Guest post by Conservative Brief – Since the 2020 presidential election many viewers of Fox News, who are supporters of Donald Trump, noticed a change in tone from the daytime anchors on the news station.
As the primetime anchors, Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity, and Laura Ingraham stayed firmly in the Trump camp, the same could not be said for the daytime shows other than “Fox & Friends.”
One of those most accused of being anti-Trump, Leland Vittert, was actually pulled off the air in January after Trump laced into him and now he is gone for good.
“We have mutually and amicably parted ways with Leland Vittert,” a spokesperson for Fox News said to TheWrap.
Vittert has been absent from Fox News television since January and his Twitter account has had no activity since January 13.
“Were @FoxNews weekend anchors, @ArthelNeville and @LelandVittert, trained by CNN prior to their ratings collapse?” Trump said in a tweet in 2019. “In any event, that’s where they should be working, along with their lowest-rated anchor, Shepard Smith!”
In another example of the tension that developed between Vittert and Team Trump, he got into a heated exchange with Erin Perrine, a spokeswoman for President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign, in November after the presidential election as the Trump team was still contesting the reported results.
“[With Trump having] no plans to concede, what’s the path to 270?” Vittert asked Perrine, though he did not appear to be pleased with her answer.
“Well, considering no state has actually certified the election results, there are ballots still being counted across the country. This is going to take some time to make sure we count every legal vote and do not count any illegal votes,” Perrine said, but Vittert quickly interrupted her.
“I understand…I understand that. We’ve heard that talking point for a long time,” the host said before parroting the numerical lead of Biden in the states being contested. “What states is the president going to pull ahead in?”
“Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to speak. It seems like you are certainly not keen to let that happen today,” Perrine said.
“There were almost 700,000 votes counted in Pennsylvania in opposition to the Constitution, and actual egregious error there where they violated the Equal Protection Act … nope, you’re gonna let me finish,” she said as Vittert was set to interrupt her again. The host then made a face, which became a theme of the interview as he continued to make faces and roll his eyes.
“The equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution…almost 700,000 in Pennsylvania…” she said as Vittert again attempted to interrupt. But Perrine persisted.
“…And in Michigan,” Perrine continued, “let’s have a conversation about that state as well where you have video from Fox News of individuals boarding up the windows, again, in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment…” she said.
Vittert was able to finally interrupt and devolved the conversation into a shouting match between the two.
“You’re trying to say this is done and over,” Perrine said. “The media is saying this is done and over.”
“I’m not!” Vittert shouted. “I’m asking you where you’re going to find the legal votes to pull ahead!”
“This is now my third time to try to get this answer out, the legal path ahead exists here because there are clear constitutional violations…” she said, which again resulted in Vittert making a face.
“Keep smirking, you know, making your faces and rolling your eyes Leland,” she said as the host attempted to interrupt her again.
“I get it. I get it. You guys spent years trying to run up a Russian hoax against the president and trying to say this is over. And the hypocrisy continues,” she said.
“Here’s a question for you, Leland: For every Democrat and every talking head on the news, how much fraud is OK? How many dead people can vote, and you’re OK with that?” she said.
Vittert laughed at her and said “So now you just attack everybody if they don’t agree with you, OK. Not much else to say.”
