Fox News platformed both of the presidential candidates yesterday. Kamala Harris sat down for a one-on-one with Bret Baier, who was disrespectful to VP Harris and was constantly interrupting her and trying to talk over her. VP Harris held her own, and Baier furiously tried to do damage control on-air after the interview. Meanwhile, Fox News hosted a “town hall” event for Donald Trump, in what was supposed to be a focus on women and women’s issues. This was not a town hall, it was Fox News organizing and platforming a MAGA rally – they brought in Trump supporters, not undecided voters. Trump was allowed to spew lies without fact-checking to his cult members and Fox News decided this was a “town hall.”
Fox News hosted an all-women town hall with former President Donald Trump, billed as an opportunity for female voters to ask the Republican candidate questions that matter to them. The Georgia town hall, where Trump took questions on reproductive laws, transgender rights and other issues, aired Wednesday morning. But Fox News did not disclose that the female audience it selected for the event was packed with local Republican supporters and the network edited its broadcast to remove some of their vocal advocacy of Trump.
The Georgia Federation of Republican Women wrote on its Facebook page Wednesday that the group helped host the event, posting photos from the venue and writing they were “Super excited for the opportunity of hosting this event right here in Georgia!” Shortly after CNN reached out to the group and Fox News about their role, the post was edited to state they were “excited for the opportunity of attending this event right here in Georgia!” The group’s president, Pam Lightsey, later denied that it had hosted the event.
The Republican Women of Forsyth County also posted a video from the event showing attendees chatting with Trump and Fox News host Harris Faulkner.
A Fox News spokesperson told CNN the event was not hosted by any Republican group and that it was the network’s event alone. But the right-wing outlet did not disclose the makeup of the audience in its press release announcing the town hall or in Faulkner’s introduction, stating only that it was “held with an audience entirely composed of women.”
The first question posed to Trump at the town hall came from a woman identified as Lisa, who asked the former president a question about the economy. The network did not disclose that Lisa is also the president of the Fulton County Republican Women group.
Some of the town hall attendees made it clear they were supporters of the former president, either in their questioning or in their attire. “I want to thank you for coming to a room full of women the current administration would consider domestic terrorists,” a woman named Alicia said to laughter from the audience before a question about foreign policy. But a portion of Alicia’s question was edited by Fox News to remove her admission that she was voting for Trump. “I proudly cast my vote for you today. I hope they count it,” she added, according to an audio recording from a CNN reporter in attendance.
It’s utterly bizarre to watch Fox News lie about this so blatantly – the jig is up, we know that it’s not a real news network and we know that Fox exists as a Republican propaganda arm. Just be honest about it – “we filled this town hall with local Republican women and we’re going to show you all of the wingnuttery, in all of its Nazi glory.” As for the substance of the event… Trump claimed to be the “father of IVF.” True story, if Trump wins, IVF will be outlawed in at least half the country. That’s part of Project 2025.
Trump: “I’m the father of IVF”
FACT CHECK: IVF is under threat across the country because Trump ended Roe v. Wade and his Project 2025 plan could effectively ban IVF altogether. pic.twitter.com/tEOUiufDjO
— Kamala HQ (@KamalaHQ) October 16, 2024
Fox host: The family of Amber Thurman, who died after not receiving urgent care needed for an infection under Georgia’s abortion ban, is speaking ahead of this town hall
Trump: We’ll get better ratings, I promise pic.twitter.com/LYBWH0RbFW
— Kamala HQ (@KamalaHQ) October 16, 2024
Photos courtesy of Backgrid.