Most American political debates and talk shows usually have the speaker being a Republican or Democrat. Irrespective of their position, everyone expects them to stick with their party’s beliefs. However, that’s not the case with Steve Doocy.
Steve Doocy has sparked outrage amongst his fellow Republicans by choosing opinions outside their own beliefs. This ranges from questioning Trump to allowing the government to “invade” people’s privacy. Let’s break it down further!
It Became Apparent With A Mid-January Broadcast
Doocy’s controversial history became apparent in the middle of January. It was on a broadcast about how federal officers are trying to find extremists in the Jan 6, 2021 insurrection. Their method involved telling banks to monitor purchases of outdoor gear from vendors like Dick’s Sporting Goods.
The information spread and quickly enraged Fox News hosts and other Republicans. “We don’t have any privacy!” says co-host Ainsley Earhardt. “It’s unbelievable!” concurred another co-host, Lawrence Jones.
Doocy Had A Different Perspective
While his co-host complained that the government was abusing its power and violating people’s rights, Doocy gave a controversial take. He explained that attacking a federal officer will naturally lead to a federal investigation. So, this approach is warranted.
​Everyone was shocked! This response wasn’t what you’d expect for a seasoned Republican like Doocy. He has been a host on Fox’s morning show since 1998. Throughout that time, Doocy’s been a vocal Republican, but this option shift was unlike the collective conservative narrative.
This Wasn’t Doocy’s First Controversial Take
Doocy’s support for bank monitoring is just one of his many controversial takes against Republicans. For example, he stood out as a skeptic regarding the congressional investigations into Joe and Hunter Biden.
He also pointed out the importance of the legal issues Trump faces. But his take was unlike other Republicans. He talked up Trump’s challengers like Nikki Haley, then criticized the Republican party’s MAGA division.
His Controversial Stances Are Deliberate
It’s possible Doocy is deviating from traditional Republican talking points. However, others were quick to point out that he often sparks these hot takes during a time of the day when viewers are used to light banter and soft segments.
It’s also worth noting that Doocy sparked these controversial statements at the peak of Fox’s control over the Republican Party. Therefore, Doocy’s presence indirectly tells the people that the network doesn’t fully support Trump despite rallying behind his 2024 campaign.
‘What Happened To You, Steve?’
Irrespective of his motive, Doocy’s co-workers are stunned. Hannity showed this concern when Doocy mentioned an outlier poll of Haley gaining on Trump in Hampshire. He asked: “What happened to you, Steve?”
“Are you moving to the left on me?” – he continues. The question hints at Hannity’s fear of Doocy slowly switching from a conservative to a liberal. But Doocy evaded the question. He laughed and joked: “I’m screen-left right now.”.
Daniel Cassino Praises Steve Doocy
Daniel Cassino is a Fairleigh Dickinson University professor who wrote a book about Fox News in 2016. He commented on Doocy saying: “He gets to express some skepticism about the narratives that are being pushed on his show that you don’t get from anyone else.”
He further compliments Doocy, calling him a “pleasant morning TV host” who speaks his actual thoughts instead of the collective republican ideology. In other words, Cassino sees Doocy’s opinions as a much-needed balance in a biassed station.
Doocy Downplays The Biden Impeachment Investigation
Another example of Doocy clashing with his fellow Republicans is when he downplayed the findings of the Biden impeachment investigation. He frequently clashed with Brian Kilmeade over his enthusiasm for the GOP impeachment inquiries.
Doocy defended the Biden family, saying that Republicans attacked them without providing any solid evidence of what they did wrong. Kilmeade, shocked, retorts: “But man, man, does this look absolutely terrible,” as he points out suspicious activities associated with the Biden family.
Things Get Heated Up
The debate between Doocy and Kilmeade got heated when the former brought the topic up again in November 2023. Kilmeade vigorously disagreed with his co-star, telling him, “Let me finish!”
Doocy didn’t care. He responded, “Let me finish! I started!” In the conversation, Doocy challenged Kilmeade to cite which law President Biden broke. He pressed for an answer but eventually lost his patience.
Doocy Loses His Patience
During the heated conversation, another co-host, Ainsley Earhardt, said, “Americans are watching [the Bidens] get away with so much.” This comment frustrated Doocy.
Frustrated, he exclaimed that Earhardt’s statement was weak because, like other Republicans, she hasn’t specified the things the Biden family got away with. Seeing he’s going nowhere with his co-stars, Doocy shut down the conversation before it went too far. “You know what? We disagree about this. Just saying.”
Conversations Get So Heated, Earhardt Had To Step In
Doocy’s co-workers also complained about how he’s using political language commonly found in Democratic circles. For example, Doocy used “reproductive rights” to be inclusive, which conservatives like Michael Knowles frown upon.
Sometimes, the conversation gets so heated that Earhardt has to step in. For example, she stopped their conversation about Ukraine to preview a guest. “Guys, guys, we have so many great stories we’ve got to get to. We need to talk about Brad Paisley.”
‘Doocy Vs. Kilmeade’ Has Become A Meme
The argument that Doocy sparks controversy to boost engagement and retention for Fox News may be true. This is evident in how popular heated conversations have become online.
A social-media account called Decoding Fox News makes these memes popular. Its running joke is to zoom in on Kilmeade’s frustrated face as he listens to another controversial take from Doocy. They even have a folder called “Doocy goes rogue” because of how often he does the face.
Doocy Has Earned Respect From Fox’s Critics
Being a Republican with a different opinion has earned Doocy a badge of honor amongst critics. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) praised him for being the one person on Fox News who actually took the investigation seriously.
Former CNN anchor Brian Stelter also commented. He thinks that Doocy may be the right person to drag Fox News back to reality, even if it’s by one percent. This echoes previous compliments where his controversial stance brings balance to Fox News.
Even Trump Was Shocked At The Doocy’s Opinions
Former President Donald Trump used to love Doocy and rated him a 12 out of 10 on the loyalty scale. However, his comments seem to hurt the Conservative hero. In an interview, Trump said: “Doocy has always been so nice to me for years.”
Trump continues: “I would say over the last year, I don’t know, he just seems to be not nice like he should be. Whatever happened to that guy?” Irrespective of his reasons, Doocy seems to be consistent with his opinions and it doesn’t seem like he’ll change them anytime soon.
