Fox News Is Tearing Itself Apart Over Bonkers Senate Race
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Tomorrow concludes the absolutely bonkers GOP Senate primary race in Pennsylvania and, no matter who wins, the results are sure to piss off a portion of the Fox News primetime slate. After little-known “ultra-MAGA” candidate Kathy Barnette began surging in the polls last week, it seemed like pro-Trump media stars almost immediately got the memo to destroy her. Sean Hannity pulled out all the stops to protect Dr. Mehmet Oz, his close pal Donald Trump’s preferred candidate, while colleague Laura Ingraham has made her disdain for the TV doctor more than clear. The tension between the two Fox stars boiled over late last week when Hannity took aim at Barnette for two straight nights, unironically blasting her past Islamophobic and homophobic remarks. Ingraham vollied back, once again bashing Oz and indirectly attacking Hannity—among other Barnette critics—for “smearing” the upstart candidate. Fellow Fox News host Mark Levin catapulted into the chat on Friday, taking a direct swing at Laura with some colorful insults for his own colleague: “For some reason, the 10 p.m.-er has a real hate-on for Oz,” he huffed. “10 p.m.-er is not a Pennsylvanian. But some people, because they have a camera in their face, actually think they know what's best for you without actually inquiring into it… 10 p.m.-er has a cork up her nose at this. I don’t know what the problem is.” Insiders suggested to Confider that the bickering—within Fox News and among conservative media at large—is a preview of post-Trump divisions that will emerge in MAGA world as a likely contentious 2024 GOP race draws ever-closer. However, one current Fox staffer said, “You know the moment one of these two characters wins the primary, Fox News will get in line behind them.” Another insider added: “It’s all a part of the entertainment.” Fox News did not respond to a request for comment.
The White House Correspondents’ Association has threatened Simon Ateba, a reporter for the largely unknown Africa Today, with potential disciplinary action after he had a very public outburst at Jen Psaki when she did not call on him during her final day at the podium. In the email to the eccentric briefing room gadfly, WHCA chief Steven Portnoy wrote: “Your disruptive behavior at last Friday’s briefing interrupted your colleagues and reflected poorly on the press corps. There is no right of any reporter to be called on by any official. Preventing your colleagues from asking their questions is no way to seek relief.” Ever the attention-hungry operator, Ateba couldn't resist emailing Portnoy‘s letter to media outlets on Monday with his own lengthy response affixed below it. “I am the victim here and I am being treated so unfairly by WHCA,” he wrote. “It is sad and it is heartbreaking.” Portnoy declined when reached for further comment on Monday night.