Steve sanguine: Ainsley anguished. This Wednesday morn, Fox & Friends fans eagerly awaited co-anchor Steve Doocy‘s reaction to his son, FNC correspondent Peter Doocy, being dissed by a perturbed, irascible, supercilious Senator John McCain after being queried as to whether his relationship with President Trump was frayed to the point that he was not to support anything that the President came to him and asked for.
Introducing the segment regarding the heated exchange between his son and the fiery Senator, Steve said, “John McCain is the man who torpedoed the Affordable Care Act fix in the Senate. So, that’s a good question regarding the relationship with the President. And, a young correspondent I happen to know asked the Senator about it and I don’t think he liked the question.”*
Immediately thereafter, in the vid that ran, Peter asked, “Has your relationship with the President frayed to the point that you are not going to support anything that he comes to you and asks for?”
Menacingly, McCain acerbically retorted, “Why would you say something that stupid? Why would you ask something that dumb? Huh?…You mean that I’m going somehow to behave in a way that I’m going to block everything because of a personal disagreement. That’s a dumb question!” Then, he turned and walked away in a huff.
After the clip, Steve declared, “Is it a fair question? Clearly, John McCain has not been a reliable “yes” vote for the Trump train. And, so going forward what’s he going do? As the President said, he would like to have John McCain’s vote but he doesn’t.”
Interjecting, co-host Brian Kilmeade stated, “McCain had a speech after getting a Freedom Award where he was very negative about the President.” Explaining, he mentioned McCain’s allusion to the President’s policies as “half-baked nationalism.” But, defending McCain, he said, “But, he seemed to, at least, give a vote for the moving forward on the budget resolution, to discuss the budget: That will be later this week.”
In answer, co-anchor Ainsley Earhardt responded, “Well, they’ve been going back and forward, Senator McCain and the President.” Pointing to Steve, Ainsley exclaimed, “And, for him to talk to your son who I feel like is my family, I didn’t like that! But, I understand, I know he’s going through a lot so God bless him: But, I didn’t like that exchange! Looking intently at Steve, a sympathetic Ainsley asked, “How did you feel as his dad?”
Deflecting, Steve answered, “It’s, it’s a good question. And, you know what, it’s the sound bite we ran.”
As Solomon once said, “A soft answer turneth away wrath.” Well played, Steve–and Peter.
*Fox & Friends – 10/18/17 (@ 7:08 ET).
Carpe Diem 