Mitt Romney is not in the foxhole.
In the hours following Sen. Mitt Romney’s (R-UT) vote to convict President Trump in the Senate impeachment trial, Fox News hosts and figures wasted no time reacting to the lone Republican’s “guilty” vote with disdain.
On Wednesday night, Fox Business host Lou Dobbs went Biblical by arguing that “Romney is going to be associated with Judas, Brutus, Benedict Arnold forever when he is not even a footnote in a footnote otherwise because of his betrayal.”
Lou Dobbs: "Romney is going to be associated with Judas, Brutus, Benedict Arnold forever" pic.twitter.com/JS3m3LEdNC
— Jason Campbell (@JasonSCampbell) February 6, 2020
Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson also ripped into Romney’s vote Wednesday night, but refused to even name the Utah senator while doing so.
“A lone Republican, as you may have read, defected and joined the Democrats,” Carlson said, clearly referring to Romney. “That senator shall go unnamed on this show on the grounds that silly moral preening should not be rewarded with the publicity it is designed to garner.”
Tucker Carlson wouldn't name Romney on his show "on the grounds that silly moral preening should not be rewarded with the publicity it is designed to garner" pic.twitter.com/zsfQjsebsS
— TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) February 6, 2020
Fox News anchor Laura Ingraham, for her part, called Romney “the ultimate selfish, preening, self-centered politician” who “has good hair” and “a sort of okay singing voice.”
Ingraham then railed against Romney for “desperately” wanting to be Trump’s secretary of state and casting “this futile, pointless vote to convict him in order to show that he is a man of principle, unlike all these other Republicans.”
Ingraham calls Romney "the ultimate selfish, preening, self-centered politician" pic.twitter.com/wM811YwS9e
— TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) February 6, 2020
Sean Hannity jumped on the bandwagon, calling Romney a “diminished figure” and saying that “clearly, losing a presidential election ruins people.”
“I know a lot of you especially in Utah and around the country are mad at Mitt tonight. You have every right to be as far as I’m concerned. Frankly, it is sad,” Hannity said. “Mitt Romney is now a diminished figure. Clearly, losing a presidential election ruins people. You don’t believe me? Look at Al gore, look at Hillary Clinton. And even to some extent I would argue John McCain.”
Hannity added that although he likes Romney and doesn’t regret “fighting hard for him in 2012,” the Utah senator “clearly cannot accept and get over the fact that he lost.” Hannity contrasted Trump with Romney, saying that the President was “tough enough to win.”
Hannity: "Mitt Romney is now a diminished figure. Clearly losing a presidential election ruins people." pic.twitter.com/puiJetmBGm
— TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) February 6, 2020
The morning after Romney cast his vote to convict Trump, “Fox and Friends” hosts kept up the momentum with co-host Steve Doocy calling him “the Democrats’ favorite Republican.” Brian Kilmeade took aim at Romney saying that his Mormon faith factored into his decision.
“Please don’t bring religion — you are not bringing it into it. For him to bring religion into this has nothing to do with religion,” Kilmeade said. “My faith makes me do this? Are you kidding? What about your faith in this case meld together? I mean, that is unbelievable for him to bring religion into this, his faith. We already know how he felt.”
After Doocy said that he thinks “a lot of people are guided by their faith,” Kilmeade responded that what Romney said was “totally insincere.”
“My faith makes me want to convict Donald Trump when two years ago you already said he was unworthy for the office?” Kilmeade said. “This was just an opportunity to prove it. That’s all it was for Mitt Romney.”
Kilmeade mocks Romney: "For him to bring religion into this has nothing to do with religion." pic.twitter.com/26pyTs8DWB
— TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) February 6, 2020
Within the hour of Romney’s vote, Fox News host of “Life, Liberty, and Levin” Mark Levin also criticized the Utah senator by saying in a Wednesday afternoon tweet that Romney will not be seen as “a courageous lone voice.”
2. Romney believes history will judge him as a courageous lone voice. It won’t. He’ll be seen for what he is: a petty, self-promoting, NeverTrumper who has contributed to the Radical Democrats’ assault on the Constitution.
— Mark R. Levin (@marklevinshow) February 5, 2020
Not all Fox News figures were on the same page regarding Romney’s vote, however.
Fox News correspondent-at-large Geraldo Rivera defected from the chorus in a Thursday morning tweet, which appeared to jab at Dobbs’ Wednesday evening comment comparing Romney to Judas, Brutus and Benedict Arnold.
RightWing pundits comparing @MittRomney to Judas, Brutus & Benedict Arnold because of his vote to convict @realDonaldTrump. Dudes chill. He's allowed to have an opinion dictated-he says-by his deep religious belief. Hope that's true & not just baloney designed to look like steak.
— Geraldo Rivera (@GeraldoRivera) February 6, 2020
