Trump Quotes Fox ‘Straight News’ Anchor to Claim There’s No ‘Direct Quid Pro Quo’
President Donald Trump has quoted a Fox News anchor from its ‘straight news’ division to defend himself following the release of a transcript of his call with the president of Ukraine. The call transcript shows that Trump repeatedly pressured the Ukrainian leader to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter.
“You don’t see a direct quid pro quo in this.” @BretBaier
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 25, 2019
Bret Baier works in Fox News ‘hard news’ division, which the network claims is entirely separate from its opinion section. However, the ‘straight news’ anchors often offer commentary on the issues they’re covering. On Wednesday, Baier repeatedly asserted that there was no quid pro quo in the transcript.
Just a sample of the spin from Fox News' "hard news" division on Trump's Ukraine call:
Anchor Bret Baier claims previous reporting on it was wrong because Trump doesn't literally say Biden's name 8 times and the quid pro quo isn't explicitly spelled out. pic.twitter.com/zEsBPNORuB
— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) September 25, 2019
However, there is no reason that evidence of a quid pro quo is necessary for Trump to face an impeachment inquiry. Despite this, Fox News and the President’s supporters are already pushing the idea that lack of an explicit quid pro quo means there is no ‘there’ there.
Furthermore, the readout of the call shows that Trump’s asks to the Ukrainian president came immediately after Trump discussed assistance and aid to Ukraine, noting that the United States has been “very very good to Ukraine” and America spends a “lot of effort and a lot of time” on the country.
Fox has consistently maintained that its highly partisan opinion contributors do not affect the news side of the network, but the President is happy to use a comment from one of its anchors as a talking point. The division between opinion and news on Fox News is increasingly unclear.
Watch the video above, via Fox News/Twitter.
