Fox host Steve Doocy came to Donald Trump’s aid this Monday by slyly suggesting – without actually saying – that Muslims had cheered on 9/11 in New Jersey, as Trump has claimed.

After Donald Trump got hammered on Meet The Press Sunday for insisting he saw cheering Muslims on 9/11 in New Jersey, Steve Doocy did his best to help a Fox Friend out of a jam.

In a discussion with Bret Baier about the 2016 race, Fox & Friends played what was probably the least damning clip from Meet The Press: In it, Trump said, “The Washington Post reported tailgate parties and reports of tailgate parties.” Trump claimed that meant “hundreds and hundreds and maybe even thousands of people” were there.

But actually, The Washington Post never said that. The Post reported allegations of “tailgate-style parties on rooftops” and that those allegations were never confirmed. Furthermore, the Post Fact Checker, Glenn Kessler, has awarded Trump four Pinocchios in a column that shreds Trump’s claim - as have FactCheck.org and PolitiFact.

But rather than debunk Trump’s claim, Doocy went on Republican Rehab duty:

DOOCY: You know what, Bret? I actually remember things like that. I remember – ‘cause I live one town away from one of the towns where according to my neighbors, they saw with their own two eyes, there were people celebrating. And I also remember there was video on television. I don’t know that it was from that town or from New Jersey but nonetheless, Donald Trump says that there are a lot of people out there who have verified the idea of his story.

Notice that despite repeatedly saying, “I remember,” Doocy makes it clear he never saw any Muslims celebrating. He also says, “I don’t know” that the video of cheering Muslims came from New Jersey (probably because he saw video of Palestinians in Israel). Doocy also concludes that Trump says people have not verified his story but “the idea of his story,” whatever that means.

Baier pointed out that Trump’s original statement was “thousands and thousands of people in Jersey City celebrating.” But instead of citing the mountain of evidence debunking that claim, Baier added, “So I mean, if you’re just going to get technical, I don’t know if that has been backed up.” He may be the only one in the world who doesn't know.

Baier went on to suggest that the real issue is not that Trump told a whopper and refuses to take personal responsibility for it (despite the fact that conservatives love “personal responsibility” for others) but that Trump has not maneuvered himself adroitly.

BAIER: People were celebrating in some numbers in New jersey and in the United States. Most video we saw was from Gaza and from places overseas where they were celebrating the 9/11 attacks. Did it happen in New Jersey? Of course. Did thousands and thousands of people do it? I don’t know if we’ve backed that up. But we are now day what, six in this and it’s kind of monotonous.

What are Fox Friends for, if not to defend Republican Islamophobia and bigots like Donald Trump?

(H/T Mediaite)

Crossposted at News Hounds.
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