In the new book written by Peter Baker and Susan Glasser called 'The Divider,' Fox News' "straight news" anchor Brett Baier wanted to reverse the Decision Desk's call of Arizona for Joe Biden because of the pressure campaign orchestrated by the MAGA cult and Trump himself.
"'The Trump campaign was really pissed,' he wrote in an email to Jay Wallace, the president and executive editor at Fox," according to the book set for publication on Tuesday. "'This situation is getting uncomfortable. Really uncomfortable. I keep having to defend this on air.'"
Being uncomfortable is part of being in the news business.
The authors wrote that journalists on the Decision Desk thought there was "no serious question about Arizona," but Baier, in his email, accused them of "'holding on for pride,'" the book says.
This is a crime against journalism.
During the hottest political moment for the country in 2020, Bret Baier wilted under right-wing pressure like a cheap suit in a rain storm as The Insider reports.
"'It's hurting us,'" he wrote, according to the book. "'The sooner we pull it — even if it gives us major egg — and we put it back in his column the better we are in my opinion.'"
When was Arizona ever in the Trump column?
How was it hurting Fox?
Baier, if you're going to be in the news business (Fox News has become a GOP recruiting tool and propaganda arm since Biden won the election) you can't be pressured to change a story when it becomes uncomfortable for you if your organization believes the information is correct.
Being uncomfortable from criticism is part of the job.
Bret Baier always tries to have things both ways. In one instance, Baier claims to be a neutral party just reporting the facts, and he's good at walking that tightrope on occasion. But in truth, he routinely slants his coverage to Republicans.
Baier's complaints and worries did have an impact on Fox News' election coverage.
"Jay Wallace didn't do what Baier wanted, but he later refused to let the Decision Desk team call Nevada for Biden after other networks did because he "did not want Fox to be the first to call the election and declare Biden president-elect," the authors wrote."
Not only is that journalistic malpractice, it's rewarding the scumbag MAGA cult's bad behavior and gives them license to do it again and again.
Bret Baier responded to the claims in the book via statement.
