Fox News host Howard Kurtz on Sunday defended Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), who on Monday shushed CNBC anchor Kelly Evans during an interview.
At the beginning of the interview, Evans asked Paul about his comment that vaccines should be “voluntary.”
“Did you really just say to Laura Ingraham that you think most vaccines in this country should be ‘voluntary?'” Evans asked Paul.
“What Rand Paul said about vaccines was controversial, but by starting with, ‘Did you really just say…’ Evans seemed to have a chip on her shoulder,” Kurtz said about Evans on “Mediabuzz.”
Later in the CNBC interview, Evans asked Paul about a bill the senator sponsored that would allow companies to bring overseas cash to the U.S. at a holiday corporate tax rate, citing research on corporate taxes. Her line of questioning then prompted the senator to shush her and tell her to “calm down.”
“Shushing a host, especially a woman, did not exactly look gentlemanly, but Evans sounded condescending when she said, ‘I’m sure you know…’ as if there were no other possible evidence or contrary view,” Kurtz said.
“The substance of the questions was legitimate, but Kelly Evans really aggravated the senator with her tone,” Kurtz added.
After the CNBC interview, MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” co-host Joe Scarborough said the interview demonstrated “how thin-skinned Rand Paul was.”
Watch the “Mediabuzz” clip via Media Matters:
I hate to agree with Howie about much of anything, but in this case… DUH!
Howie Kurtz: Hack for Hire
Sorry, but a reasonable anchor should be incredulous that a supposed medical doctor thinks vaccinations should be voluntary for diseases that can put the general population, and especially children, at significant risk.
And if someone somehow objects to that, shushing them is just absurdly bizarre.
Shorter Fox Host: Up could be down so how condescending of a female to point out that it’s not to a male. Rand might get his feelings hurt.
This hack just keeps sinking lower and lower. And to think at one point he was considered the most influential media critic in America. I hope he’s not criticizing Brian Williams for making up shit, by the way.
shush-up, howie.