Wallace Repentant? “Happy” if Paul Wins

Bushie no more? Fox News Sunday anchor Chris Wallace seemed to distance himself from his GOP establishment colleagues, e.g., Karl Rove, Dana Perino, etc. today. After pontificating yesterday on FNC’s “Your World with Neil Cavuto” that a Ron Paul victory would “discredit the Iowa caucuses,” Wallace chose a decidedly different tack this morning when Happening Now co-host Jon Scott asked him what a Paul win would mean in Iowa. With his sails more neatly trimmed, Wallace responded, “I don’t mean in any way to denigrate Ron Paul….I fully understand why his…millions of supporters across the country but thousands here in Iowa are so supportive of him.”*

Elaborating, he continued, “But, I think it is fair to say [that] he is a long shot for the Republican nomination. And, to the degree that people look at these States and say, ‘Are they picking a President?,” if they were to pick Paul, I think a lot of the–and, maybe, we’re not so smart–but a lot of the smart guys in the media and in the Republican party would say, ‘Well, that’s kind of an aberration.” Apparently, repentant, he added, “Now, it may be that Ron Paul proves us wrong, and I’d be happy if he did because it would be a very exciting race.”

Chris Wallace: fair and balanced? Trying.

*Happening Now – 12/15/11 (@ 12:11 a.m. ET)

Dad: Anoka’s Gretch Carlson “Excellent at Boys”

Missing Hall of Famers? Garrison Keillor declined & Michele Bachmann snubbed. Fox & Friends co-anchor Gretchen Carlson may have been a bit abashed as she was was inducted into the Hall of Fame at her high school alma mater on September 8. Not only did the renowned raconteur Garrison Keillor decline the very same honor but her “favorite babysitter,” GOP Prez candidate and Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, was not even nominated for it. To boot, her dear dad zinged her with zest about being “excellent at boys” during her time at Anoka High School.

When Gretchen returned to F&F four days later, she proudly previewed a snippet of her parents introducing her at her high school’s “first ever Hall of Fame induction ceremony.”* As the footage began, her dad proudly proclaimed, “While at Anoka High, she was valedictorian, homecoming attending: then, looking up over his reading glasses with an arched eyebrow, he jauntily jibed, “and excellent at boys and socializing.”  (Of course, her doting dad also included her being Miss T.E.E.N. Minnesota and Miss Teen Nationals runner-up and alluded to her being 1989 Miss America.)

After that vid clip ran (and a subsequent one of her hugging her parents), a tearful Gretchen profusely praised both her mom and dad and thanked her community and family. However, she failed to mention the declination of the award by Keillor (who self-deprecatingly said that he “wasn’t anything in high school” but was rather “a quiet, mediocre student with no plans”) nor the obvious omission of Bachmann to be named for the honor itself or in the preliminary nominations. As to her father’s ribbing about being “excellent at boys,” Gretchen said nary a word.

In Gretchen’s defense, she did address, at least, Bachman’s exclusion from Anoka High’s Hall of Fame with her home state’s largest newspaper. According to the Star Tribune, Gretchen said, “My favorite baby sitter….I feel completely disheartened that she’s not part of this”: she added, “In the committee’s defense, in growing up in a small town, I know this happens. It was a grass-roots effort, from the heart. This is just so unfortunate.”

Even though Gretchen’s viewers may not solicit an explanation for Keillor’s skipping out on the Hall of Fame. With little doubt, they may want to know more about her your dad’s “excellent at boys” barb. If they do, they may want to heed the advice of the eponymous host of “Your World with Neil Cavuto” as to cable news customers who do not get FBN: I.e., “Demand it!”

A belated congratulations, Gretchen!

*Fox & Friends – 09/12/11 (@ 8:32 a.m. ET)

The Donald Jabs Obama: Hu, Too?

“You’ll let me know whether our President drops to his knees, right?” As Chinese President Hu Jintao arrived into the United States today, New York real estate mogul Donald Trump got in a sharp jab at President Barack Obama. During a phone interview with Your World host Neil Cavuto, the potential 2012 U.S. Presidential candidate opined about American-Chinese relations as Cavuto simultaneously covered live President Hu’s arrival at St. Andrew’s Air Force Base. When Cavuto noted, “Alright, they’re rolling out the red carpet [for President Hu],” Trump laughed, “”So, I don’t have a television in front of me: You’ll let me know whether our President drops to his knees, right?”*

In response, Cavuto smiled at Trump’s apparent acerbic reference to President Obama’s past “bowing” controversies, cautioning, “Now, Donald, careful, the President, the Vice President is there.” “Chastening” Trump further, “Cavuto continued, “You could do this when you’re President but right now we have an etiquette here.” In turn, Trump simply awaited Cavuto’s next query without comment.

[Author’s aside: In response to Trump’s jest, supra, off-camera Your World guest and FBN anchor Judge Andrew Napolitano could be heard laughing heartily.]

*Your World with Neil Cavuto – 01/18/11 (4:06 p.m. ET)

Courtney on Cavuto!

Courney Friel on Your World with Neil Cavuto today: Crazy! Of course, Cavuto fans know that he likes the lissome lovelies: notice the frequent exposure that he lavishes on the voluptuous Victoria’s Secret models? Few red-blooded males blame him.

However, when FNC’s entertainment correspondent and former Maxim model suddenly appeared today as a Your World business reporter explaining Hyundai’s special return program for car buyers who lose their jobs, the author was taken aback. Even if Courtney has handled her entertainment correspondent responsibilities well, she has had some difficulties when she tried to take on more serious news as a Fox & Friends co-host. Nevertheless, she did well in her latest round robin role.

After the car segment, maybe a casino or lingerie segment is in the offing for Your World with Courtney.