July 27, 2016

You never know what you're gonna get on TV after a powerful, semi-controversial speech that really resonated for so many at the DNC and in the nationwide TV audience. Somehow, MSNBC thought that their nitecap coverage should include commentary from the loathsome Ron Fournier equating WJC's thoughtful, anecdotal address to a series of wedding toasts, but Fox News' panel had some comparatively thoughtful assessments of the speech.

Megyn Kelly, Brett Baier welcomed Brit Hume, Chris Wallace and Juan Williams on the panel to discuss the speech. A few critiques aside, Brit Hume gave a thumbs up.

HUME: Well for one thing although he struck some personal notes; this is a political biography. You think about all the stuff he talked about; it
was the line after line after line about the different things he tried to do politically over this long marriage they've had together and we didn't get any anecdotes. We heard that they did laugh, but was there a story in there about them laughing together about anything.

We heard the sweet moment with the birth of their daughter. but then it was on to more policy. It was really kind of wonkish speech, all in service, as you both pointed out, to the idea that she's not the status quo and that she's a great change agent. And, you know, we may never know how much compost there was in that tale, but I must tell you, having followed this man, covered him for all these many year; the guy you saw out there tonight had not lost his fastball and he may not have it every day, but he sure had it tonight and it was glorious fun to listen to him to spin that tale...You think about that if I read that text people would be asleep, maybe, not Bill Clinton.

Good point Brit. That last statement is one of the most honest things said on Fox 'News.'

Kelly mentions the story about the 1,100 square foot house he bought in Arkansas and imagined what it must've been like to be a couple in love, about to be married. She asked Juan Williams his opinion:

WILLIAMS: Well, you know, when we were going into tonight, I told you he disappointed me lately, in terms of the speechmaking and I wondered if it was the vegan diet. You said well he needs a hamburger, well I think he must have found a hamburger on the way here tonight because he was terrific and I agree with Brit, that Bill Clinton, he really delivered for Hillary Clinton tonight.

He harps on the cartoon created by the Republicans last week and how disparate it was from the reality that President Clinton stood by and presented to America. Chris Wallace was effusive in his praise as well.

WALLACE: Let me just say first of all with all the dissing today of the vegan diet, you know, that that was making him weak? As they said in the movie I'll have what he's having. He turned this cavernous hall into an intimate room and he wove the story. I have to say I thought he went on a little bit long, as he got to about 1978; I thought we were in 2016, haha.

But and here's where I would slightly disagree with Brit because it seemed to me they were weaving the political and the personal. That's the life that these two people have led. I understood their marriage, I understood her constant desire, as he put it, to make life better to make change. So I know, both in a political and a personal sense, I thought it was a very powerful speech that the undid, or tried to undo some of the damage that was done to her last week in Cleveland.

What channel is this again? Maybe these anchors' personal aversion to the Drümpenführer has over-ridden party loyalty? Maybe it's a direct result of the departure of Roger Ailes? Who knows? But it wasn't all sunshine.

Click here, and watch as Brett Baier played devil's advocate, and was quite skeptical.

BAIER: he went out of his way the point to some of the things that she did in negotiating as Secretary of State and flying across the world to make a deal come through. But when her own people on this campaign tried to articulate all of her successes as Secretary of State, they often had a hard time listing all of them, so it will be interesting to see how she handles foreign policy. And, we've been talking about ISIS is not a big word in this convention so far.

To make sure we end on a low note,

KELLY: and we'll hear from Donald Trump undoubtedly very soon.

Discussion

We welcome relevant, respectful comments. Any comments that are sexist or in any other way deemed hateful by our staff will be deleted and constitute grounds for a ban from posting on the site. Please refer to our Terms of Service for information on our posting policy.
Mastodon