‘We’re FINISHED With Rubio’ – Fox News’ Roger Ailes Loses Confidence In Marco
The New York Times might have done in Marco Rubio’s campaign, as it’s being reported that Roger Ailes, the Fox News head honcho is declaring that he’s lost confidence in him after a poor showing on Super Tuesday, and the “gang of eight” report implicating Ailes himself.
…this alliance now seems to be over. According to three Fox sources, Fox chief Roger Ailes has told people he’s lost confidence in Rubio’s ability to win. “We’re finished with Rubio,” Ailes recently told a Fox host. “We can’t do the Rubio thing anymore.”
Ailes was already concerned about Rubio’s lackluster performance in GOP primaries and caucuses, winning only one contest among the 15 that have been held. But the more proximate cause for the flip was an embarrassing New York Times article revealing that Rubio and Ailes had a secret dinner meeting in 2013 during which the Florida senator successfully lobbied the Fox News chief to throw his support behind the “Gang of 8” comprehensive immigration-reform bill. “Roger hates seeing his name in print,” a longtime Ailes associate told me. “He was appalled the dinner was reported,” the source said.
Already, there are on-air signs that Fox’s attitude toward Rubio has cooled. This morning, anchor Martha MacCallum grilled Rubio about his poor Super Tuesday performance. “Is that a viable excuse at this point?” she asked, when he tried spinning his second-place finish in Virginia.
Fox’s corporate support of Rubio has also been a growing source of tension with the network’s more conservative talent. Sean Hannity was furious that the Times article reported how he went along with Rubio’s immigration proposal. During an interview with Trump on Monday, Hannity barely defended Fox while Trump trashed Rubio backers like Hayes. “He shouldn’t be on the air,” Trump said. The best Hannity could muster was to change the subject. “Have you ever watched MSNBC?” he said. “They suck.”
Wow.
This would explain why Ann Coulter was railing on Hannity yesterday on Twitter, and why he got so angry at her in his defense:
Ann u trust the NYTimes? I never went to one dinner one meeting with ANYBODY mentioned in that piece about that bill https://t.co/btdc54ePVb
— Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) February 28, 2016
Ann, how many times over the years when u were under fire DID I SUPPORT U? Now it's "what have u done4 me lately?" https://t.co/btdc54ePVb
— Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) February 28, 2016
Did I not have u on radio and TV agreeing with your Immigration book? Should I start quoting your Christie love? https://t.co/jeplg1G4pc
— Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) February 28, 2016
And why he lashed out at a Politico writer over a quote made by the Rubio campaign about him:
Hey Marc,@marcorubio is now pawn for establishment. Sad to me. That's not man I knew. https://t.co/bCn2UL8wc0
— Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) March 2, 2016
…"But Marco gives Donald a taste of his own medicine and Hannity gets all offended. He's a pussy and a sellout." Boy, they're angry 2/2
— Marc Caputo (@MarcACaputo) March 2, 2016
Glad Politico let's u use such big words that accurately describes yourself asshole. And u r "impartial" to politics https://t.co/bCn2UL8wc0
— Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) March 2, 2016
I’m not sure why he got so angry at the reporter over the Rubio camp quote, but well, there it is.
It looks like the establishment faith in Rubio might be eroding. The Marco camp had said they didn’t expect to do well on Super Tuesday, and that they would start winning on March 13th, with Florida and later states. But will they make it that far?!
