Fox "News" anchor Bret Baier's contentious interview with President Obama yesterday has become very popular on the right , mostly because Baier interrupted President Obama in mid-sentence a total of 16 times in under 20 minutes, thus making his interrupt frequency nearly once-per-minute, almost tying Bill O'Reilly for rudeness.
Of course, what his conservative fans don't get around to mentioning is that Mr. Baier has previously interviewed one other president, and he was considerably more polite the first time around. In fact, one might almost use the word "deferential" to describe it. And if one were slightly less charitable than that, one might even describe it as "Two-bit hack under orders from Roger Ailes administers slobbery oral sex".
Observe the moist towelettes that Baier flung at President Bush:
Baier’s tenacity, however, seems reserved only for Democratic presidents. His interviews with President Bush were far friendlier, with questions like, "What are you reading now?" and "Do you believe that there hasn’t been a terrorist attack on U.S. soil in more than seven years because of the policies your administration has implemented?"
Whoa, rein it in there, Murrow! James Lipton called, and he feels you're being a tad obsequious.
Now observe a side-by-side comparison of Baier hectoring President Obama from start to finish, while tossing gossamer softballs at George Bush:
Thanks to Think Progress for compiling this excellent example of compare and contrast.
Hey Baier, you're a regular I.F. Stone. I'm not sure how anyone got the idea that Fox "News" was anything but balanced and totally fair.