A Sobering Experience: Why I Ditched CNN for Fox News on New Year’s Day
A Unlikely Decision
I usually kick off every January 1 with the Rose Parade broadcast on Channel 5, then college football in the afternoon and evening. It’s one of the few days I honestly, truly try to relax and do something that’s next to impossible for me: not work.
A Devastating Start to the New Year
Sadly, that’s not how I began my 2025. I woke up to the news that an ISIS sympathizer had driven a truck onto Bourbon Street in New Orleans earlier that morning, killing 14 people and injuring dozens more. Shortly after, a family member texted that they were safe after a Tesla Cybertruck blew up in front of the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas.
The Futility of Opining and Speculation
Whenever national tragedies like these happen, I immediately switch my television to CNN. The cable channel’s team of on-the-ground correspondents is without peer, and its anchors and commentators leave the opining and speculation to a minimum as they stick to the facts with a tone that tries to be authoritative. That’s what I watched for hours on Wednesday, instead of flower-festooned floats and read-option offenses, as I tried to make sense of the horrible start to the new year.
A Rare Departure from the Usual
Maybe I was groggy from the previous night’s festivities. Maybe I was too full on breakfast tamales. But at some point, I decided to ditch CNN and tune into a channel I rarely watch: Fox News.
A Bridge Too Far
I don’t live in a liberal bubble. I listen to Ben Shapiro’s and Rep. Dan Crenshaw’s podcasts when I can, receive dozens of conservative newsletters ranging from libertarian to white nationalist and subscribe to orthodox Catholic newspapers like the Wanderer and New Oxford Review. Right-leaning friends love to debate me, because they know I’m not a knee-jerk ideologue. I have tracked the rise of Trump-loving Latinos in this column for years, and have long warned liberals they ignore and ridicule Republicans at their own peril.
A Well-Informed American
A well-informed American listens to all views and makes up their mind while always following the newspaper adage that if your mom tells you she loves you, go check it out. That’s why Fox News has always been a bridge too far for me.
A Sobering Experience
I watched Fox News for four straight hours, with anchors Kayleigh McEnany, Tammy Bruce, and Trace Gallagher following each other. Their broadcasts led with segments from the scenes of the deadly attacks that told viewers what was known at the time and included footage of press conferences by the law enforcement agencies investigating the crimes. Those short bits at least offered the pretense of objectivity — the "fair and balanced" mantra Fox News has long insisted is its modus operandi.
A World of Unhinged Viewpoints
But once the anchors brought in Fox News contributors, their shows reflected the unhinged worldview that now holds power in this country. Guest after guest blamed the attacks on the FBI for supposedly preferring diversity initiatives and investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection and conservatives over stopping terrorist attacks. Buzzwords flew around like confetti that had nothing to do with the crimes at hand: Antifa. Open borders. Police haters. The far left.
A Conclusion
The Fox News I remembered was in full force: Frothing. Paranoid. Vengeful. Seeking not to inform viewers but to inflame. But the most wacko commentary came from former San Bernardino County sheriff’s Deputy Meagan McCarthy. Earlier in the day, Fox News published — and then walked back — a report that the truck Jabbar used to kill so many had crossed into the U.S. from Mexico a few days earlier.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why did the author decide to watch Fox News on New Year’s Day?
A: The author decided to watch Fox News after a family member texted that they were safe after a Tesla Cybertruck blew up in front of the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas.
Q: What did the author think of the content on Fox News?
A: The author found the content on Fox News to be unhinged, paranoid, and vengeful, with guests blaming the FBI for supposedly preferring diversity initiatives and investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection and conservatives over stopping terrorist attacks.
Q: What did the author think of the anchors on Fox News?
A: The author thought that the anchors, Kayleigh McEnany, Tammy Bruce, and Trace Gallagher, presented the news in a fair and balanced manner, but the shows became more opinion-driven once the anchors brought in Fox News contributors.
