Fox News anchor Bret Baier is facing pressure as he prepares for a high-stakes interview with Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee for president’s first formal interview on the right-wing cable network. Despite claiming to be fair, balanced, and unafraid, Baier’s emails and comments during the 2020 election aftermath suggest otherwise. Baier is aware of the extreme disdain for Harris and distrust of the media among the Fox base, who view Fox as an extension of Donald Trump’s campaign.
During the 2020 election coverage, Baier anchored Fox’s early but accurate projection that Joe Biden would win Arizona’s electoral votes, leading to backlash from Fox viewers, including Trump. Baier expressed discomfort with the situation and suggested revoking the Arizona call, even though it was an accurate projection. Baier’s emails during the election aftermath, including one where he dismissed claims of election fraud, were publicized as part of a defamation lawsuit against Fox by Dominion Voting Systems.
Despite reporting that Trump lost the election and Biden won, Baier showed sympathy for the Trump base’s claims of a stolen election. In a recorded Zoom meeting, Baier suggested that projections should consider the audience’s expectations and emotions. As Baier prepares for an interview with Harris, some Fox viewers express deep distrust of news anchors, media outlets, and American institutions, reflecting the right-wing culture in the Trump era. Baier reassures viewers that the interview will be unedited and run uninterrupted.
Although the Harris interview will be pre-taped due to her campaign schedule, some Fox fans still express conspiracy theories and doubts about the integrity of the interview. Baier assures viewers that the interview will run as-live, without editing, interruptions, or commercial breaks. He addresses concerns about Harris having access to questions in advance and emphasizes that there were no preconditions for the interview. Baier goes to great lengths to explain the basics of television news to an audience that automatically assumes the worst about the industry.
