Appearing on FNC’s O’Reilly Factor Wednesday night, both Marco Rubio and Carly Fiorina hammered the obvious double standard against conservatives in the liberal media. Host Bill O’Reilly asked Rubio: “Is the media out to get you?” Rubio replied: “I do think there’s a bias against – at least a double standard when it comes to those of us who are conservatives. They hold us to a different standard than they hold Democrats and I think you see – and liberals, especially.”
Rubio continued: “I do believe that in much of the mainstream media, I don't think that's a fact in dispute or can be disputed. I mean, if you look at how people like Ben Carson have been covered, myself and others, it – you see that double standard at play. But you know that. When you are a conservative, you know that this is the way you’re going to be treated.”
Minutes later, O’Reilly asked Fiorina about Hillary Clinton laughing off a supporter who said he wanted to “strangle” the former Hewlett-Packard CEO. Fiorina explained:
I think – you know, I don't take umbrage with him, I don't even take umbrage with Mrs. Clinton. I do take umbrage with the clear double standard that exists in the media. I mean, if this had happened with the conservative candidate, the liberal media would be all over us and to correct him, to apologize, and all the rest of it.
O’Reilly pointed out: “It happened to you – when what was it? Some guy said the President was a Muslim or something and you just kind of just blew him off, you didn't say anything. Didn't that happen to you?” Fiorina responded: “Yes, it did....and, of course, the media’s all over it.”
She concluded: “So, you know, guess what? News flash, the media is biased. This isn't anything new. And we just have to deal with it, unfortunately.”
Later in the show, White House correspondent Ed Henry backed up Fiorina’s observation of a clear double standard in the press:
What’s interesting is the double standard. Think about – you mentioned this earlier with Carly Fiorina, when she didn't correct someone about the President's religion, she got some heat about that. Donald Trump did a couple months ago. Turn this around. What if Marco Rubio had a town hall meeting and someone stood up, a guy, and said, “Hillary Clinton makes me so angry I want to strangle her,” and Marco Rubio laughed about it, I suspect he'd be facing a little bit more heat today than Hillary Clinton.
Here are transcripts of the three exchanges on the November 11 O’Reilly Factor:
8:18 PM ET
(...)
BILL O’REILLY: Okay, now, is the media out to get you, Marco Rubio, in your opinion right now?
SEN. MARCO RUBIO [R-FL]: Well, their number one bias is for conflict. So they need there to be scandals, that’s what drives eyeballs and readers. And so that’s their number one conflict. I do think there’s a bias against – at least a double standard when it comes to those of us who are conservatives. They hold us to a different standard than they hold Democrats and I think you see – and liberals, especially. I do believe that in much of the mainstream media, I don't think that's a fact in dispute or can be disputed. I mean, if you look at how people like Ben Carson have been covered, myself and others, it – you see that double standard at play.
But you know that. When you are a conservative, you know that this is the way you’re going to be treated. But at the end of the day, if you want to serve our country you have to go through this. You answer the questions and you focus on the things that really matter. And that's what I’ve tried to do on this campaign.
O’REILLY: Alright, Senator. And FBN was much different than CNBC, right? You got a share shake last night, right?
RUBIO: Well, it was about policy. And our people deserve to hear about that. I thought last night was an excellent debate because it was about policy.
O’REILLY: Yeah, it was very fair.
(...)
8:23 PM ET
BILL O’REILLY: Personal Story segment tonight. While on the campaign trail in New Hampshire yesterday, Hillary Clinton held a round table for some vets and Carly Fiorina, former CEO of Hewlett-Packard, came up.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: I get laid off. It's 20,000 of us, we get laid off, right? She told us it was for cost-cutting. A couple of months after we get laid off, 20,000 people, she bought two jets to fly executives around the country, instead of using commercial aircraft. Every time I see her on TV I want to reach through and strangle her.
[LAUGHTER]
You know, I know that doesn't sound very nice.
[LAUGHTER]
HILLARY CLINTON: I wouldn't mess with you.
[LAUGHTER]
O’REILLY: Alright, today some are criticizing Mrs. Clinton for not scolding that man. Joining us from Caramel, Indiana is Carly Fiorina. What do you think about that?
CARLY FIORINA: Well, first, I can understand why someone who is laid off might feel badly about it. It was a very tough time. I think he has his facts wrong about the two corporate jets, but I understand that he might be frustrated by that. It was a very tough time and we had to make some tough calls to save 80,000 jobs. I think – you know, I don't take umbrage with him, I don't even take umbrage with Mrs. Clinton. I do take umbrage with the clear double standard that exists in the media. I mean, if this had happened with the conservative candidate, the liberal media would be all over us and to correct him, to apologize, and all the rest of it.
O’REILLY: Well, it happened to you.
FIORINA: Exactly.
O’REILLY: It happened to you – when what was it? Some guy said the President was a Muslim or something and you just kind of just blew him off, you didn't say anything. Didn't that happen to you?
FIORINA: Yes, it did. And what's interesting about that – you’re exactly right, Bill – is I have corrected people many times before. I’ve said, “Actually, the President tells us he’s a Christian and I take him at his word.” This was the one time, because I didn't have a lot of time, and, of course, the media’s all over it. So, you know, guess what? News flash, the media is biased. This isn't anything new. And we just have to deal with it, unfortunately.
(...)
8:50 PM ET
BILL O’REILLY: Back of the Book segment tonight. As we told you earlier, Hillary Clinton did not scold a man who said he wanted to reach through the television and strangle Carly Fiorina. Joining us now from Washington, Ed Henry, who’s covering the Clinton campaign for Fox News.
Is that a big deal? Are they talking about it or what?
ED HENRY: Well, the Clinton camp is certainly trying to downplay it. And what they say is they believe the man at this New Hampshire town hall meeting was joking and that’s why Hillary Clinton tried to kind of laugh it off. And so the onus may not be on her.
What’s interesting is the double standard. Think about – you mentioned this earlier with Carly Fiorina, when she didn't correct someone about the President's religion, she got some heat about that. Donald Trump did a couple months ago. Turn this around. What if Marco Rubio had a town hall meeting and someone stood up, a guy, and said, “Hillary Clinton makes me so angry I want to strangle her,” and Marco Rubio laughed about it, I suspect he'd be facing a little bit more heat today than Hillary Clinton.
O’REILLY: I think you’re right on it.
(...)
