Fox News aired a rare bit of “Common Sense” on Monday afternoon when host Neil Cavuto ended his show with a strong defense of his colleague Chris Wallace, who earned the wrath of President Trump for daring to challenge House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA).
Trump tweeted on Sunday that Scalise “blew the nasty & obnoxious Chris Wallace (will never be his father, Mike!) away on Chris’s lowest rated (unless I’m on) morning show,” adding, “This kind of dumb and unfair interview would never have happened in the @FoxNews past.”
Zooming out, Cavuto asked his viewers, “What makes something ‘fake news?’” before explaining that the president “doesn’t distinguish” between false reporting and journalism that reflects poorly on him.
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“Now we can debate whether any crime was committed here,” Cavuto said, “but Chris challenged Scalise concluding the witnesses that testified last week didn’t see a crime committed here. That was his view of what they said, but that was not what they said.” He went on to say it “was a pity” Trump didn’t keep watching Fox News Sunday to see Wallace “just as aggressively going after” Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT).
Speaking directly to Trump, Cavuto said, “Now while it’s understandable not to like what you hear, Mr. President, it is not understandable to tune out what you would very much like to hear.” He futilely urged Trump to watch “the things you might like and, yes, the things you might not like.”
While Trump is “entitled” to his opinion, Cavuto said journalists “aren’t entitled to praise” him unconditionally—as he has come to expect from Fox’s primetime hosts. “We’re obligated to question you and always be fair to you,” he said. “We will. Even if it risks inviting your wrath.”
