Fox’s Roger Ailes Congratulates Team in Internal Memo: Debate Was a ‘Great Success’

Fox News Chairman and CEO Roger Ailes congratulated the network’s staff for accomplishing “great success” this week, both in covering the Iowa caucuses and hosting last Thursday’s Republican debate. In an internal memo, which was obtained by Mediaite, Ailes wrote:

As we end the week, I would like to congratulate all of you on another great success. The coverage of last week’s debate and the Iowa caucuses was excellent. All aspects of the job you did came together in admirable fashion, proving that there is no substitute for cooperation and hard work. As I’ve often said, when most people do something extremely well, they can rest on their laurels for a while. The difference in our business is we have to do it every day. Thank you again and keep up the good work.

Ailes had written the statement that incensed Donald Trump enough to sit out the last debate. Despite Trump’s assertions that his absence would sink the event’s viewership, the debate was the second-highest rated telecast the network had ever aired. A few nights later, Fox News bested both CNN and MSNBC in coverage of the Iowa caucuses Monday night.

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