A segment on Fox News show ‘The Five’ became heated as co-hosts Jesse Watters, Greg Gutfeld, and Jessica Tarlov engaged in intense exchanges over various topics related to former President Donald Trump.
The tension escalated when Watters raised a New York Times report indicating that President Joe Biden is currently experiencing record-low disapproval ratings and is actively searching for strategies to rejuvenate his campaign by incorporating new, youthful energy. In an effort to infuse his re-election bid with a “fresh feel,” Biden’s team is considering endorsements from influential individuals, including celebrities. One notable name that has emerged in discussions is Taylor Swift.
Watters brought up the report about Swift and Biden’s campaign challenges, prompting a quick response from Tarlov, the liberal co-host, who mentioned E. Jean Carroll in the conversation. A New York jury recently ruled that Trump is liable to pay $83.3 million to the former advice columnist. She had alleged that Trump had harmed her reputation by branding her a liar after she accused him of sexual assault.
WATCH:
Watters dismantles Tarlov. Again. pic.twitter.com/cDqcZ4bwcu
— USA Features Media (@UsaFeatures) January 31, 2024
Below is a transcript of the exchange on The Five:
WATTERS: “Nothing to do with each other. I read this article in The New York Times, this is the Biden reelection strategy, are you ready? Don’t run on ‘Bidenomics’, leave the White House more than once a week, ask Bill and Barack to raise money for you and hope a pop star endorses you. Jessica, this is not the reelection strategy of a winning campaign. This smacks of desperation and the fact that he’s clinging to Taylor Swift, who he couldn’t even pick out of a lineup without Jill going like this — ‘that’s Taylor’ — tells me everything you know about Joe Biden.”
TARLOV: “Is the strategy to owe $83 million for defaming a woman that you sexually assaulted?”
WATTERS: “I would love Taylor Swift’s endorsement. Any politician would. (crosstalk) But I like people like Kid Rock.”
TARLOV: “I love that you ignored what I just said. Because that was the news from the weekend on that side. And then Joe Biden was 15 minutes —“
WATTERS: “Authentic endorsements.”
TARLOV: “— late to church, and you think it’s the end of the world?”
WATTERS: “Late to church? He goes to church?”
GUTFELD: “Let’s talk about that lawsuit. Go ahead, Jessica, what are your thoughts?”
TARLOV: “My thoughts are that you shouldn’t sexually assault people and then you shouldn’t defame them.”
GUTFELD: “Okay, was he found guilty of sexual assault?”
TARLOV: “Yes, he was. He was by a jury.”
GUTFELD: “Was it criminal?”
PIRRO: “It was civil.”
TARLOV: “Oh, that means it doesn’t count?”
PIRRO: “It means it’s not a guilty verdict.”
GUTFELD: “It’s always nice to bring something up that has nothing to do with the topic.”
TARLOV: “It does! He said the campaign strategy.”
WATTERS: “Stop interrupting everybody.”
TARLOV: “Long week ahead.”
