Fox News finally got around to suspending Andrea Tantaros and it has nothing to do with her urging people to punch an Obama supporter “in the face.”
If you’ve noticed that Tantaros has been missing from the Donald-Trump-cheering section on Fox’s Outnumbered show, you’re not the only one. TVNewser received a statement from Fox stating that Tantaros has been suspended:
“Issues have arisen regarding Andrea’s contract, and Fox News Channel has determined it best that she take some time off. She is still under contract with the network.”
TVNewser also reported that Tantaros had been scheduled to appear on Bill Cunningham’s radio show but canceled shortly before.
It's not clear what “issues” in Tantaros’ contract have arisen, though there is speculation it has to do with how she has promoted her new book, which was released the day before.
But here’s what is almost certainly not the reason: That time Tantaros urged her radio show listeners to commit violence against Obama supporters. In May, 2013, Tantaros said on her radio show:
"This is Obama’s America. It’s like the Soviet Union. He said he’d change the country. He said it, he said it, he said it, and a lot of people voted for him. And if you see any of those people today, do me a favor, punch ‘em in the face."
Tantaros crossed a line then that should have gotten her fired on the spot. But Fox apparently didn’t mind this kind of rhetoric (that they’d surely be howling about incessantly had a liberal said anything remotely like that about a conservative). Tantaros has been a cohost on Outnumbered since its inception a year later.
That should not be a surprise, given that prime time host Sean Hannity has recently defended Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski's manhandling of former Fox contributor Michelle Fields. And Fox host Greta Van Susteren attacked even her own colleagues when they spoke out against Lewandowski's behavior. Not surprisingly, Tantaros praised Trump for "rightfully" backing Lewandowski over the incident.
Tantaros may very well deserve her suspension now but it's a shame it took Fox so long.
You can listen to Tantaros urge her listeners to punch Obama supporters below, via Media Matters.
Crossposted at Newshounds.us
