It’s a good thing that Fox, which still seems to like sniping at Trump, and was the first major news outlet to crown Joe Biden as “President Elect” is only a sponsor of CPAC and not running the whole show

Fox News Keeps Sniping At Trump

By Judi McLeod ——Bio and Archives--February 27, 2021

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It’s a good thing that Fox Nation is only a sponsor of CPAC and not running the whole show. The first sentence in Fox News banner story on the eve of Trump’s keynote Sunday CPAC address: “Former President Donald Trump isn’t the leader of the free world anymore,” followed by: “But many of the attendees at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Orlando, Florida, still want him to be the leader of the Republican Party.” “The annual conservative confab, even during its first event after the Trump presidency, is still very much a pro-Trump gathering.”

Here’s the real gist of the Fox story

Could that be because many of the attendees at CPAC don’t see Trump not as the former president “who isn’t the leader of the free world anymore” but as the leader of a massive movement determined to turn America back to its people? In its story Fox noticed that “Make America Great Again hats are some of the most popular attire among the attendees, and there's plenty of locations for people to buy more Trump gear. There are even some folks in "Students for Trump" yarmulkes and the viral "Lady MAGA" drag queen is one of the most visible attendees.” Here’s the real gist of the Fox story: “But despite the pro-Trump nature of the gathering, many attendees aren't necessarily committed to Trump being the 2024 presidential nominee. In fact, many CPAC attendees thought Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who gave the first major address of CPAC Friday, could be the party's standard-bearer going forward.” (Fox News, Feb. 26, 2021) If Fox hoped to create a divisive rift between Trump and DeSantis, it’ isn’t going to work, mainly because DeSantis has plenty of something that Fox News lacks: loyalty and fairness to Donald Trump. Next come a few cherry-picked interviews with folk on the convention floor which could have been called working the room:

"I think President Trump is the leader of the Republican Party. He is still the leader even if he's not president -- at least of our party," said Val Biancaniello, who was a Pennsylvania delegate for Trump at the 2020 Republican National Convention. "I'm looking forward to President Trump coming here and speaking on Sunday, seeing what he has to say. He still has a huge amount of support in the Trump base.” (Fox) “But despite her support for Trump, Biancaniello said she thinks 2024 may be DeSantis' time. "I really like Ron DeSantis in '24. I think President Trump has a huge role in our party ... fundraising and helping candidates get elected. His America First policy is still a very strong sentiment," she said. "If the theme of CPAC is 'America Uncancelled,' I think Ron DeSantis is really the face of that right now ... He's a proactive governor instead of a reactive governor.”

Trump is demoted from leader all the way down to fundraiser

In this trajectory, Trump is demoted from leader all the way down to fundraiser and helping other candidates get elected.

“Aaron Timpko, a CPAC attendee who is a Florida native and took advantage of the fact that CPAC was moved to Orlando to explore the movement, also told Fox News DeSantis may be the best person for the GOP in 2024. (Fox News) "Donald Trump undoubtedly has a role as a leader of the Republican Party," Timpko said. "With how much he has changed the Republican Party ... he will continue to be a leader going forward.” "I'd have to go with DeSantis or Ted Cruz," Timpko responded when asked who might be the 2024 GOP nominee. "Somebody who is not Trump. Somebody in the Republican Party who can stand up to the media with a bit more regality than Trump can. Despite how wonderful he was for the country, we can't have a media focusing on him for the next four years instead of Biden.” “A bit more regality” in standing up to the media?”

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Meanwhile, few media networks work harder than Fox News at trying to give the Republicans a new face

Wonder how that works?

”One-hundred percent, I think he has a role," Carson Wolf, who is attending CPAC with his parents, said of Trump. "I think he defined the future of the Republican Party as a populist organization. You know, we used to be so conservative and always sticking to the same rules and the same set of standards that haven't evolved. But he has pushed us forward in helping us become a more national populist side of things.” (Fox) “But Wolf said he hopes the GOP will go with someone other than Trump as its 2024 presidential nominee. "I can see him as the Republican nominee," Wolf said. "I personally really want to see somebody like Gov. DeSantis or somebody like Dan Crenshaw running. I think we need a new face, you know? But I love Trump and I'd be so satisfied to see him in 2024.”

Meanwhile, few media networks work harder than Fox News at trying to give the Republicans a new face. It’s a good thing that Fox, which still seems to like sniping at Trump, and was the first major news outlet to crown Joe Biden as “President Elect”, is only a only a sponsor of CPAC and not running the whole show.

Right Side Broadcasting

A good thing, too that Trump’s keynote address can be live streamed Sunday afternoon via the Right Side Broadcasting Network (RSBN):

CPAC Saturday

CPAC Sunday

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Judi McLeod——Bio and Archives -- Judi McLeod, Founder, Owner and Editor of Canada Free Press, is an award-winning journalist with more than 30 years’ experience in the print and online media. A former Toronto Sun columnist, she also worked for the Kingston Whig Standard. Her work has appeared throughout the ‘Net, including on Rush Limbaugh and Fox News.