OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Newly exposed text messages show that popular host Jesse Watters wanted two of his colleagues to get their pink slips from the network in order to hire “Trump people.”
Not long after the contentious 2020 presidential election, Watters suggested in a private exchange with former network host Tucker Carlson that Neil Cavuto and Chris Wallace — two notable anti-Trump hosts — should be booted from Fox News, Radar Online reported.
Cavuto is still at the network and hosts “Coast to Coast” on Fox Business. Wallace left Fox News in 2021 and now works at CNN. The texts were obtained as part of the defamation lawsuit filed by Dominion Voting Systems Fox, which resulted in the conservative network settling for $787.5 million.
“Wallace Cavuto and other [sic] have got to go,” Watters wrote to former Fox host Tucker Carlson in a message obtained by Confider. “Need some fresh blood. Should hire some trump [sic] people.”
In other messages, Carlson also appeared frustrated with then-President Donald Trump’s response to the election results.
“It’s so sad,” he texted Watters in December 2020. “He’s going to break some shit. He already is. Wish I knew where to run. But I’ll die here.”
Former Advisor To Bill Clinton Sings Trump's Praises – Shreds Bidenhttps://t.co/rAJOyTwVfK
— Conservative Brief (@ConservBrief) May 8, 2023
Tucker Carlson Declares War On Fox News – They Won't Know What Hit Themhttps://t.co/XQ7necsxZU
— Conservative Brief (@ConservBrief) May 9, 2023
Carlson also rapped Fox News correspondent Jacqui Heinrich.
“This girl apparently works for us in the ‘news’ division, though I’d be stunned if she’s ever broken a story,” he texted. “She was on Twitter last night calling out Hannity, and accusing Trump of planning to ‘steal’ the election. Can’t continue.”
Carlson, who was ousted from the network last month, is getting the last laugh as his former exployer has suffered a brutal decline in viewership.
“In the first week after Carlson’s ouster on April 24, the channel’s primetime viewership fell 29.6 percent to 1.449 million viewers, coming in third among cable networks, according to figures from Nielsen,” Yahoo News reported.
“Viewership for the network’s 8 p.m. time slot was down 47 percent overall for that week, according to an analysis from former Fox News host Megyn Kelly. The analysis averaged the viewership from the first week of his absence and compared it with the last week he was on the air. Among the key demographic of 25-54-year-olds, ratings were down a whopping 59 percent,” the outlet added.
Elon Musk has a business sense unmatched in the modern era. He has rebirthed liberal swamp Twitter as the planet’s free speech town hall. Getting Tucker Carlson may be the turning point. It’s possible all the corporate media and their parade of liberal fluffers are finally dead. https://t.co/2svArD7Wd1
— James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) May 11, 2023
Earlier this week, a new survey found that Carlson remains more popular with Americans than his former employer.
The poll by Rasmussen Reports found that Carlson remains popular among conservative and Republican likely voters. “Fifty-nine percent (59%) of Likely U.S. voters have a favorable impression of Carlson, including 36% who have a Very Favorable opinion of him,” the polling firm noted.
“Thirty-four percent (34%) view Carlson unfavorably, including 25% with a Very Unfavorable impression,” the firm added in a release.
Are you going to watch Tucker Carlson’s new show?
YES or NO?https://t.co/V7YsSwVFNQ
— Vernon Jones (@VernonForGA) May 11, 2023
Meanwhile, Fox News now has a lower approval from likely voters, with only 52% of voters viewing the network favorably and 24% very favorably, decidedly lower than Carlson’s numbers. Among likely voters, 42% viewed Fox News unfavorably, with 28% having a very unfavorable view.
When it comes to the impact of Carlson’s firing from the network, only 19 percent of voters thought it would have a positive effect on the network. In contrast, 32 percent believed that his departure would actually lower the quality of the news platform.
On the other hand, 42 percent of voters did not think that Carlson’s exit would make any significant difference to Fox.
Carlson stunned his fans — and likely put more fear into his employer — after he posted another video to Twitter this week announcing a new “show” on the platform.
Earlier this month, Carlson took to Twitter in his first public statement after being taken off the air to drop truth bombs about corruption within the cable news industry in general, as well as covert and overt acts of self-imposed censorship and disinformation.
