On the Fox Business Network’s Evening Edit, Media Research Center Founder and President Brent Bozell took aim Tuesday at the chaos-ridden New York Times as having made a “mockery of journalism,” expressed support for law enforcement officers amid nationwide unrest, and denounced the liberal media double standard.
Host Liz MacDonald introduced the issue of The Times through the lens of their June 6 item claiming that former President George W. Bush wouldn’t be supporting President Trump’s reelection. After the article went live, a Bush spokesperson denied that Bush has decided what his 2020 plans would be.
Bozell replied that perhaps The Times didn’t have their ducks in a row because “too many editors are resigning” from staffers flipping out over “op-eds by senators that they don't like.”
Bozell added:
This newspaper is making a mockery of journalism. How many stories have we seen now, Liz, where The New York Times has come out and said, we spoke with 17 sources, 29 people told us, 1,484 people say, but they never cite any source and they have get caught over and over with a story isn't true. Here we go again. This is something that’s really simple. If it is true, then you have somebody on the record who is saying it and that person comes forward and he says the President told me so or what have you. But this is just a hit, a hit, a hit, a hit on the President. They’ve been doing this since 2015. It's shameful but I think the public is seeing through to it — through it.
After sounding off on the liberal media’s social distancing hypocrisy with protests and non-protests, Bozell urged viewers to “imagine being a police officer” at the front lines of a protests and “someone” is “in your face who is saying no justice, no peace and then f-the police and taunting you while 50 people stand around with phones, ready to snap a picture should you, as a policeman, take one step forward.”
“Imagine what they’re going through now. And then think about all those leftists who are on national television right now talking about a peaceful, wonderful life we have, imagine being a member of the police today. We ought to thank them,” he added.
Pivoting to Spygate, MacDonald brought up a Hill column from George Washington University Law professor Jonathan Turley in which he wondered what the liberal media’s coverage would have looked like if, instead of the Obama and Trump teams, it had been the Bush administration surveilling Obama’s 2008 campaign.
Here was part of what Bozell had to say when asked to build on Turley’s argument (click “expand”)
BOZELL: Jonathan Turley, no right-winger. What are we looking at here? We — we have the media that mocked President Trump for months, mocked him, when he said that the Obama administration was spying on his campaign and on his transition team. They mocked him for it. Well, now we know what? Now we know that they were eavesdropping on them, they were spying on the Trump — on the Trump camp but what we know even more now is that they had no evidence when they were doing it and they still haven't provided a motive. They are spying on — on their fellow man and this spying goes to the very top of the Obama administration. We're about to release some numbers as I’ll give you the numbers now for the month of may to prove Professor Turley is entirely correct. Network news coverage of this spying on the American people by the government of the United States trying to destroy people, trying to destroy General Flynn, less than two and a half minutes of coverage.
MACDONALD: Brent, you know, to what you're saying too, Jonathan Turley also is asking, what if the George W. Bush administration had done the same to the incoming Obama administration? Your final word? Where — the media, he is saying would have exploded. Your final word?
BOZELL: I — two words, Richard Nixon. Remember how they went after Richard Nixon and all the things that he was doing that were anti-American. Look what this administration, what the Obama administration has been doing. Look how they have been trying to systematically destroy heroes. Michael Flynn is a hero.
To see the relevant FBN transcript from June 9, click “expand.”
FBN’s Evening Edit
June 9, 2020
6:33 p.m. EasternLIZ MACDONALD: We turn now to the media getting criticized for misreporting a number of stories. First case, a spokesman for President George W. Bush now says that New York Times story claiming George W. will not vote for President Trump is, “completely made up and false,” that George W. Is retired from presidential politics and has not indicated how he will vote. Let's welcome back to the show, Media Research Center President and Founder, Brent Bozell. Great to have you on, Brent. The New York Times has not updated article with that statement. Your reaction?
BRENT BOZELL: Well, maybe it’s because — maybe there are too many editors are resigning because their staff don't like them running op-eds by senators that they don't like. This — this ---- this newspaper is making a mockery of journalism. How many stories have we seen now, Liz, where The New York Times has come out and said, we spoke with 17 sources, 29 people told us, 1,484 people say, but they never cite any source and they have get caught over and over with a story isn't true. Here we go again. This is something that’s really simple. If it is true, then you have somebody on the record who is saying it and that person comes forward and he says the President told me so or what have you. But this is just a hit, a hit, a hit, a hit on the President. They’ve been doing this since 2015. It's shameful but I think the public is seeing through to it — through it.
MACDONALD: Yeah, it’s pretty clear that the Bush family members have not voted for Trump. The story cites people familiar with his thinking but nothing more than that. Let's move on to the next case, Brent. Media and Democrats have been attacking and lecturing people protesting against draconian stay at home COVID-19 shut-in orders that outlawed even gardening or painting their houses as their small businesses collapse but when rioting and looting hit, riots that eventually killed 19 people, including eight African-Americans and smashed and ruined dozens of minority-owned businesses, wounding at least 500 cops and law enforcement, the media and Democrats told a different story. Watch this.
HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI [on MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell Reports, 05/06/20]: It is dangerous and these people can take this home with them and hurt their families all the rest.
JOY BEHAR [on ABC’s The View, 05/16/20]: I would like to ask them if they're willing to sign away right to treatment, if and when they get infected.
DON LEMON [on CNN Tonight, 04/21/20]: Who the hell do you think you are? What is wrong with people? I don't understand what is wrong with people? Stay at home.
ALI VELSHI [on MSNBC’s The 11th Hour, 05/28/20]: This is mostly a protest. It is not — it is not generally speaking unruly but fires have been started.
HANNAH NIKOLE-JONES [on CBSN, 06/02/20]: Destroying property which can be replaced is not violence.
CHRIS CUOMO [on CNN’s Cuomo Prime Time, 06/02/20]: Please, show me where it says that protesters are supposed to be polite and peaceful?
PELOSI [on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, 06/06/20]: It’s heart-warming to see so many people turn out peacefully. [SCREEN WIPE] Across the country, it is bringing people together, community with unity.
MACDONALD: Your reaction to that, Brent?
BOZELL: I don't know how I react to this! You know, all the stories in the media about irresponsibility of people being on beaches, all the stories in the media about the irresponsibility of going to church. And I might add, members of Congress and governors too, not just the media with all the statements they made, my god forsaken governor here in Virginia being one of them and then these mobs out that are there and is perfectly safe, you know, imagine yourself, Liz, being a police officer and talk about bringing people together, imagine being a police officer and having to stand there. Your job is to protect the public and you're standing there and there is someone in your face who is saying no justice, no peace and then f-the police and taunting you while 50 people stand around with phones, ready to snap a picture should you, as a policeman, take one step forward? Imagine what they're going through now. And then think about all those leftists who are on national television right now talking about a peaceful, wonderful life we have, imagine being a member of the police today. We ought to thank them.
MACDONALD: Alright, next case, George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turney — Turley is slamming the media for widely dismissing and not covering the recent revelations of Obama administration officials, including Joe Biden and Obama's chief of staff going after Michael Flynn, demanding that Flynn's name be released in intelligence report in unmasking. He’s also blasting the media for not reporting the chilling details of prominent figures who pushed Trump -Russia collusion on the media like Susan Rice and James Clapper but then behind closed doors, testifying to House Intelligence they had no proof of that. Jonathan Turley, Brent, is also saying, where is the media coverage of Joe Biden and Barack Obama monitoring and keeping close tabs on the Trump-Russia probe, basically, the use of U.S. intelligence powers to investigate a political opponent when there was no there there as Rod Rosenstein has just, as deputy attorney general who is now, no longer at DOJ, he testified to that. So Jonathan Turley is really slamming the media's poor coverage on that. Your reaction, Brent?
BOZELL: Jonathan Turley, no right-winger. What are we looking at here? We — we have the media that mocked President Trump for months, mocked him, when he said that the Obama administration was spying on his campaign and on his transition team. They mocked him for it. Well, now we know what? Now we know that they were eavesdropping on them, they were spying on the Trump — on the Trump camp but what we know even more now is that they had no evidence when they were doing it and they still haven't provided a motive. They are spying on — on their fellow man and this spying goes to the very top of the Obama administration. We're about to release some numbers as I’ll give you the numbers now for the month of may to prove Professor Turley is entirely correct. Network news coverage of this spying on the American people by the government of the United States trying to destroy people, trying to destroy General Flynn, less than two and a half minutes of coverage.
MACDONALD: Brent, you know, to what you're saying too, Jonathan Turley also is asking, what if the George W. Bush administration had done the same to the incoming Obama administration? Your final word? Where — the media, he is saying would have exploded. Your final word?
BOZELL: I — two words, Richard Nixon. Remember how they went after Richard Nixon and all the things that he was doing that were anti-American. Look what this administration, what the Obama administration has been doing. Look how they have been trying to systematically destroy heroes. Michael Flynn is a hero.
MACDONALD: But the Nixon administration did break the law. Well, the Nixon —
BOZELL: They broke the law but they didn't like the way he did things.
MACDONALD: — the Nixon administration did break the law, using the FBI, IRS, and Secret Service.
BOZELL: And — yeah — but — but —
MACDONALD: Go ahead.
BOZELL: — this — how do — I think —I think laws have been broken by the Obama administration and that the media were all over Nixon trying to investigate it, where are they now with Obama?
MACDONALD: Okay. Brent Bozell, thank you so much. Appreciate you coming on. Come back soon.
BOZELL: Thank you, Liz.
