Conservative Calls Republican Politicians “Cowardly” For Not Calling Out Sexual Harassment At Fox

Kurt Bardella: Republican Politicians “Feel That If You Speak Out Against Fox News, You’re Speaking Out Against The Republican Primary Base”

From the April 16 edition of MSNBC's AM Joy:

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JOY REID (HOST): Kurt, I think what a lot of people, when they look at Fox News, they look at the sort of culture that's going on there. It seems incredible to me that for years you could have harassment going on, complaints not just about Bill O'Reilly, but also Roger Ailes, and have that just go on and on and on for years, and have O'Reilly still working there. On the right, is there a sense of standing up for him? Why? Because it's seen as sort of an attack on a man? What is behind the support that O'Reilly and Ailes still get?

KURT BARDELLA: I think it comes really from the audience that Fox News has. And that so many political figures, especially Republicans, who go on Fox News programming, they go on those shows because they want to reach that Republican base that's so vocal and powerful, particularly in primary elections. And they feel that if you speak out against Fox News, you're speaking out against the Republican primary base, that same base that swept Donald Trump into office. They know that this is an audience that are fervent Trump supporters as they've seen an increase in audience with Trump being in office. And so going against Fox News is like going against your own supporters, and I think that a lot of politicians are cowardly in not doing so. And it's embarrassing that there are so many people in public office who are supposed to be role models who won't do the right thing and call out sexual harassment and misogyny when they see it and instead would rather kowtow and pander to their base.

Previously:

Read Attorney Lisa Bloom’s Letter About Fox News’ Toxic Culture And Why It Should Tank Murdoch’s Sky News Deal

Media Matters' Pam Vogel: “O'Reilly's Had A Public Track Record Of Abuse For Years, And Fox News Has Been Complicit”

NY Times' Emily Steel: Sexual Harassment Culture Lingers At Fox Even Without Roger Ailes