Major Garrett: “No Interest In Being On Television Simply To Be On Television”

q&a

by Steve Krakauer | 1:56 pm, August 25th, 2010

» 27 comments

Shortly after he announced his departure from Fox News, Mediaite talked to Major Garrett today about leaving Fox News for the National Journal.

Garrett spoke to us about switching his beat, what his Twitter handle will become, and more. Here are some highlights.

We asked if Fox News’ opinion programming had anything to do with his desire to leave – he said no. But what about the whole White House vs. Fox News storyline? “Would life have been easier had it never existed,” he said. “Sure, but that wasn’t the choice. The choice was to be the best reporter covering the White House and not have it deter me from what the audience deserved, and to report the news.”

Also, in his new role, he could conceivably be back on Fox News (or other cable news outlets). What did he think about that possibility. “I don’t want to be a reporter who goes on cable to talk about anything that I haven’t reported on specifically,” he said. “If I reported something, written something, and Fox or CNN or MSNBC or BBC deems it important and wants to talk about it, I’m happy to talk about it, but that’s it. I have no interest in being on television simply to be on television.”

We’ll have the full Q&A later this afternoon.

fox news, major garrett, National Journal

AngelPeters

BRAVO! Major.

” I have no interest in being on television simply to be on television.”

IE, I’m a journalist.
juan

Thanks, Steve!

And many thanks, MAJOR!

We’ll follow you and Best Wishes!
Pablo

We’ll have the full Q&A later this afternoon.

Excellent.

I can see how Major’s job, while awesome, could get mighty old after a while. It doesn’t seem like it would leave much time at all for any kind of a personal life.
The Real Royal King

Major on Auntie Beeb. That would be awesome.

AT FOX “NEWS” WE SET OUT TO MULTI-TASK:
REPUBLICAN PR AND TERROR DOUGH.
BUT, HOW DARE YOU QUESTION, HOW DARE YOU ASK:
ON WHOM OUR FAVORS WE DEEM TO BESTOW?
ImJustThatDamnGood

Major Garrett you are one of the good ones. I could only image how hard it was to work for Fox News. We will miss you.
Pablo

ImJustThatDamnGood said:
I could only image how hard it was to work for Fox News. We will miss you.

You can only imagine what how hard it was after reading this?

“Slightly more than eight years ago, [FOX News Chairman & CEO] Roger Ailes, [former FOX News Executive Vice President] John Moody and [former FOX News Washington Managing Editor and current Senior Political Analyst] Brit Hume created a full-time reporting position for me in the Washington bureau. Our new Senior Vice President of News, Michael Clemente, has continued that support. Since August of 2002, the network and its top executives have given me every opportunity a journalist could hope for. I thank the network for giving me the chance to grow as a reporter and broadcaster.”

He continued, “Throughout my television career, I’ve known with certainty I would someday return to my roots in print journalism. That day has come. I will soon announce an exciting new phase of my career — one made possible in no small part by FOX News’ consistent support. It would take a lot – something near perfection – to lure me away from the best job I’ve ever had. Details to come.”

Garrett further remarked, “I will miss many dear FOX News journalists, colleagues and friends. I wish all of them success. I look forward to discussing my future work on FOX News – keeping in touch with an audience I’ve come to know and cherish. Before I leave FOX News, I would like to say a heartfelt thank you to each and every viewer who extended to me their generous good wishes, support and encouragement.”

I can only imagine how hard it is for you to tie your shoes in the morning.
ImJustThatDamnGood

Pablo said:
I can only imagine how hard it is for you to tie your shoes in the morning.

Pablo you misinterpret the way I was using the word hard. Hard as in Fox News demanding hard work from their employees.

Pablo do not assume just ask.
lonestar77

Steve:
When someone leaves other networks, do you ask about the effect of their “opinion programming”? Prolly not.
mitchflorida

If Major Garrett is replaced by Jake Tapper, that will be a major coup for Fox News.
The Real Royal King

mitchflorida said:
If Major Garrett is replaced by Jake Tapper, that will be a major coup for Fox News.

How so? I don’t have any problem with Tapper. He seems adequate, but not much more. And, I think he’s probably gone as high as he will at ABC. What does Tapper bring to FOX?

I’m actually being serious about this. I have heard some people say some laudatory things about Tapper, and I am just curious what some people find in him that is so positive. It could well be that I am missing something.

AT FOX “NEWS” WE SET OUT TO MULTI-TASK:
REPUBLICAN PR AND TERROR DOUGH.
BUT, HOW DARE YOU QUESTION, HOW DARE YOU ASK:
ON WHOM OUR FAVORS WE DEEM TO BESTOW?
Big Eddie

Major has been good for a long time , but people move on . Didn’t Christiane Amanpour just come over to ABC from Al Jazeera ?
Azarkhan

Looks like someone wandered off the reservation:

Michael Bennet, D-Colo,at a town hall meeting in Greeley last Saturday, Aug 21 said we had nothing to show for the debt incurred by the stimulus package and other expenditures calling the recession the worst since the Great Depression.

Regarding spending during his time in office he said, “We have managed to acquire $13 trillion of debt on our balance sheet” and, “in my view we have nothing to show for it.” Speaking of the debt, he said our debt almost equals the economy

http://www.nationalreview.com/battle10/244695/bennet-bombshell-trillions-debt-nothing-show-it-michael-sandoval
Big_F-ing_Deal

tomcable said:
The answer is rhetorical. Tommy is too busy setting race relations back 40 years, settling scores with Breitbart and making ridiculous predictions about the midterms (the Dems will GAIN seats) than hitting this teed up ball out of the park.

Shouldn’t you be out stabbing a Muslim?
http://gordonbloyershow.com gordonbloyershow

Hey you Fox haters, you say Fox News lies everyday. Starting today list one lie that you heard on Fox News?
Remember O’Reilly, Hannity, Beck, Van Susteren and Fox and Friends are NOT news shows.

By tomorrow you should be able to fill a five inch post with all those lies. By the end of the week you should have us all convinced that Fox is Faux News. LOL.

This would be a good assignment for Glynnis. She hates Fox. Better yet, Tommy Christopher.
Maybe that wouldn’t be a good idea, if they had to wait to do a story on the lies they may never be writting here again.
http://gordonbloyershow.com gordonbloyershow

Poor RRK, I think that was joke about Tapper coming to Fox. Tapper is just as incompetent as you are.

I am still waiting for that cut and paste of me commenting about J.D. Hayworth? Keep lying you are doing a fine job.
Azarkhan

lonestar77 said:
Steve:
When someone leaves other networks, do you ask about the effect of their “opinion programming”?

LOL. We all know Mediaite supports a leftist agenda.
The Real Royal King

gordonbloyershow said:
Starting today list one lie that you heard on Fox News?
Remember O’Reilly, Hannity, Beck, Van Susteren and Fox and Friends are NOT news shows.

Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!
Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!
Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!

What else is left?

Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!
Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!
Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!

I mean, really, why does FOX even use the word “news”?

Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!
Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!
Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!

All the Marys in Heaven, on the night the biggest news story was the draw-down in Iraq, a war of choice virtually sponsored by FOX, did FOX report it? No! O’Hannity was building up O’Rove’s ego, O’Reilly had a body language expert and O’Van Susteren was on a boat in Alaska? News. Not at FOX.

Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!
Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!
Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!

That’s rich. Name the lies. But you can’t count the lies on 95% of the programming.

Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!
Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!
Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!

Name all of the times I’ve been drunk, but you can’t count the times I was drink form beer, wine, liquor or liquer.

Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!
Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!
Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!

AT FOX “NEWS” WE SET OUT TO MULTI-TASK:
REPUBLICAN PR AND TERROR DOUGH.
BUT, HOW DARE YOU QUESTION, HOW DARE YOU ASK:
ON WHOM OUR FAVORS WE DEEM TO BESTOW?

Hah!
The Real Royal King

“drunk from”

Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!
Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!
Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!

AT FOX “NEWS” WE SET OUT TO MULTI-TASK:
REPUBLICAN PR AND TERROR DOUGH.
BUT, HOW DARE YOU QUESTION, HOW DARE YOU ASK:
ON WHOM OUR FAVORS WE DEEM TO BESTOW?
libra blue

Major Garrett’s departure is a big loss for Fox. He is a genuine journalist, there aren’t many of them around any longer.

Good luck Major!
greg454

He’s not a big loss for Fox, I mean, come on, what kind of name if Major anyway? Can you imagine him in the military? Private Major? Major Major? Lieutenant Major? As far as I’m concerned, he’s a Major Douchebag for leaving Fox. Enjoy print journalism, traitor!
Ted-

gordonbloyershow said:
Hey you Fox haters, you say Fox News lies everyday. Starting today list one lie that you heard on Fox News?
Remember O’Reilly, Hannity, Beck, Van Susteren and Fox and Friends are NOT news shows.

By tomorrow you should be able to fill a five inch post with all those lies. By the end of the week you should have us all convinced that Fox is Faux News. LOL.

This would be a good assignment for Glynnis. She hates Fox. Better yet, Tommy Christopher.
Maybe that wouldn’t be a good idea, if they had to wait to do a story on the lies they may never be writting here again.

Why stop at one?
notsofast

Big_F-ing_Deal said:
Shouldn’t you be out stabbing a Muslim?

I’ll leave that for another Muslin to do that. Ask, Theo van Gogh- oh, that’s right, he’s dead.

‘At approximately 8:45 a.m. on November 2, 2004, an unknown assailant dressed in a traditional Moroccan “djelleba,” brutally attacked Theo outside of a city council building as he bicycled to work in central Amsterdam. The attacker shot Theo Van Gogh and stabbed him repeatedly in the chest, callously disregarding his victim’s pleas for mercy. Despite his life-threatening injuries, Theo was able to gain enough momentum to stumble to the other side of the street but by the time he made his way across, his attacker shot and stabbed him again. He then slit Theo’s throat with a butcher knife as onlookers gasped in sheer horror.

In a final assault against his victim the attacker lodged his knife, which had a letter attached to it, into Theo’s chest.

he attacker was eventually identified as 26-year-old Mohammed Bouyeri, a Muslim with dual Dutch and Moroccan nationalities who was believed to have links with other Islamic militant groups.”
http://gordonbloyershow.com gordonbloyershow

RRK your comment means you can’t name one, two, three or any.
Fox did report on the withdraw-down in Iraq, sorry you missed it.
But just explain how not reporting a story is a LIE? You might call that biased reporting but it is not a lie.
Now, YOU just told a provable lie. Fox did report the draw down of troops, I saw it and so did many others that comment here. They have told you so and yet YOU keep repeating the lie.

I am still waiting for ONE lie today.

Ted, you don’t have to stop at one, but I notice you can’t name ONE.

All you Fox News haters have been called out. We all will be waiting for your proof of ONE lie.
http://gordonbloyershow.com gordonbloyershow

RRK, hah hah hah hah hah hah. Hannity, Van Susteren are NOT news shows. Why do you continue to lie?
See how easy it is to point out your lies.

You have a fresh start today. If they lie everyday it should be as easy as I can point out your lies. I am still waiting for your evidence that I said ANYTHING about J.D. Hayworth. See again how easy it is to point out your lies.
felixw

The Real Royal King said:
Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!
Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!
Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!

What else is left?

Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!
Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!
Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!

I mean, really, why does FOX even use the word “news”?

Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!
Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!
Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!

All the Marys in Heaven, on the night the biggest news story was the draw-down in Iraq, a war of choice virtually sponsored by FOX, did FOX report it? No! O’Hannity was building up O’Rove’s ego, O’Reilly had a body language expert and O’Van Susteren was on a boat in Alaska? News. Not at FOX.

Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!
Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!
Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!

That’s rich. Name the lies. But you can’t count the lies on 95% of the programming.

Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!
Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!
Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!

Name all of the times I’ve been drunk, but you can’t count the times I was drink form beer, wine, liquor or liquer.

Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!
Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!
Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!

AT FOX “NEWS” WE SET OUT TO MULTI-TASK:
REPUBLICAN PR AND TERROR DOUGH.
BUT, HOW DARE YOU QUESTION, HOW DARE YOU ASK:
ON WHOM OUR FAVORS WE DEEM TO BESTOW?

Hah!

Royal King, you need to see your doctor about your medication level….
notsofast

Ahhhhhhhh, listen to the love of a lib mosque supporter as he cusses out an 82 year old Holocaust survivor.

Yes, THIS is the kind of understanding the libs want to bring to Ground Zero!

http://blog.eyeblast.tv/2010/08/warning-strong-language-holocaust-survivor-cursed-out-by-ground-zero-mosque-supporter/
Sunnyr

We’ll miss you, Major! There are very few REAL journalists in this country but you are one of the finest. Good luck and write some great stuff! How about a book on this corrupt administration? Sorry, I couldn’t resist.