Bret Baier Texted Pals White-Knuckling It During Election Coverage in Newly Revealed Messages: ‘I’m Thinking He Is Going To Win’
Fox News anchor Bret Baier texted with friends during 2020 election coverage, delivering commentary and analysis on then-President Donald Trump’s chances as his pals — who both appeared to oppose Trump’s re-election — white-knuckled it through the close race.
More stunning comments made by Fox News hosts and executives in private in the aftermath of the election were revealed Tuesday in yet another new filing by Dominion Voting Systems, which is suing Fox News for defamation and seeking $1.6 billion in damages.
But through texts and emails, the material also offers a look inside the candid thoughts of the figures who shape coverage at Fox.
A pair of text exchanges in the latest round of exhibits from the lawsuit offer such a window into Baier’s thoughts on the election as he offered a knowledgeable ear to one friend who called himself “a no-Trump guy” and another who was obviously sweating bullets as Baier at one point predicted Trump was in a good position to defeat now-President Joe Biden.
In a conversation that spanned Election Night and the following day, one “nervous” friend gets tough love from Baier — who initially predicts a Trump win — and delivers a vicious roast of Tucker Carlson and Sean Hannity, while Baier hits Biden for never going on Fox:
BRIAN FARLEY: Crazy close results thus far. As a no Trump guy I’m getting very nervous …
BRET BAIER: I’m thinking he is going to win
BRIAN FARLEY: What is with nyt election needle tilting Biden in georgia? How “over” is georgia? Seems total trump
11/04/2020 9:33 am
BRIAN FARLEY: What a crazy night. What is your new prediction re MI and GA. And the timing line of final resolution is Nov 28: over or under?
BRET BAIER: Trump could win
BRET BAIER: Nc ga and pa probably go Trump.
BRET BAIER: But if cant stop Biden in nv mi and wi. Its over.
BRET BAIER: But now The big thing is the coming challenge about how you know the absentee ballot is legit. Matching signatures. Etc. Could be a challenge in all six states.
BRIAN FARLEY: I think Biden wins WI and NV. Just needs MI. Can he will MI?
BRET BAIER: Yep. Dem areas coming in. But trump team will file in all states to question legitimacy of those ballots. And then were off to the races. Done before Turkey day though I think
…
BRIAN FARLEY: That is more consecutive hours of fox news that I’ve ever watched! But only because crazy Tucker and crazier Hannity didn’t follow your show. And watching you and Brit banter makes me laugh
BRET BAIER: Ha
BRET BAIER: To Greg’s point. Think about 1) how wrong the polls were 2) how much half of the country voted for a guy that most of the media hammers every day. Hates. And doesn’t even take his rallies on tv 3). The guy was impeached. Had a 3 year Russia investigation to try to take him out. (Causes most of his own issues). But he is still in the game. HaLF of the country voted for him. 80 plus million in person in the middle of a pandemic. Dems need to rethink when they have power. To talk to the other side. Biden never came of Fox. I asked twice every week!
BRIAN FARLEY: I agree completely. And I think for the 3rd straight election, most of the country voted AGAINST the other guy rather than FOR their own guy. (To be fair, Obama second win still had a ton of people voting FOR him, but Romney did as well as he did because so many people voted AGAINST Obama). I contend only 2 of last 6 elections (including this one) had people voting FOR their guy (George W first term and Obama first term). That is a sad state of affairs.
The next day, Baier changes his assessment on the basis of some overnight developments:
BRIAN FARLEY: MI, WI and NV go Biden. I’m trusting Fox News’ call that Biden wins AZ. Biden loses everything else but it won’t matter.
BRET BAIER: That’s what I think
BRIAN FARLEY: When are you back on air?
BRET BAIER: Now. Then 230. Then 6-8p
BRIAN FARLEY: Hoping the desk calls WI and MI during your 6-8 slot
BRET BAIER: Yeah
In an exchange with another friend on Election Night and the following day, Baier takes his pal through a similar arc as Baier initially leans toward Trump, then revises his thinking overnight. The exchange also includes the duo providing some unkind play-by-play to a post-election press conference by Rudy Giuliani and Eric Trump:
11/03/2020 11:04 pm
OLIVER HUDSON: What you think?
BRET BAIER: Maybe trump
OLIVER HUDSON: Squeaker
OLIVER HUDSON: Even if Biden wins AZ?
OLIVER HUDSON: And Philly won’t know till tomorrow
OLIVER HUDSON: Sorry Penn
BRET BAIER: True. Squeaker
OLIVER HUDSON: Shit man this is gonna be so fuckin close
BRET BAIER: Yep
11/04/2021 1:01 pm
OLIVER HUDSON: What’s up with the AZ call??
BRET BAIER: 100%
OLIVER HUDSON: Now what we thinking??
BRET BAIER: Biden. Squeaker. After some legal shit.
BRET BAIER: Gop holds senate
OLIVER HUDSON: Copy
4:36 pm
OLIVER HUDSON: How many did Dems pick up in the senate?
BRET BAIER: 1. So far. Needed 4. Or 3 plus the wh. Not gonna happen.
BRET BAIER: They spent 320 million dollars to pick up one seat.
OLIVER HUDSON: Ha! Eric Trump is such an idiot..
OLIVER HUDSON: – Is there ANY validity to what Giuliani is saying??!
BRET BAIER: None
BRET BAIER: That we see
BRET BAIER: We just called Michigan for Biden.
OLIVER HUDSON: Saw that.. and what has no one else called AZ but you guys??
BRET BAIER: Associated press and us
OLIVER HUDSON: Why is everyone else do scared?
Fox News issued a statement responding to the latest documents on Monday:
Dominion’s lawsuit has always been more about what will generate headlines than what can withstand legal and factual scrutiny,” the network said, “as illustrated by them now being forced to slash their fanciful damages demand by more than half a billion dollars after their own expert debunked its implausible claims.
Their summary judgment motion took an extreme, unsupported view of defamation law that would prevent journalists from basic reporting and their efforts to publicly smear Fox for covering and commenting on allegations by a sitting President of the United States should be recognized for what it is: a blatant violation of the First Amendment.
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