Interviewers make a choice every time they sit down with a newsmaker and start to ask questions. Do they start by warming their subject up or go straight for the jugular?
Fox News anchor Bret Baier chose one way when interviewing former President Donald Trump last year, and a very different way when interviewing Vice President Kamala Harris this week in her first formal sit-down with the right-wing network.
A detailed review of the two interviews showed a marked difference in Fox’s treatment of the two top candidates for president. Last year, Baier was praised by media critics for challenging Trump.
“In key moments, Baier’s interviewing put Trump on his heels, forcing him to formulate slipshod excuses for his conduct,” Erik Wemple of the Washington Post wrote after the interview aired in June 2023.
However, Baier did not talk over Trump nearly as much as he interrupted Harris. The Fox anchor’s first question to Trump was also a softball.
“I’ve asked this question, the same first question, to all the candidates I’ve interviewed this year,” Baier said. “And that is this: What do you think is the most important issue facing the country right now?”
Trump spoke for 45 seconds and brought up the economy, the southern border, the military, “woke” politics, and other topics. Baier did not interrupt.
Baier’s first question to Harris on Wednesday was much more pointed: “How many illegal immigrants would you estimate your administration has released into the country in the last three and a half years?”
Harris spoke for 11 seconds before Baier interjected and asked for a specific number.
Harris indicated that she wanted to speak more broadly about a “broken immigration system that needs to be repaired,” and Baier interrupted again. The host referenced instances of illegal immigrants committing “heinous crimes” in the United States and asked if Harris regretted the policy decisions that allowed the criminals into the country. The back-and-forth devolved from there.
With Trump, the second question was another warm-up, seemingly meant to make the Republican comfortable. Baier said it was a question submitted by a Trump fan named Erica who asked, “What is the first thing you will do to turn this country around if you get elected?”
Baier then transitioned to more difficult questions for Trump, specifically about the charges that he mishandled classified materials.
“Baier repeatedly pushed back on Trump’s falsehoods and exposed his vulnerabilities on key conservative priorities,” Axios reported afterward.
At times, Baier sounded exasperated, as when Trump claimed he won the 2020 election. “You lost the 2020 election,” Baier said, in a tone that suggested he was tired of the lie. “There were recounts in all the swing states,” the anchor added.
At other points, Baier cracked jokes and agreed with Trump, betraying a familiarity with the former president. Baier and Harris, on the other hand, had never met before Wednesday. “It’s good to meet you,” Harris said at the conclusion of the interview.
Baier was more animated when questioning Harris, as if he knew that Fox’s conservative base wanted to see her squirm in her seat.
Overall, Baier interrupted Harris at least 38 times in 27 minutes, about twice as often as Baier interjected with Trump (at least 28 times in 36 minutes).
Of course, the Harris campaign tried to impose a time limit on the interview, so perhaps Baier interjected more often because of the time pressure.
The Trump interview noticeably covered more ground, whereas Baier honed in on several specific areas with Harris, like questions about the border and President Joe Biden’s mental acuity.
“When did you first notice that President Biden’s mental faculties appeared diminished?” Baier asked.
“Bret, Joe Biden is not on the ballot. And Donald Trump is,” Harris replied.
CNN’s Liam Reilly contributed reporting.
