The Fox News anchor designated for conversing with Harris has a background of catering to the network's pro-Trump viewership.
This week, Baier is under stress as he readies for an important interview with Vice President Kamala Harris, marking her inaugural formal chat on the right-wing network, Fox. Fox serves as a TV extension of Donald Trump's campaign, with conservative pundits repeatedly criticizing Harris while promoting Trump without regard for the truth. Analysts considered Harris' appearance on Fox as a significant venture into "enemy territory."
Baier formerly presented himself as neutral, emphasizing "fair, balanced, and unafraid" during his nightly sign-offs. However, post-election analysis of his emails and social media posts suggested otherwise. Moreover, his current online activity showed that he was fully aware of the Fox base's intense hostility towards Harris and suspicion of the media.
Baier, the anchor of Fox's 6 p.m. news show, "Special Report," and political chief, coupled with Martha MacCallum, oversaw Fox's 2020 election coverage. Baier announced the network's early but accurate projection of Arizona electoral votes being won by Joe Biden. Networks usually want to be first with crucial projections; however, Fox faced criticism and second-guessing due to this call, which foreshadowed Trump's defeat.
Almost two days following the call, Baier wrote an email to Fox executives, stating, "the Arizona call is damaging us," adding, "this situation is extremely uncomfortable. It's really uncomfortable. I constantly have to defend this on-air. And keep asking questions about it. And it seems we're holding on for pride."
Baier suggested that Fox would improve by rescinding the accurate Arizona call. "The sooner we reverse the call — even if it results in significant backlash — and return it to his column, the better, in my opinion," he said. However, Arizona was never going to be on Trump's side.
Baier's emails gained notoriety due to Dominion Voting Systems' defamation lawsuit against Fox after the 2020 election. Fox's parent company settled the case for $787.5 million.
In another email during the contentious period when votes were being counted, Baier expressed exhaustion and resentment. When a pro-Trump friend claimed "it's not over yet," Baier responded, "There is no evidence of fraud. None."
However, the Fox audience wanted to hear otherwise, and Baier sometimes obliged. Fox's news chief in Washington at the time, Bill Sammon, mentioned in an early December email that "over twenty minutes into our flagship evening news program... we're still focusing solely on supposed election fraud — a month after the election. It's stunning how poor ratings can turn exceptional journalists into questionable ones."
Sammon was referring to Baier's program, which indulged Trump's post-election lies like many other Fox shows.
Baier officially declared that Trump had lost and Biden had won on air. Nevertheless, he displayed marked sympathy for the Trump base's unfounded claims about a rigged election.
At a November 16, 2020 Zoom meeting that The New York Times later obtained, Baier suggested reconsidering how projections are made in the future. The "statistics" are one thing, "but there has to be, like, an additional layer," he said, implying that the audience's expectations and emotions should be considered.
As Harris makes her last-ditch effort to win over those crucial persuadable voters who tune into Baier's "Special Report," it's evident that this interview is highly anticipated.
Shortly after Baier announced the Wednesday interview with Harris, some skeptical commenters on Elon Musk's X platform voiced doubts and conspiracy theories about the interview.
One user wrote, "This interview will be as washed out as they come."
"There isn't a doubt in her mind that she already has the list of questions," another chimed in.
"I don't trust Fox, and I trust Baier even less," a third user lamented.
These comments showcased an immediate distrust of news anchors, media outlets, and American institutions. Such suspended trust forms the basis of right-wing culture during the Trump era, even affecting Fox itself.
In an effort to address the Fox audience's suspicions, Baier declared that his interview with Harris would be "unedited," distinguishing it from some of Harris's earlier interviews. Although editing is a typical television news practice, Trump and his allies have questioned the practice in recent weeks.
Baier stated on his program Tuesday night that Wednesday's interview would air "unedited, uninterrupted, without commercial breaks for the first half of Special Report."
However, due to Harris's unavailability for a live interview at 6 p.m. ET, the interview would be taped instead. Even this basic fact caused some Fox fans to send conspiracy-theory messages to Baier.
One X user told Baier that they believed the interview would be pre-recorded and edited. Baier attempted to reassure the user, stating, "it will be live — not edited - broadcast from beginning to end - with no changes - period."
The anchorman also interacted with other users to reassure them that Harris had no access to Baier's questions in advance and that "there were no preconditions to secure the interview." He went to great lengths to explain the basics of television news to an audience that presumed the worst about his craft.
For the individual who forecasted that the "taped" conversation will undergo significant editing before it's broadcasted, Baier responded: "Cheers Dennis - the broadcast will be live - untouched - uninterrupted - devoid of ads - not 'tidied up.' From the initial phrase till the final word, everything will be aired. Thanks for your trust - hope you tune in."
In light of his upcoming interview with Vice President Kamala Harris, Baier has acknowledged the Fox audience's intense hostility towards Harris and suspicion of the media, stating, "I constantly have to defend this on-air."
As Harris prepares for her interview on Fox, the media outlet serves as a platform for both the vice president and conservative pundits, providing an opportunity for a business engagement between the two parties.
