Media Research Center President Brent Bozell appeared on Fox Business, Wednesday, to demand that journalists continue to cover the AP’s “blockbuster” report on a pay for play scandal at Hillary Clinton’s State Department. Regarding the latest twist in the controversy involving the Clinton Foundation, Bozell explained, “All of these things are kind of Nixonion in the way they [the Clintons] were answering them, but very much Clintonion in that they throw kind of smoke screens around it, knowing the media are going to leave it alone or expecting they're going to.”
Regarding the network coverage on Wednesday, the MRC president predicted, “They've covered it a few minutes here and there and my guess is this will be a one and done story.” Talking to host Charles Payne, he added, “In no way are the media seemingly interested in taking this story any further.”
As noted by the MRC’s Kyle Drennen, the networks covered the Associated Press report, but made sure to highlight Clinton's effort to discredit the AP.
A transcript of Bozell’s appearance is below:
Cavuto: Coast to Coast
8/24/16
1:03CHARLES PAYNE: A blockbuster report from the Associated Press saying that more than half the people, these are outside the government, who met with Hillary Clinton while she was secretary of state, gave money to the Clinton Foundation. The Clinton campaign firing back, accusing AP of bias, cherry picking of her schedule and distorting the facts of her meetings. Media critic Brent Bozell says that the AP is typically in Clinton's corner. Brent, I think this would actually make this even echo louder and it's so funny, scanning the news this morning. A lot of the mainstream media had to go with this early in their shows.
BRENT BOZELL: Yeah, you know, it's interesting, Charles. One of the things that critics, like yours truly, have said that the media don't report stories about— bad stories about Hillary Clinton, but, certainly, never conduct investigations. And there are so many investigations to be conducted. And lo and behold AP did that. So, AP should be commended for that. But to me, it's striking is the rest of the media's reaction to it. They've covered it a few minutes here and there and my guess is this will be a one and done story. But in covering it, they rush to give the Clinton response to this, without responding to the outrageous nature of the response. For example, the Clinton operation responded by saying, “Well, this didn't count 1700 government officials she met with.” Of course it didn't. It wasn't about government officials, it was about non-government officials. Or they said it's only a snapshot. Okay, then perhaps the full story is going to say it's much, much worse. So in no effort, in no way are the media seemingly interested in taking this story any further. You called it a blockbuster. It is a blockbuster.
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PAYNE: Brent, you know, to your point, when the report was out last night and today and went on to talk about the Bangladesh government and Wall Street executive. But then it seems like they tried to provide cover. The next line, the meetings between Democratic nominee and foundation donors do not appear to violate legal agreements Clinton and the former president had before joining the State Department.” So they actually provided cover for this amazing story that I read AP has been for three years have been asking for FOIA, for FOIA requests. So, they worked hard and diligent, to your point, but in the same breath provided cover for this whole scandal.
BOZELL: Yeah. And then another answer given was, well, they were given access, it doesn't mean that anything happened. Well, come on! You don't give $156 million to the Clinton Foundation unless you're getting something in return. So, I mean, all of these things are kind of Nixonion in the way they were answering them, but very much Clintonion in that they throw kind of smoke screens around it, knowing the media are going to leave it alone or expecting they're going to. I expect they will too. But, look, the AP surprised me, so maybe somebody else will surprise me.
PAYNE: All right. You never know. Thanks a lot, Brent.
