors if they got in the way of his plans for mass deportations.
Last week on Fox the outrage machine was on overdrive as the overpaid stuffed shirts expressed their disgust at President Biden’s decision to pardon his son Hunter. Judge Jeanine conveniently forgot to mention that Trump pardoned her ex-husband, Steve Doocy and Emily Compagno both declared that the president-elect was already improving the economy and Jesse Watters joked about annexing Canada and Greenland while promoting conspiracy theories about Iran rigging the 2020 election.Jessica Tarlov was the only person on the network that mentioned Donald J. Trump also pardoned a family member. Hunter Biden had fallen off the radar of Fox News but last week it was suddenly the most important topic in the world.
Brian Daitzman writes, "In the relentless pursuit of wealth, (Murdoch) left a trail of misinformation and division that has reshaped democracies and endangered lives."
