TV talk: Harris enters Fox News’ lion’s den; NFL family drama planned

Vice President Kamala Harris took on Fox News host Bret Baier from the first moment of their interview on Wednesday night.

As Harris tried to answer Baier’s first question, he kept interrupting her before she had time to finish three full sentences.

And so it continued throughout the nearly 30-minute interview, with the two frequently talking about each other. Baier’s questions were tough, and while he was occasionally fair, he more often required her to answer the talking points of Republican nominee Donald Trump’s campaign.

Baier repeatedly asked Harris whether she owed an apology to three families of Americans killed by illegal immigrants, a clear double standard: Would a Fox questioner ever ask Trump to apologize for anything? (Perhaps on January 6th? For taking top secret documents? For sending early Covid testing equipment to Russian leader Vladimir Putin?) Seems unlikely.

Did Harris dodge some questions? Of course she did. All politicians do that. But she neither relented nor gave in to persistent, uncomfortable questions. And she didn’t take the bait when Baier asked if Harris thought those who supported Trump were “stupid.” Harris avoided repeating Hillary Clinton’s “deplorable” description of Trump supporters, calmly replying: “I would never say that about the American people.”

Presumably, Harris went on Fox News to show courage and her willingness to take on questions she knew would be difficult, something her opponent refused to do by declining an interview with “60 Minutes.” and canceled a scheduled interview with CNBC.

Appearing on Fox also gave Harris the opportunity to introduce Fox viewers to elements of the presidential campaign that they might not have heard much about if their television news coverage consisted solely of Fox News.

She mentioned Trump’s description of Americans who oppose him as “the enemy within.” Baier said Trump was asked about it on Wednesday during an all-women town hall announced by the FNC and played a clip of Trump’s response in which he claimed he was “not threatening anyone.”

“Bret, I’m sorry, and with all due respect, that clip was not what he said about the ‘enemy within’ when he was talking about the American people,” Harris said. “You and I both know that he has talked about using the American military against the American people. He has talked about persecuting people who protest peacefully. He talked about locking people up because they disagree with him.”

Harris also used the Fox News interview to clean up her earlier answer to a question from “The View” last week, when she said she wouldn’t have done “anything” differently than Biden, a gaffe that was a joke to her political opponent procured for use in negative campaign ads.

“Let me be clear: my presidency will not be a continuation of Joe Biden’s presidency. Like every new president who takes office, I will bring my life experiences, my professional experiences, and fresh and new ideas. I represent a new generation of leaders,” Harris said, adding that she has not spent most of her career in Washington, D.C., and she is inviting ideas from Republicans who support her as well as those in business “who can contribute to the decisions.” I do that.”

Fox News described the interview as Harris’ first sit-down interview with the conservative-leaning network. It wasn’t the first time a Democratic presidential candidate appeared on Fox News, but it was a while ago. According to the New York Times, Joe Biden did an interview with Fox News during the 2020 Democratic primary, but not during his presidential run; Hillary Clinton was interviewed by Chris Wallace on Fox News in 2016 during her campaign for the White House.

After the interview, Fox News talent showered Baier with praise for his interview, which focused almost entirely on past events. Although Harris did her best to mention policy proposals for the future, Fox News’ Martha MacCallum complained, “We didn’t get a clear answer: ‘Who are you?'” What do you stand for? What would America look like under a Kamala Harris economy? ”

Perhaps Baier should have asked these forward-looking questions if his colleagues wanted to hear such answers.

Was the risk of going to the channel worth it for Harris? Maybe after November 5th we will have a clearer answer.

NFL family drama in the works

Last week’s announcement that “This is Us” creator Dan Fogelman will produce a family drama series for Hulu that is “set in the NFL and has a cross-generational family component,” according to Variety, got me thinking: Fogelman was partly raised in Bethel Park , partially filmed “This is Us” in Pittsburgh and got to know the Steelers organization through this NBC drama. This all makes me wonder: Could the family at the center of the Hulu series be a Rooney-like family? We’ll see.

The muralist’s work in “Starting Five”

A mural of Miami Heat NBA player Jimmy Butler created by Wilkinsburg-born artist Kyle Holbrook is featured in Netflix’s “Starting Five,” a documentary about basketball stars Butler, LeBron James, Anthony Edwards, Domantas Sabonis and Jayson Tatum.

Holbrook’s mural at the Pinnacle Housing building in Miami is featured multiple times throughout the 10-part series, streaming now.

Keep/cancelled

Apple TV+ ordered a six-episode sixth season of “Slow Horses” just a week after the fourth season ended.

Netflix has canceled “Unstable” after two seasons.

According to RealityBlurred.com, National Geographic Channel has canceled “Life Below Zero” and all of its spinoff shows.

Channel surfing

Pittsburgh native Michael Keaton hosts “Saturday Night Live” this weekend (Saturday, 11:30 p.m., WPXI-TV). … Comedian Anthony Jeselnik, a 1997 graduate of Upper St. Clair High School, stars in a new Netflix special, “Bones and All,” premiering Nov. 26. … After the NBA loss, TNT and truTV will be televising (and streaming Max). ) more than 45 regular season games from the professional 3-on-3 women’s basketball league, unrivaled starting January 17th. … ABC added more simulcasts of ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” this fall and highlighted “What Would You Do?” to 10 p.m. on Wednesday and postponing the premieres of “Celebrity Wheel of Fortune,” “Press Your Luck” and the docuseries “Scamanda” to 2025.