Bret Baier Defends Fox News Carrying Obama and Trump Live After President Publicly Attacks Network: ‘It’s What We Do’

Fox News host Bret Baier, without naming any names, offered up a very pointed pushback about his network’s political coverage on Tuesday evening, rebutting an anti-Fox Twitter rant from President Donald Trump.

Earlier in the day, Trump had lashed out at Fox News for broadcasting live former President Barack Obama’s campaign speech from Orlando, Florida, where the 44th president offered a damning indictment of his successor “The biggest difference between now and 2016 is @FoxNews. They are a whole different deal,” Trump had griped.

The network had also carried 2020 Democratic challenger Joe Biden’s campaign swing in Georgia, as well as Trump’s appearance at an afternoon Michigan rally and one in Wisconsin held during Baier’s show. Facts that Baier took care to point out right before he went off air.

“You’ve been watching President Trump in Salem Wisconsin speaking for almost 42 minutes so far in front of another big crowd,” Baier noted. “We brought you his speech in Lansing, Michigan, live earlier today. We also brought you live speeches from Joe Biden in both Warm Springs and Atlanta, Georgia, and former president Obama’s speech in Orlando, Florida. All of those carried live on on Fox News channel earlier today.”

“It’s what we do to cover an important election fairly,” Baier emphasized, the subtext clearly aimed at Trump. “Fair, balanced, and unafraid. We are seven days from election night. We promise we are going to cover it all fairly and get in the news around the world in between the fast-moving political developments.”

But the feuding wasn’t over. Just minutes after Baier went off air, CNN media reporter Oliver Darcy joined the fray on Twitter, hitting the Fox News host for equating Trump rallies — where the president routinely lies and spreads conspiracy theories — to campaign speeches by Obama and Biden.

Here’s @BretBaier justifying Fox taking Trump’s rallies live, by noting the channel also took Obama and Biden live as well. It’s classic bothsidesism. Trump uses air time to brazenly lie and spread misinfo, including about the coronavirus. Obama and Biden do not. pic.twitter.com/y2moobL7ET

— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) October 27, 2020

Baier responded in kind, shortly thereafter, archly thanking Darcy for watching and suggesting that only Fox News was fair because it broadcast all the campaign speeches live.

Thanks for watching Oliver.. we can always count on you to tune in. Did ALL of the cable nets cover all of those speeches LIVE today? I didn’t watch. I assume they did to cover an election fairly. Have a good night. https://t.co/di213xjPdd

— Bret Baier (@BretBaier) October 27, 2020

Darcy quickly returned fire, noting that Baier never addressed his main criticism. “You’re suggesting it’s fair to give equal weight to someone who lies and lies (in addition to spreading misinfo about a public health issue) and others who campaign in the traditional sense,” Darcy said.

This doesn’t address my point, which is that you’re suggesting it’s fair to give equal weight to someone who lies and lies (in addition to spreading misinfo about a public health issue), and others who campaign in the traditional sense.

— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) October 27, 2020

Watch the video above, via Fox News.