Fox News jabs back at Obama over criticism

Fox News is having none of President Barack Obama’s criticism of its role in the 2016 presidential campaign.

Numerous Fox figures stepped up Wednesday to challenge Obama’s claim that the network played a significant role in the Democratic Party’s relative failure to connect with white working-class voters during the presidential race, saying Democrats should instead look internally for answers.

During an interview with Rolling Stone released Monday, the president lamented his party’s “inability” to reach out to those voters, attributing it in part to there being “Fox News in every bar and restaurant in big chunks of the country.” The comment set off a wave of critical responses from Fox News anchors, reporters and hosts.

In a segment airing repeatedly on the channel Wednesday, Howard Kurtz, host of the media-centric “Media Buzz” Sunday program, called Obama’s comments a “parting blow” and accused him of “scapegoating” the network rather than engaging with it during his tenure.

That sentiment was shared by “The Five” co-host Eric Bolling, who criticized Democratic leadership for seemingly avoiding appearing on the network.

“The Democrats don’t come over here,” Bolling said Wednesday. “High-level ranking Democrats typically don’t come over here.”

Fox News personalities also criticized Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton for rarely appearing on the network outside of a July interview on “Fox News Sunday.”

“I think she was scared to sit down with someone who would ask her hard questions,” anchor Megyn Kelly fired off during her Wednesday taping of “The Kelly File.” “Why not speak to the country that watches Fox News, loves Fox News and trusts it?”

Others claimed Obama overemphasized Fox News’ role while downplaying the will of the voters.

“Give credit to the American people that got involved and all the people that came out and voted and supported their candidate,” said “The Five” co-host Kimberly Guilfoyle.

“[Obama] just wants to lament that the middle of the country is watching” Fox News, Kelly added. “Look at how that worked out.”