During a recent segment on Fox News, senior Trump campaign advisor Katrina Pierson commented on Kamala Harris, Joe Biden's Vice Presidential pick for the upcoming election.
In the interview, Pierson said:
"Not long ago, Kamala Harris called Joe Biden a racist and asked for an apology she never received. Clearly, Phony Kamala will abandon her own morals, as well as try to bury her record as a prosecutor, in order to appease the anti-police extremists controlling the Democrat party."
Neil Cavuto immediately shut down the Trump campaign’s attempt to rewrite history https://t.co/qeXAmKuTOa— The Daily Beast (@The Daily Beast)1597208412.0
This quote led to a fairly awkward fact check from Neil Cavuto, who noted that Harris never called Biden a racist.
"The president seems to be saying that Kamala Harris had called Joe Biden a racist. She never did."
Trump's campaign released a statement claiming that Kamala called Biden "a racist." Cavuto points out that didn't h… https://t.co/tXN5W3MY1l— Lis Power (@Lis Power)1597179391.0
During the debate in question, Harris actually went so far as to say to Joe Biden:
"I do not believe you are a racist."
Though Pierson was pretty obviously trying to paint Harris as a tool of the "far-left," it's worth noting Harris was one of the more moderate candidates during the Democratic primary and has received a decent amount of criticism from the party's progressive wing.
Cavuto brought attention to this as well, saying:
"As a former prosecutor, if anything, Kamala Harris was getting heat from many African Americans of the party and others because she was a little too tough on crime and that sort of thing."
@thedailybeast Great journalist fact check. Good on him. THANK YOU!— Lily (@Lily)1597210678.0
Meanwhile, during other Fox News broadcasts, the claim that Harris accused Biden of being a racist went "entirely unchecked."
The false claim went unchecked by other Fox News journalists. https://t.co/ddcYE6gbg0— HuffPost (@HuffPost)1597192958.0
Many online noted the irony that a Fox News journalist doing his basic duty was considered newsworthy.
@thehill It's sad comment that the "facts" broadcast as news being checked is worthy of mention.— Icono Clast (@Icono Clast)1597227015.0
@thehill So telling that this is considered newsworthy.— Rep. Steven Woodrow (@Rep. Steven Woodrow)1597189184.0
Cavuto has gotten in trouble with President Trump in past over his basic fact checks.
@thedailybeast from Fox news--I bet that didn't settle well with trump.— art (@art)1597208781.0
@HuffPost Trump, his administration, family, and the GOP party lie so much, that I don't believe anything they say.— John Nelson (@John Nelson)1597195583.0
@thehill Guess Fox News sees the writing on the wall— Welrod 🏳️🌈 (@Welrod 🏳️🌈)1597226767.0
Cavuto has made a habit of pushing back against some of the President's more egregious lies.
Fox News cuts coverage of the President’s speech and Cavuto fact checks the President’s speech https://t.co/yY3lrpj7SN #BeCounted— Tomthunkit™ (@Tomthunkit™)1597191972.0
Shorter Neil Cavuto: Trump is lying. https://t.co/AwgoU4ixav— SFDB (@SFDB)1597249575.0
@thedailybeast @UROCKlive1 Yes, give them hell Kamala!— Cyclic Dependancy (@Cyclic Dependancy)1597222054.0
It's likely Fox News will continue to portray Harris and Biden as far-left extremists for their conservative viewers.
White House correspondant John Roberts even claimed after Cavuto's fact check:
"Whether or not [Harris] actually said the word 'racist' or not, I mean, the intimation was there."
With Trump's Presidency riding on this November's election, it seems Fox News reporters aren't going to let something as small as the "facts" harm his chances.