Tucker Carlson stressed about Biden's war on white supremacy and Sean Hannity renewed attacks on Hunter in a first wave of Fox News attacks on the new administration
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For millions watching the inauguration of President Joe Biden on Wednesday, the message was one of hope and unity. But for those watching events unfold on Fox News, it was a different and darker story.
For four years the network's prime-time hosts were cheerleaders for the White House, defending President Donald Trump's policies and even acting as his informal advisors.
But there was an abrupt shift Wednesday as they reverted to roles familiar from their coverage of the Obama administration: fierce critics.—Andrew Lawrence (@ndrew_lawrence) January 21, 2021
"Now that we're waging war on white supremacists, can somebody tell us in very clear language what a white supremacist is?" Carlson asked.
"Innocent people could be hurt in this war. They usually are," the host continued. "There could be collateral damage in this war. And the casualties will be Americans. So again, what is a white supremacist? You might be surprised to learn just how broad the definition for that has become."Sean Hannity, a host who like Carlson doubled as a friend and advisor to Trump, announced that he would be renewing his investigation into Hunter Biden, the president's son.
The younger Biden's business dealings in Ukraine were a focus of the Trump campaign's attacks in 2020, but the network largely fell silent about the issue after November.—Andrew Lawrence (@ndrew_lawrence) January 21, 2021On Fox News' home page early Thursday, the focus wasn't on Biden's star-studded inauguration or his flurry of executive orders but on violence blamed on left-wing protesters in Portland, Oregon.
—Jim Edwards (@Jim_Edwards) January 21, 2021
There was also praise for Biden from some corners of Fox News, however. Chris Wallace, who has long served as the network's voice of moderate conservatism, praised Biden's inauguration speech as the best he'd ever heard.
The network has long sought to balance appealing to moderate Republicans with appealing to the millions of grassroots voters who revere Trump.—Tyson Whelan (@tyson_whelan) January 20, 2021
During Obama's presidency, Fox News was a focal point for conservative attacks on the administration.
The network was a key force in popularizing the tea-party movement and devoted extensive airtime to attacking Hillary Clinton over the Benghazi, Libya, attacks in 2012, in which a US diplomat was killed.
At times the network's relationship with Trump was fractious, despite its positive coverage of his presidency.Fox News' ratings overall though have sagged since Trump's defeat and his attacks on the network, as detailed by CNN's Brian Stelter.
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