.

>> Rooney: I AM EMILY ROONEY, WELCOME TO "BEAT THE PRESS" O OUR TOPICS, IN AN EFFORT TO PROVE THEY AREN'T BIASED THE MAINSTREAM PRESS VOWS TO BE TOUGH ON PRESIDENT BIDEN.

THE MEDIA WRESTLES WITH HOW MUCH DOMPLEG GIVE THE EX-PRESIDENT.

AND FOX NEWS DOUBLES DOWN, GIVING ITS OPINION HOSTS EVEN MORE AIRTIME.

PLUS OUR PANEL'S RANTS AND RAVES OF THE WEEK.

JOINING ME ARE ADAM REILLY OF GBH NEWS, LYLAH ALPHONSE OF THE "BOSTON GLOBE", JOANNA WEISS OF NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY'S "EXPERIENCE" MAGAZINE AND FORMER NECN ANCHOR, MIKE NIKITAS.

FIRST UP, HAVING ENDURED THE INSULTS AND CRITICISMS OF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS, IT APPEARS THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA IS INTENT ON PROVING THAT IT'S NOT BIASED.

THE MISSION, GET TOUGH ON PRESIDENT BIDEN.

THIS WEEK CNN HOSTS WOLF BLITZER AND JOHN KING WERE REMINISCING ABOUT THEIR YEARS IN THE WHITE HOUSE WHEN KING OFFERED THESE WORDS OF ADVICE TO NEWLY NAMED WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT KAITLAN COLLINS, WE NEED HOLD THIS 0 THE ADMINISTRATION ACCOUNTABLE AND ASK TOUGH QUESTIONS.

>> THE "NEW YORK TIMES" HAS ALREADY STARTED.

IN AN OTHERWISE NEWS CITY REPORT ABOUT BIDEN'S INAUGURATION, REPORTER PETER BICKER PUT THE PRESIDENT ON NOTICE SAYING HE WILL BE CON CAN SANTALY WATCHED BY FRIENDS AND FOES ALIKE FOR SIGNS OF MENTAL DECLINE.

>> AND NBC'S CHUCK TODD IS IN ON THE ACT TOO, WARNING BIDEN THAT JUDGMENT DAY IS INSIDE.

>> NIGH.

HE HAS TO FULFILL THAT FIRST VACCINATION PROMISE.

IF BIDEN DOESN'T GET IT RIGHT, HE WILL HAVE FAILED ON THE JOB.

>> Rooney: AND RIGHT ON CUE AS BIDEN WAS SIGNING HIS EXECUTIVE ORDERS THIS WEEK, THE AP'S ZEKE MILLER SUGGESTED 100 MILLION DOSES WAS KIND OF A LOW BAR PROMPTING THIS TESTY RESPONSE.

>> WHEN I ANNOUNCED IT YOU 0 ALL SAID IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE.

COME ON, GIVE ME A BREAK, MAN.

GIVE ME A THE.

>> Rooney: NO WORD ON WHETHER BIDEN WAS IRKED BY THIS TIMES REPORT SAYING A $2,500 PELETON BIKE DOESN'T COMPORT WITH HIS REGULAR JOE FROM SCRANTON PERSONA.

>> SO MUCH FOR THE HONEYMOON.

>> YOU KNOW, LYLAH, I HAVE GOT DO LOVE JOE BIDEN HE DOES HAVE A LITTLE KIND OF A TESTY TEMPER THERE WHICH I LIKE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, HONESTLY, THERE IS A FALSE EQUIVALENCY GOING ON HERE, I MEAN, OF COURSE THE HE PRESS IS GOING TO BE TOUGH ON PRESIDENT BIDEN, THEY ARE TOUGH ON ALL PRESIDENTS, BUT SOMEHOW THEY FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE TO PROVE THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE AS TOUGH AS THEY WERE ON DONALD TRUMP, BUT DONALD TRUMP MADE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF LIES AND MISSTATEMENTS OVER THE COURSE OF HIS FOUR YEARS, PRESUMING THAT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN SO YOU CAN'T APPLY THE EXACT SAME STANDARD.

>> I THINK THERE IS A BIT OF DEFENSIVENESS THERE AND YES, I AGREE WITH YOU ON THE FALSE EQUIVALENCY, ONE THING I AM HAPPY TO SEE IS SPLIT FACTS TRACKER IT IS MORE ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY, HE IN HAS MADE A LOT OF PROMISES WE NEED TO TRACK AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH THEM.

AND IT IS GOOD TO HAVE A HANDY REFERENCE TO GO BACK AND SAY OKAY THIS IS WHAT HE PROMISED, IS THIS WHAT IS REALLY HAPPENING?

BUT OTHER THAN THAT, I AM SEEING A LOT OF DEFENSE SINCE KIND OF SAYING OH YOU THOUGHT WE COULDN'T BE UNBIASED AND NOW WE ARE GOING TO BE UNBIASED BUT REALLY THERE IS A LOT THAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN WHERE WE ARE HIGHLIGHTING THINGS THAT REALLY AREN'T THAT IMPORTANT.

THE PELETON BIKE, THE SECURITY ISSUE, SURE, BUT THEN THAT IS AN ISSUE WITH THE BIKE, NOT AN ISSUE ABOUT IMAGE OR REGULAR JOE FROM SCRANTON OR ANY OF THAT.

SO I THINK THERE IS A BIT OF A REACH THERE AND I AM HOPING THAT WE HAVE LEARNED LESSONS FROM THE LAST FOUR YEARS AND CAN JUST GET BACK TO ACCURATELY REPORTING WHAT IS GOING ON WITHOUT HAVING TO WEIGH IN AND PAINT THINGS AS GOOD OR BAD AT EVERY MOMENT.

>> YOU KNOW, I WOULD AGREE WITH LYLAH THERE IS A FALSE EQUIVALENCY AND YOU CAN ALWAYS TELL WHEN JOE BIDEN GETS A LITTLE TESTY HE THROWS A MAN AT THE END OF THE SENTENCE, RIGHT?

YOU KNOW, ALL OF THIS ASIDE OF COURSE WE HAVE TO BE TOUGH ON HIM, THAT'S OUR JOB AS JOURNALISTS TO BE SKEPTICAL AND HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE, OF COURSE THAT'S THE JOB, ONE OF THE MOST REFRESHING THINGS I SAW ON INAUGURATION DAY WAS JEN PSAKI HOLDING THE FIRST NEWS CONFERENCE AND PROMISING TRUTH AND TRANSPARENCY, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE GOING TO BE A MOUTHPIECE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION BUT HOW REFRESHING WAS IT TO HEAR THAT?

THAT SHE HAS ACCESS TO HIM, THAT SHE SAYS, YOU KNOW, I WORKED FOR A GUY WHO IS PAID FOR BY THE AMERICAN PEOPLE SO I WORK FOR HIM SO THAT'S MY JOB TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOU WHO IS JUST SO REFRESHING FOR ME TO HEAR THAT AFTER HEARING FOUR YEARS OF TREASONOUS ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE AND FAKE NEWS.

>> YOU IT REALLY SHOULDN'T BE THAT HARD TO GET IT RIGHT.

ALL YOU HAVE DO IS REPORT ON WHAT THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION DOES OR IS, AS LYLAH SUGGESTED WHAT THEY SAID THEY WERE GOING TO DO THAT THEY FAILED TO DO.

THAT'S FINE.

ASK AGGRESSIVE QUESTIONS, DIG INTO ALL OF THAT AND YOU WILL PROVIDE VALUABLE REPORTING.

THE SPECULATION I MEAN THAT CHUCK TODD COMMENT ABOUT HOW BIDEN HAS FAILED IN HIS JOB IF HE DOESN'T MEET THIS VACCINE THRESHOLD, IT WAS RIDICULOUS MADE MORE RIDICULOUS BY THE FACT YOU CAN TELL WATCHING HIM DELIVER THE COMMENT THAT HE THOUGHT HE WAS BEING REALLY INTENSE AND HARD-HITTING, HE WAS JUST BEING A DOPE, THE PELETON THING, "THE NEW YORK TIMES" GOT OUT MORE INSTITUTIONALLY AND HAVE LEARNED PEOPLE IN SCRANTON AND OTHER PLACES HAVE PELETON BIKES, JUST STICK TO WHAT IS HAPPENING OR WHAT ISN'T HAPPENING THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO.

AND WE WILL BE A-OK. >> LOOK, THE PELETON THING BECAUSE LITTLE STILL LITIGATE BUT I THINK THERE IS A LITTLE CONTEXT THAT IS MISSING HERE WHICH IS THIS MANY DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTS HAVE NOT LIKED THE PRESS AND HAVE HAD A TOUGH RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PRESS.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PRESS AND THE PRESIDENT ISN'T PARTISAN, IT IS STRUCTURAL, THE PRESS CORPS SEES ITSELF AS A WATCHDOG, ITS ROLE IS TO BE A WATCHDOG ITS ROLE IS TO ASK TOUGH QUESTIONS AND HOLD THEM TO ACCOUNT, I HAVE WATCHED SOME OF GENERAL PSAKI SECOND PRESS CONFERENCE, VERY STANDARD, TOUGH QUESTIONS, SHE DODGED SOME OF THEM AND ANSWERED SOME OF THEM, THAT'S HER JOB AND THEIR JOB AND IF WE, WHAT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IS THE PRESS BRIEFINGS BECOMING STANDARD AND BORING LIKE THAT AND NOT BEING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR GRANDSTANDING ON EITHER SIDE AND LET'S GET THE REALLY DISINTERESTING REPORTING AROUND THE EDGES AND LET THE PRESS BRIEFINGS JUST DO THEIR VERY BORING JOB.

>> Rooney: THE SHELL STRUCK THING HERE TOO, BECAUSE I WAS DOING EMILY ABOUT ALL OF THE WORDS THAT HAVE COME UP THAT SEEM SO RIDICULOUS BUT NORMAL AND, YOU KNOW, STANDARD AND SO A RETURN TO NORMALCY IS HARD TO GRASP IN SOME WAYS AND GOING BACK TO -- IT WAS EVEN HARD TO REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS LIKE AT THESE PRESS BRIEFINGS AND SO FORTH FOUR YEARS AGO, BUT, YOU KNOW, APPLYING THOSE OLD STANDARDS I AM NOT SURE THE OLD STANDARDS ARE EVER GOING APPLY WHICH IS WHY PART OF THIS DEFENSIVENESS IS TAKING PLACE, BECAUSE THE MEDIA WAS REALLY WHIPPED.

>> I THINK SO.

AND I THINK IT IS WORTH REMEMBERING THAT THIS THIS THE AUDIENCE THE CONSUMERS THERE IS AN APPETITE FOR OUTRAGE THAT HAS BEEN FED FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS THAT WAS STARTING TO BE FED BEFORE THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, THE WHOLE CONFIRMATION, NOT INFORMATION THING, THAT'S STILL HAPPENING, AND RIGHT NOW WHAT I AM SEEING A LOT OF IN SOME OF THE EXAMPLES THAT YOU SHOWED IS A CONCERTED EFFORT TO PROVE THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE IMPARTIAL BY LOOKING FOR OUTRAGE WHERE NONE EXISTS.

>> Rooney: EXACTLY.

>> AND HOPING THAT SHAKES OUT.

>> Rooney: ALL RIGHT.

WELL, WHEN IT COMES TO EX-PRESIDENTS THE MEDIA USUALLY TAKES A MILD INTEREST, OFFERING THE OCCASIONAL UPDATE, BUT NOT INTENSE COVERAGE.

OF COURSE, WE HAVE NEVER SEEN AN EX-PRESIDENT QUITE LIKE DONALD TRUMP.

SO HOW SHOULD THE PRESS PROCEED?

ADAM HAS MORE.

>> Reporter: FOR FOUR LONG YEARS, DONALD TRUMP RAN THE PRESIDENCY AS A ROUND THE CLOCK REALITY TV SHOW.

EVEN IF YOU WANTED TO TUNE OUT, YOU COULDN'T.

>> THE PRESIDENT INCREASINGLY FRUSTRATED AND LASHING OUT ON TWITTER.

>> NOW TRUMP IS OUT OF THE WHITE HOUSE BUT PROMISES HE IS NOT GOING AWAY.

>> WE LOVE YOU.

WE WILL BE BACK IN SOME FORM.

SO IF TRUMP DESTROYS THE NORMS OF BEING EX-PRESIDENT, JUST LIKE HE DID WITH THE PRESIDENCY, WHAT IS THE RIGHT WAY FOR THE MEDIA TO RESPOND?

>> I THINK WE HAVE TO HAVE A PRETTY HIGH BAR FOR THAT WHICH MEETS THE STANDARD OF NEWS WORTHINESS.

>> Reporter: "WASHINGTON POST" MEDIA COLUMNIST MARGARET SULLIVAN SAYS, OF COURSE WE COVER TRUMP'S UPCOMING I BELIEVE IMPEACHMENT TRIAL.

DITTO ANY OTHER LEGAL WOES HE MAY FACE.

BUT SHE ADDS, THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE WILL BE TEMPTED TO COVER THAT WE SHOULDN'T.

>> DAY IN AND DAY OUT COVERAGE OF OUTRAGEOUS STATEMENTS, CRAZY IDEAS, ATTEMPTS TO CAPTURE THE PUBLIC'S ATTENTION, WE, THE PRESS, NEED TO GO COLD TURKEY ON THAT.

>> Reporter: WHICH SHE THINKS WILL BE EASIER GIVEN TRUMP'S EXILE FROM TWITTER.

STILL, THE PRESS MAY HAVE TO WORK TO HOLD ITSELF BACK BECAUSE THE SHEER SPRAWLING CHAOS OF TRUMP'S LIFE OFFERS SO MANY STORYLINES.

>> TRUMP'S PLAN TO MAKE MAR-A-LAGO HIS FULL TIME RESIDENCE WOULD VIOLATE AN AGREEMENT HE SIGNED DECADES AGO A REPORT REPORT THEN THERE IS THE HIS INTEREST IN FORMING A THIRD PARTY, HIS KIDS POLITICAL AMBITIONS THE DAMAGE THE TRUMP PRESIDENCY DID TOO THE TRUMP BRAND AND HIS REMARKABLE HOLD ON THE CONSERVATIVE BASE.

>> I THINK FOR MANY MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA, FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP IS GOING TO BE A HARD HABIT TO BREAK.

>> Reporter: IN OTHER WORDS, THE DONALD TRUMP SHOW ISN'T CANCELED JUST YET.

>> Rooney: ADAM, THAT IS EXACT LIBERTY RIGHT, AS MARGARET SULLIVAN SAID IT BECAME AN ADDICTION PEOPLE WERE GETTING UP, MORNING REPORTERS CHECKING TWITTER FIRST THING, INSTANTLY RETWEETING OR COMMENTING OR CRITICIZING THE THINGS THAT THE PRESIDENT SAID.

I MEAN, EVEN NOW I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU BUT I CONFESS I WENT TO LOOK FOR WHAT HE WAS DOING TODAY.

IT IS LIKE, YOU KNOW, IT BECAME JUST THIS FIXATION, I MEAN, IT IS A HABIT I AM WILLING TO TRY TO KICK, DON'T GET ME WRONG, BUT I THINK IT IS GOING TO BE A TEMPTATION THERE, RIGHT?

>> YOU ARE GOING THROUGH SOME WITHDRAWAL, EMILY.

YEAH, THERE IS A HUGE TEMPTATION AND I WOULD ADD IT IS A TEMPTATION THAT IS GOING TO GET A LOT OF PEOPLE PAYING ATTENTION TO YOUR STORIES.

THE STORIES THAT WE RAN THROUGH THERE, YOU KNOW, IS HE GOING TO FORM A THIRD PARTY, WHERE IS HE GOING TO LIVE?

CAN HE LIVE IN HIS PRIVATE RESORT?

WHAT ABOUT HIS KIDS?

THOSE WILL STORIES THAT PEOPLE WHO LOATHE TRUMP AND PEOPLE WHO COMPLETELY LOVE HIM WILL GRAVITATE TO, MORE EYEBALLS, MORE CLICKS WHICH IS GOING TO RAMP UP THE I THINK APPEAL OF THEM TO THE PRESS.

I THINK THERE IS AN OUTSIDE POSSIBILITY, AND I CAN'T BELIEVE I AM SAYING THIS, FEEL FREE TO REMIND ME, I WAS WRONG IN A WEEK OR TWO, I THINK IT IS POSSIBLE HE WILL BE A LITTLE BIT QUIETER THAN WE ARE ALL EXPECTING HIM TO.

WE KNOW HE LOVES THE LIMELIGHT, WE ALSO KNOW HE IS VERY DISTRACTABLE.

I DON'T THINK HE IS GOOD AT THINKING ABOUT TWO THINGS AT ONE TIME, AND HE IS RIGHT NOW FACING A BUSINESS CRISIS, HIS BRAND IS IN TROUBLE BECAUSE OF HOW HE WAS PRESIDENT.

THAT CONSUMED A LOT OF HIS ENERGY AT LEAST AT THE BEGINNING WE WILL SEE GOING FORWARD.

>> I AM NOT SURE IT IS GOING TO BE AS HARD A HABIT TO BREAK AS YOU THINK, ADAM AND EMILY.

I THINK FOR ONE THING, HE -- THERE ARE THINGS TO COVER BUT THEY REALLY DO BELONG BELOW THE FOLD, WHETHER THAT IS A PHYSICAL OR METAPHORICAL THING, HE NO LONGER HAS ACCESS TO THE NUCLEAR FOOTBALL.

THERE IS A LOT GOING ON IN WASHINGTON, THERE IS A LOT GOING ON WITH THE PANDEMIC, THERE IS MUCH TO SOLVE, THERE IS PLENTY OF NEWS WITHOUT DONALD TRUMP, AND, YES AS MARGARET SULLIVAN SAID THE FACT HE HAS BEEN DEPLATFORMED WHICH HAS GOT TO BE ONE OF THE MERRIAM-WEBSTER WORDS OF 2021.

>> IS REALLY GOING TO HELP TAKE HIM BECAUSE THAT FUELS SO MUCH OF THE CRAZY RABID COVERAGE WHICH THE RIDICULOUS THING HE WOULD TREAT AND, YOU KNOW, THAT HAPPENS WITH PLENTY OF POLITICIANS.

HILLARY CLINTON TWEETED SOMETHING AND THAT GETS COVERED.

STILL, SO I THINK HAVING HIM OFF OF THAT PLATFORM AND SILENCED IN THAT WAY WILL HELP WITH WITH BELOW THE FOLD EFFORT.

>> YES, THERE IS A STUDY THAT SHOWED 70 SOMETHING, 76, 78 PERCENT OF MISINFORMATION ABOUT THE ELECTION DISAPPEARED OR WENT DOWN ON TWITTER ONCE HE WAS BANNED, AND I THINK THAT SEASON SIGNIFICANT.

MY HOPE IS THAT THE MEDIA COVERS TRUMP LIKE THEY WOULD COVER ANY PRIVATE CITIZEN AND JUST COVER THE THINGS THAT ARE NEWSWORTHY.

AS ADAM SAID I THINK THERE IS A LOT THAT WILL BE NEWSWORTHY, ALL OF THE LEGAL WRANGLING, THE BUSINESS WRANGLINGS, HIS KIDS PRESIDENTIAL AMBITIONS THAT YOU HEAR RUMORS SWIRLING ABOUT.

BUT I DON'T THINK WE NEED THE BLANKET COVERAGE, I THINK WE CAN GO BACK TO ASSESSING WHAT IS GOING ON, REPORTING WHAT IS GOING ON AND THEN SUMMARIZING IT FOR THE READERS OR THE VIEWERS.

AS MUCH AS I THINK SOME PEOPLE WOULD LIKE THE MEDIA TO BE LIKE MELANIA TRUMP ON THE TARMAC LANDING IN FLORIDA IN A DIFFERENT DRESS JUST WALKING AWAY WITHOUT STOPPING TO LOOK AROUND, I DON'T THINK THAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN.

HE IS STILL THE FORMER PRESIDENT.

THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS HE DOES THAT IS STILL GOING TO BE NEWSWORTHY BUT I THINK WE CAN RATCHET BACK ON THE CONK OF THE OUTRAGE AND SPECULATION AND THE OH, MY GOD WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

I THINK WE CAN JUST WAIT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS AND REPORT ON IT.

YOU KNOW, AGREED.

THE FACT HE IS OUTON TWITTER WILL MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE, I THINK IT IS GOING TO COME DOWN 0 SHOULD HE BE COVERED AND WILL HE BE COVERED BY TRADITIONAL MEDIA?

I THINK HE SHOULD BE COVERED THROUGH ALL OF THE UPCOMING LEGAL THINGS THAT HE IS LIKELY TO FACE, INCLUDING IMPEACHMENT, SEXUAL MISCONDUCT SINCE BY 26 WOMEN DON'T FORGET ABOUT THAT, ANY WRONGDOING PROVEN BY HIS ACOLYTES, BY HIS KIDS, ANYBODY WHO WORKED FOR HIM, THERE IS A LOT STILL TO COME, I THINK IT ALL OF SHOULD BE COVERED, WE NEED TRANSPARENCY AND BE THINKING AND TALKING ABOUT THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN LAST FOUR YEARS.

OTHER STUFF LIKE FURTHER INCITING HIS SUPPORTERS IF HE IS ABLE TO FIND OTHER WAYS TO DO THAT ON OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA, CONSPIRACY THEORIES, THOSE KIND OF THINGS, THE UNFORTUNATE THING I THINK IS THEY WILL BE COVERED BECAUSE IT IS ALL ABOUT THE EYEBALLS, IT IS ALL ABOUT THE CLICKS AND THERE WILL BE -- WHETHER IT IS TABLOID OR OTHER RIGHT WING NUTTY MEDIA THAT WILL COVER HIM, AND IT IS ALL ABOUT MAKING MONEY AND AS LONG AS DONALD TRUMP IS DOING THESE THINGS, HE IS GOING TO BE MONEY FOR SOMEBODY, TRUMP BRAND, IS WORTH SOMETHING, DONALD TRUMP IS WORTH SOMETHING BECAUSE OF THE CONFLICT AND ALWAYS GOING TO BE I THINK THAT THERE.

AND WILL LISTEN TO THE COVERAGE OF HIM.

>> Rooney: ADAM JUST QUICKLY THERE WERE SOME SIDEBARS THAT CAME UP LIKE THE BOOGALOO BOYS, PROUD BOYS KIND OF TURNING ON HIM, THOSE ARE LEGITIMATE STORIES, NO?

>> YEAH, I THINK THAT DEFINITELY CIRCUMSTANCES IF YOU HAVE IS HAVE THE FAR RIGHT GROUPS WE CAN'T BELIEVE HE BETRAYED US AND THOUGHT HE WOULD STAND WITH US, SHE WEAK, YEAH, I THINK THAT IS COMPLETELY APPROPRIATE, BUT HE DOESN'T NEED TO BE ELEVATED TO THE FOREFRONT.

WE WITH DON'T NECESSARILY NEED TO RUN DOWN TO FLORIDA AND GET HIS COMMENT AS MARGARET SULLIVAN SAID WHEN I TALKED TO HER, WE DON'T NEED TO OPEN UP A MAR-A-LAGO BUREAU.

>> Rooney: OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, REMEMBER THOSE FEW STORIES YES DID AT THE END OF THE YEAR ABOUT HOW FOX NEWS WAS CHANGING ITS WAYS BECAUSE THEY DARED TO CALL ARIZONA FOR BIDEN BEFORE ANYONE ELSE?

FORGET IT.

THEY AREN'T CHANGING AND IN FACT THEY ARE DOUBLING DOWN IN THEIR OLD WAYS.

>> THE RISKS OF MAIL IN VOTING ARE OBVIOUS.

>> DISCARDED BALLOTS IN TEXAS.

>> IT IS THE DOJ INVESTIGATING.

>> JUST AS FOX PRIME TIME STARS WERE LOUDLY TOUTING ELECTION FRAUD, THE NETWORK WAS QUIETLY SETTLING A MULTIMILLION DOLLARS LAWSUIT OVER THEIR PRIOR PEDALING OF ANOTHER THAT FORMER DNC STAFFER SETH RICH WAS MURDERED FORGIVING SECRET DOCUMENTS TO WIKILEAKS.

>> NOW IF TRUE, THIS COULD BECOME ONE OF THE BIGGEST SCANDALS IN AMERICAN HISTORY.

>> IT WASN'T TRUENESS AND FOX PAID DEARLY FOR THE LIE.

BUT AS PART OF THE AGREEMENT WITH RICH'S FAMILY, THEY KEPT SILENT UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTION.

AS "THE NEW YORK TIMES" BEN SMITH WRITES, THE ARRANGEMENT UNDERSCORES HOW DEEPLY ENTWINED POSSESSION HAS BECOME IN TRUMP'S DISINFORMATION EFFORT.

MEANWHILE, REMEMBER THIS FOX ELECTION NIGHT STUNNER?

>> OKAY.

TIME OUT THE FOX NEWS DECISION DESK IS CALLING ARIZONA FOR JOE BIDEN.

>> Rooney: AND FOR BEING RIGHT FOX FIRED THE TWO EDITORS WHO MADE THE CALL.

ALSO BUMPED FROM HER 7:00 P.M. PERCH THE FACTUALLY GROUNDED MARTHA MCCALLUM.

>> THE STORY WILL MOVE TO A NEW TIME, AT 3:00 P.M. EASTERN.

>> FOX IS NOW TRYING OUT OPINION HOSTS FOR HER OLD SLOT, BRIAN KILMEADE AND CONSPIRACY MONGER MARIA BARTIROMO.

>> FAR RIGHT PROTESTERS DISCUSSED POSING AS MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL GUARD TO ILL AND THIS, INFILTRATED TWO WEEKS AGO AND PUT ON MAGA CLOTHING.

>> Rooney: SHE HAS GONE OFF THE DEEPENED, NO FURY IS TOO, THEORY IS TOO BIZARRE FROM THE ELECTION FRAUD, THOSE WEREN'T TRUMP PEOPLE BUT DEMOCRATS OUT THERE PROTESTING, IT IS JUST CRAZY TIME.

AND AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, COVERING UP THE SETH RICH THING I THINK THAT IS A STUNNING STORY, AND OF COURSE FOX HASN'T TOUCHED IT.

AND, YOU KNOW, I DON'T BLAME THE FAMILY, THEY PROBABLY DIDN'T CARE WHETHER THEY HELD THE NEWS OR NOT, THEY WON THAT CASE, BUT THE FACT THAT FOX EVEN HAD THE WHEREWITHAL TO PUT THAT INTO THE AGREEMENT IS SHOCKING.

>> YEAH.

EMILY I WAS THINKING THE SAME THING ABOUT MARIA BARTIROMO, I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT THIS IN THE PAST, SHE REALLY WAS DA.

>> Rooney: WHAT HAPPENED TO HER.

>> SHE WAS A REPORTINGER FOR A LONG TIME AND THE FACT SHE HAS GONE OVER TO THAT SIDE IS PRETTY STUNNING.

BUT THE SHAKEUP AT FOX IS INTERESTING.

I DON'T -- I NEVER HAD ANY DOUBT THAT FOX WOULD CONTINUE TO BE THE LOYAL OPPOSITION, THAT'S WHERE THEY BEGAN, THEY BEGAN IN A DEMOCRATIC ADMINISTRATION AND THEY ARE GOING TO BE FINE WITHOUT THEIR AUDIENCE OF ONE, BUT THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE BEEN DEVALUING THEIR NEWS ANCHORS, I THINK THE LOSS OF ACCEPT SMITH IS A REALLY BY DEAL, ACTUALLY, SHE WAS ONE OF THOSE NOBLE STARRED TRUTH AND I MEAN A TELL IT LIKE IT IS ANCHORS WHO REALLY DID HELP GROUND THEIR NEWS OPERATION IN FACT AND NEWS, THEY STILL HAVE CHRIS WALLACE WHO IS A REALLY GOOD JOURNALIST, IF THEY LOST HIM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN BUT THE IDEA THAT THEY ARE ELEVATING, YOU KNOW, THE MOVE OUTRAGEOUS -- HOSTS AND DIMINISHING THE NEWS FOLKS EVEN MORE IS, YOU KNOW, A CHALLENGE.

>> I DON'T WANT TO BE FLIPPANT HERE, BUT I AM GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT FLIPPANT.

BARTIROMO NOW RESEMBLES ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE YOU SEE FROM A BLOCK OR TWO AWAY AND MAKE A POINT OF GIVING A WIDE BERTH TO AS YOU WALK DOWN THE STREET.

[LAUGHTER] >> NOT TRYING TO MAKE LIGHT OF MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES OR THAT KIND OF THING BUT SHE HAS GONE AROUND THE BEND AND THE FACT SHE GETS A PROMOTION IS ASTOUNDING.

I THINK WHAT HAPPENED HERE IS PRETTY SIMPLE.

FOX WAS THERE WHEN PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, POINTED AN ACCUSING FINGER AT THEM IN THE FINAL DAYS OF THE TRUMP PRESIDENCY AND AFTER THE ELECTION SAYING SHAME ON FOX, SAYING WE ARE GOING TO ONE AMERICA NEWS AND GOING TO NEWSMAX NOW, WE CAN'T GET WHAT WE EXPECTED FROM YOU.

THEY ARE TREATING THIS AS A BUSINESS DECISION.

THERE HAS NEVER REALLY BEEN ANY EVIDENCE THAT RUPERT MURDOCH HAS AN ETHICAL BONE IN HIS BODY.

HE DOESN'T SEE THIS AS A NATIVIST BUT HE IS NOT AN AMERICAN, I DON'T THINK SHE CONCERNED ABOUT THE EFFECT THAT HIS NETWORK HAS HAD ON AMERICA AS A -- AND EXPECT HIM TO GO AS LOW AS THEY CAN IF IT GETS THEM THE RATINGS THEY WANT.

>> Rooney: GOOD POINT.

>> YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT ADAM IS EXACTLY RIGHT, IT IS ABOUT RATINGS, THEY HAVE HAD ENCROACHMENT AND EROSION OF THEIR RATINGS FROM OAN AND NEWSMAX AND OTHER SOURCES AND THE IS WHAT THIS IS ABOUT.

I AM GLAD YOU BROUGHT UP IN YOUR REPORT, EMILY, THE PART ABOUT MARTHA -- MARTHA MCCALLUM TO ME SHE WAS ONE OF THE MORE FAIR PEOPLE ON THAT NETWORK AND SHOWED SOME GOOD JUDGMENT.

IT WAS A GOOD INTERVIEWER AND NOW SHE IS ON IN THE AFTERNOON.

IT DOESN'T REALLY SURPRISE ME.

IT IS JUST SO SAD AND SO LAUGHABLE, PITIABLE -- THAT THEY WOULD PUT MARIA BARTIROMO OR AT LEAST TRY HER IN THAT SLOT, PARTICULARLY AFTER THE RECENT EPISODE WHERE SHE WAS PUNKED BY THE ANIMAL RIGHTS GUY THINK SHE WAS INTERVIEWING THE HEAD OF HORMEL FOODS.

>> MY GOODNESS, THE OTHER THING THAT TO ME IS VERY TROUBLING AND IT REALLY IS AS MANY FOX THE STAFFERS HAVE QUOTED ASSAYING, NOTHING BUT A PURGE, THE GUY WHO CALLED ARIZONA ON THE ELECTION NIGHT, CHRIS STEYER WALT HIS NAME, THERE ARE GOOD EMPLOYEES THERE AND EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT IS HAPPENING.

IT IS A PURGE.

THEY ARE GOING FURTHER RIGHT AND FURTHER OPINION-Y BECAUSE THEY ARE LOSING NUMBERS.

>> Rooney: APPARENTLY THAT MADE RUPERT MURDOCH REALLY MAD THAT THE NETWORK CALLED THAT EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE RIGHT.

I THINK -- >> SOMEBODY GOT FIRED DOING THE RIGHT THING.

>> Rooney:.

>> I HAVE TO AGREE THAT THIS IS A BUSINESS DECISION.

THEY ARE NOT LOOKING AT IT IN TERMS OF JOURNALISTIC INTEGRITY AND NOT LOOKING AT IT IN TERMS OF SERVING THE PUBLIC.

THEY ARE LOOKING AT WHAT THEIR AUDIENCE WANTS.

I MEAN, INTERNALLY, THEY HAVE SEPARATED OUT THE JOURNALISTS FROM THE PERSONALITIES SINCE THE GET-GO.

AND THE PERSONALS ARE BRINGING IN THE RATINGS, EVEN, EVEN WHEN ADVERTISERS STROUD TO STOP ADVERTISING WITH THEM, THEY ARE STILL NOT LOSING MONEY, REALLY THERE.

SO THEY -- THERAPY VOTING AND UNDERSTAND THAT THEIR COMPETITION IS NOT CNN, IT IS NOT MSNBC, IT IS NOT "THE NEW YORK TIMES" OR THE "WASHINGTON POST" OR THE "WALL STREET JOURNAL".

THEIR COMPETITION IS ONE AMERICA NEWS, THEIR COMPETITION IS NEWSMAX, THEIR COMPETITION IS FRANKLY ANY NEWS NETWORK THAT TRUMP DECIDES TO LAUNCH POST PRESIDENCY.

THERE HAS BEEN PLOTS OF TALK FOR A WHILE ABOUT TRUMP TV AND IF TRUMP'S BASE HAS BEEN FOX NEWS' WAYS THEN FOX 0 NEWS IS IN TROUBLE.

SO I THINK THAT IS WHY WE ARE SEEING THIS PIVOT ALL OF A SUDDEN AND THAT'S WHY THEY ARE PURGING THE PEOPLE WHO COULD PULL THEM BACK TOWARDS THE NEWS SIDE OF THE EQUATION.

>> Rooney: I WONDER, THOUGH, LYLAH, IF SOME OF THIS NUTTY, NUTTY BEHAVIOR IS GOING TO GET THEM IN THE SAME KIND OF TROUBLE THAT SEAN HANNITY GOT IN, THAT COST THEM MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY MILLIONS.

>> SETH RICH THING COST THEM MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TOO.

>> Rooney: THAT'S THE THING.

>> AND I WOULD THINK -- THEY ARE THINKING OF THAT AS AN INVESTMENT, YEAH.

>> I THINK FOR RUPERT MURDOCH THOSE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ISN'T THAT MUCH, I MEAN, IN CONTEXT I THINK A LAWSUIT HERE OR THERE COMPARED TO RATINGS AND REVENUE IS -- >> Rooney: I GUESS.

>> -- A DEAL HE IS WILLING TO MAKE.

>> Rooney: TIME NOW FOR THE OUR RANTS AND RAVES AND WE ARE GOING TO START WITH MIKE.

>> I HAVE A BIG RAVE FOR KEVIN KEELEY OF THE "NEW YORK TIMES" IN A SMALL TEAM OF HIS STAFFERS, WE HAVE SEEN THIS THIS WEEK TAKE A LOOK FOR THEIR COMPILATION OF EVERY INSULTING TWEET DONALD TRUMP ISSUED OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS.

EVERY PERSON, PLACE OR THING TRUMP INSULTED ON TWIT GRER THE TIME HE DECLARED HIS CANDIDACY IN 2015 TO WHEN HE WAS BANNED HE SAID IN MANY WAYS THE PROBLEM PROJECT WAS EXHAUSTING BUT THE ONLY THING HE SAID MAY BE READ BY HISTORIANS IN 100 YEARS.

IT IS A SMIDGEN OF THE -- THE LIST IS AMAZING.

IT IS LIKE AN MRI OF DONALD TRUMP'S BRAIN.

>> Rooney: YES KIND OF JEALOUS I WAS LEFT OUT.

>> IT IS 48,000 WORDS, IT IS ENOUGH FOR A NOVEL, AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, AS STRANGE THAT IS PROJECT MAY BE, IT IS REALLY WORTHWHILE.

>> Rooney: YES.

IT WAS FASCINATING.

PEOPLE LIKE -- CLOONEY, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, TAKING OFF ON PEOPLE LIKE THAT.

ALL RIGHT.

ADAM.

>> 200 TWEETS -- ON HILLARY ALONE.

>> Rooney: ONLY 200?

ADAM.

>> I HAVE A GREAT BIG RANT FOR THE "WASHINGTON POST", WHICH WAS JUST CAUSED BY REASON MAGAZINE THE LIBERTARIAN PUBLICATION, REWRITING A PROFILE THAT THEY HAD DONE OF KAMALA HARRIS WHEN SHE WAS SEEKING THE PRESIDENCY THAT BEGAN WITH AN ANECDOTE THAT MADE KAMALA HARRIS LOOK PRETTY BAD, SHE COMPARED RUNNING FOR OFFICE TO BEING A PRISONER.

THAT HAS SINCE BEEN ELIMINATED AND IN ITS PLACE NOW IS, IF I RECALL CORRECTLY, A COMPARISON OF HOW THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN KAMALA HARRIS AND HER SISTER IS AKIN TO THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN JOHN F. KENNEDY AND RFK.

THE "WASHINGTON POST" WAS CALLED BY REASON, THEY SAID WHAT ARE YOU DOING.

>> THE "POST" SAID THEY UPDATED SOME OF THEIR CONTENT IN CNNECTION REQUEST THE INAUGURATION.

YOU CAN NOW FIND THE UPDATED STORY AND THE LINK TO THE OLD STORY ON THE "POST" WEBSITE.

WE SHOULD NEVER DO ANYTHING LIKE THIS.

WE ARE, THE CLICHE, THE FIRST DRAFT OF HISTORY, WE SHOULDN'T REWRITE IT, IF FOR SOME REASON THERE IS A CORRECTION, YOU KNOW, I HAVE HAD THEM, I HAVE HAD MY SHARE OVER THE YEARS, YOU HAVE TO INDICATE THAT THE STORY WAS UPDATED.

YOU DON'T WHITEWASH THE MOST POWERFUL PEOPLE IN THE COUNTRY.

I CAN'T BELIEVE THEY DID THAT.

>> Rooney: I AM SURE THEY WERE EMBARRASSED AND WANTED TO CHANGE IT.

I AM -- >> IT IS NOT ENTIRELY CLEAR I IF THERE WAS ANY COMMUNICATION WITH THE HARRIS CAMPAIGN ON THE ONE HAND AND THE POST GONE OTHER BUT I THINK WHERE THEY ARE AT NOW IS MORE EMBARRASSING BECAUSE IT IS NOT WHAT YOU DO IN OUR BUSINESS.

>> Rooney: ALL RIGHT.

LYLAH.

>> SO I HAVE A MASSIVE, MASSIVE RAVE FOR ALL OF THE NETWORKS AND PUBLICATIONS THAT RAN THE CLIP OF THE AN MA DA GORMAN SPEAKING AND PERFORMING HER INAUGURAL POEM, NOT JUST BECAUSE THE WORDS WERE POWERFUL BUT SEEING THIS YOUNG POISED POET PERFORMING IF THEM SO WONDERFULLY IT WAS JUST INSPIRATIONAL FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES.

I AM ESPECIALLY RAVE-Y ABOUT A "WASHINGTON POST" PIECE THAT TALKED TO HER TEACHERS ABOUT WHAT THEY WERE EXPECTING AND HOW THEY WERE NOT SURPRISED, ONE TEACHER MENTIONED SHE KEEPS AN ILLUSTRATED POSTER OF AMANDA 0 ON HER CLASSROOM WALL.

THAT DETAIL IS JUST SO WONDERFUL TO READ.

MY ONLY QUIBBLE WITH THE "POST" PIECE, I HOPE THAT AT SOME POINT WE STOP DESIGNATING STORIES ABOUT POWERFUL WOMEN TO THE LILLY OR TO THE WOMEN'S PAGES.

EVERYONE SHOULD READ IT.

IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT SHOULD JUST BE TARGETED FOR CAN WOMEN AND YOUNG WOMEN AND GIRLS.

>> Rooney: YEAH.

I AM SURPRISED THEY PUT IT THERE.

IT SEEMS LIKE THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A FRONT PAGE STORY.

ALL RIGHT.

JOANNA.

>> I ALSO HAVE A RAVE.

IT IS FOR THE IFCN WRITE IS INTERNATIONAL FACT CHECKING NETWORK.

THERE IS A CONSORTIUM OF FACT CHECKING ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS 51 COUNTRIES, IT IS OPERATED UNDER THE AUSPICES OF POINTER AND IT WAS NOMINATED FOR A NOBEL PEACE PRIZE WHICH IS -- WHICH DOESN'T MEAN THEY WON IT, I THINK THERE ARE A FEW STEPS LEFT IN THE PROCESS BUT I THINK IT IS REALLY INTERESTED THAT INTERESTING THERE IT IS NOBEL ORGANIZATION RECOGNIZED THE VALUE OF FACTS AND THE IMPORTANT -- IMPORTANCE AND THE RISK OF MISINFORMATION BUT NOT JUST AN AMERICAN PROBLEM, IT IS ALSO A LOCAL PROBLEM AND SO ANYTHING THAT SHINES LIGHT ON NOT JUST THE CHALLENGES OF FACT CHECKING BUT THE EFFORTS TO GET THINGS RIGHT AND TO SET THE RIGHT STANDARD IS A GOOD THING FOR JOURNALISM AND DEMOCRACY.

>> Rooney: ALL RIGHT.

GREAT.

ALL RIGHT.

SO I HAVE A HUGE RAVE TONIGHT CAN FOR THE INTERNET AND SOCIAL MEDIA IN GENERAL.

CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE DONE NOTHING BUT BE CRITICAL OF THEM FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS AND IT IS BECAUSE OF THE GENUINE CREATIVITY, HUMOR, HUMOR, HEARTFELT LOVE AND SUPPORT FOR PERSON, PEOPLE CREATED WITH THIS FABULOUS, FABULOUS MEMES, THEY TOOK A PICTURE OF HIM SITTING THERE IN THE AUDIENCE AT THE INAUGURAL, I HAVE SEEN THAT ON PERSONAL POSTS AND PEOPLE ARE PUTTING IT IN THEIR BOATS OR ON TOP OF THEIR MOUNTAINS WITH THEIR CHILDREN, WITH THEIR DOGS, THERE ARE HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF THEM.

SOME OF THEM ARE VIDEOS, SOME OF THEM ARE VERY, VERY CLEVER, THIS ONE I LIKED THAT HE COMES OUT OF A POP-UP UMBRELLA AND I MEAN JUST ALL SO CLEVER AND BY THE WAY, EMILY, MADE IT SO YOU CAN JUST CUT AND PASTE THE MEME AND PUT IT IN ANY PHOTOGRAPH OF YOURSELF AND PUT IT ON FACEBOOK, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO.

ANYWAY, KUDOS TO EVERYBODY FOR HAVING A GOOD SENSE OF HUMOR, REALLY MAKING THAT COME ALIVE.

I THOUGHT IT WAS GREAT.

KEEP IT GOING.

WE NEED IT.

>> Rooney: THAT IS IT FOR OUR SHOW.

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK, E-MAIL US, TWEET US, SEND US A COMMENT, I AM EMILY ROONEY.

THANKS FOR WATCHING.

>> Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH access.wgbh.org