Fox News’ top political anchor Bret Baier believes the allegations of physical abuse circulating around Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff deserve further investigation.
And if Baier had time last week, he might even ask Vice President Kamala Harris about the claims himself in his hit primetime interview with her.
The sit-down drew nearly 8 million viewers on Fox News Channel, drawing a polarized response from the media and outright ridicule from Saturday Night Live.
The interview was labeled “combative” by critics and refreshing by others, as Baier sought to pin Harris on issues at the heart of the campaign – including illegal immigration, the state of the economy and her support for controversial, taxpayer-funded funded gender transition operations. other problems.
Speaking exclusively to DailyMail.com, Baier now says that going into the interview he knew Harris would try to dodge his pointed questions: ‘I watched her previous interviews… I tried to do it in a way that distracted her from her talking points. .’
It was the same “style” of interviewing that Baier said he used against President Donald Trump during their last one-on-one interview in 2023.
Fox News’ top political anchor Bret Baier believes the allegations of physical abuse circulating around Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff deserve further investigation.
Speaking exclusively to DailyMail.com, Baier now says that going into the interview he knew Harris would try to dodge his pointed questions: ‘I’ve watched her previous interviews… I tried to do it in a way which distracted her from her talking points. .’
But it was the question Baier didn’t ask that caught the attention of Mail columnist Maureen Callahan.
“And Doug?” Callahan asked in an article published last week.
Earlier this month, the Mail reported that in May 2012, Emhoff allegedly punched his then-girlfriend in the face so hard that she turned away – as they waited in a queue outside a party at the Cannes Film Festival.
A spokesperson for Emhoff has denied the claim, saying that “any suggestion that he would or would ever hit a woman is false.”
The abuse allegation followed the Mail’s earlier reporting that Emhoff had cheated on his first wife with this family’s nanny, Najen Naylor, and allegedly got her pregnant.
Emhoff has since admitted to having an extramarital affair that led to his divorce before marrying Harris in 2014. He has not commented on whether or not he and Naylor became pregnant.
Baier now says he has considered asking Harris about this reporting.
“It was on the list of questions – and I followed the Daily Mail’s coverage of it,” he said. ‘It was on the list. It was beyond some of the other current issues.”
The other concerns Baier had wanted to question Harris about included her proposal to impose new taxes on wealthy Americans, her policies on China and how she would unite a fiercely divided country if she won the election.
These and other issues are top of mind for voters.
“I think immigration was the thing that I led on because it comes up over and over again when we ask people, what’s the most important thing? [to your vote in 2024],” he explained.
The sit-down drew nearly 8 million viewers on Fox News Channel, drawing a polarized response from the media and even outright ridicule from Saturday Night Live (above).
The Mail reported that in May 2012, Emhoff allegedly punched his then-girlfriend so hard in the face that she turned away – as they waited in a valet line outside a party at the Cannes Film Festival.
That said, the Fox News host thinks some in the mainstream media may have partisan motivations for overlooking Emhoff’s allegations.
“I think it’s fair to ask those questions, especially with a solid backup, and obviously demand an answer,” he said.
Baier concluded that it is “pretty clear” that the wife of a Republican political figure would “probably not” receive the same treatment that Emhoff has received from sympathetic mainstream media.
But that could all change if Emhoff’s alleged victim comes forward and speaks out publicly about her allegations. He said, “I think if that story evolves into someone speaking out, and not anonymously, then maybe that changes the dynamic.”
Going forward, Baier is looking for another opportunity to interview the vice president — and he isn’t ruling out the question: What about Doug?
“I’m not going to commit to anything… You’ll just have to see how the interview goes,” Baier said, noting that Harris’ team has also not committed to a follow-up interview.