OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
A segment on Fox News’ ‘The Five’ got heated after co-hosts Jesse Watters, Greg Gutfeld, and Jessica Tarlov got into it over several topics involving former President Donald Trump.
Things kicked up a notch when Watters brought up a New York Times report that President Joe Biden is facing historic lows in his disapproval ratings and is actively seeking ways to reinvigorate his campaign with new, young energy. To give his re-election bid a “fresh feel,” Biden’s team is exploring potential endorsements from prominent figures, including celebrities. One name that has come up is Taylor Swift.
Watters brought up the report on Swift and Biden’s struggling campaign and it didn’t take long for Tarlov, the liberal co-host on the show, to bring up E. Jean Carroll.
A New York jury recently found that Trump must pay $83.3 million to former advice columnist E. Jean Carroll, who said Trump damaged her reputation by calling her a liar after she accused him of sexual assault.
Below is a transcript of the exchange on The Five:
WATTERS: “Nothing to do with each other. I read this article in The New York Times, this is the Biden reelection strategy, are you ready? Don’t run on ‘Bidenomics’, leave the White House more than once a week, ask Bill and Barack to raise money for you and hope a pop star endorses you. Jessica, this is not the reelection strategy of a winning campaign. This smacks of desperation and the fact that he’s clinging to Taylor Swift, who he couldn’t even pick out of a lineup without Jill going like this — ‘that’s Taylor’ — tells me everything you know about Joe Biden.”
TARLOV: “Is the strategy to owe $83 million for defaming a woman that you sexually assaulted?”
WATTERS: “I would love Taylor Swift’s endorsement. Any politician would. (crosstalk) But I like people like Kid Rock.”
TARLOV: “I love that you ignored what I just said. Because that was the news from the weekend on that side. And then Joe Biden was 15 minutes —“
WATTERS: “Authentic endorsements.”
TARLOV: “— late to church, and you think it’s the end of the world?”
WATTERS: “Late to church? He goes to church?”
GUTFELD: “Let’s talk about that lawsuit. Go ahead, Jessica, what are your thoughts?”
TARLOV: “My thoughts are that you shouldn’t sexually assault people and then you shouldn’t defame them.”
GUTFELD: “Okay, was he found guilty of sexual assault?”
TARLOV: “Yes, he was. He was by a jury.”
GUTFELD: “Was it criminal?”
PIRRO: “It was civil.”
TARLOV: “Oh, that means it doesn’t count?”
PIRRO: “It means it’s not a guilty verdict.”
GUTFELD: “It’s always nice to bring something up that has nothing to do with the topic.”
TARLOV: “It does! He said the campaign strategy.”
WATTERS: “Stop interrupting everybody.”
TARLOV: “Long week ahead.”
WATCH:
Trump took to his Truth Social website after the ruling to strongly express his dissatisfaction and declare his intention to appeal.
Carroll, a former journalist, filed a lawsuit after making allegations in 2019 that Trump had sexually assaulted her in the dressing room of a department store in the mid-1990s. Trump has consistently denied these allegations.
“Absolutely ridiculous! I fully disagree with both verdicts, and will be appealing this whole Biden Directed Witch Hunt focused on me and the Republican Party. Our Legal System is out of control, and being used as a Political Weapon. They have taken away all First Amendment Rights. THIS IS NOT AMERICA!” Trump wrote on his social media website.
Trump’s legal team announced their intention to appeal the ruling over the weekend.
