Last week, amid bizarre trials and lots of stories involving former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, one story stuck out more than most: Someone burned down the Christmas tree outside Fox News’ Midtown Manhattan headquarters. The network devoted a ton of time to it, with hosts and guests alike losing their minds over what was, end of the day, a freak occurrence. But they’re still not done with it yet.
On Monday, during a standard White House press briefing, Fox News’ Peter Doocy brought it up during a lengthy tête-à-tête with his longtime squabbling partner, press secretary Jen Psaki. He was asking about an uptick in crime in the nation’s cities. He blamed it on “prosecutors are too soft on crime.” Psaki explained to him that among the Biden administration’s solutions is to increase police budgets.
That didn’t satisfy Doocy. “But I guess what good does it do if you’re gonna give police departments extra money if they arrest bad guys, and they bring ’em to jail, and then they’re not prosecuted? They’re just right back out on the streets,” he said.
“I think Peter,” Psaki replied, “what our focus is on is making sure that the local leaders, the police officers and departments who know what they need for these communities have the assistance and the funding they need and that’s what we’re working around the clock on.”
He then brought up some recent examples of out-of-control crime. Sure enough, one of them was a guy who set a fake tree ablaze. “We’ve seen an arsonist burn down a half a million dollar Christmas tree in New York City. Back out on the streets,” Doocy asked. “Does the President think that that’s good governing?”
Fox News’ Peter Doocy brings up the Fox Christmas tree fire in today’s press briefing.
“We’ve seen an arsonist burn down a half-million-dollar Christmas tree in New York City — back out on the street! Does the president think that that’s good governing?” pic.twitter.com/B3ZfBk65Mk
— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) December 13, 2021
Psaki didn’t engage with him, merely pointing out that she already addressed his issue and moved onto another reporter who wouldn’t ask her about a smoldering plant.
But perhaps Doocy buried the lede. People were gobsmacked to learn Fox News’ fake dead tree cost them half a million.
Fox got ripped off if this “Christmas tree” cost them $500K https://t.co/SnM6tuX8yj pic.twitter.com/nzXAn1mBq2
— Wu-Tang Is For The Children (@WUTangKids) December 13, 2021
The fake Fox Christmas tree cost a half-million dollars? Inflation really is out of control… https://t.co/qWGOAZ6Lue
— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) December 13, 2021
I’ve heard so many horrible stories the last couple days of people in Kentucky losing everything.
Fuck Doocy and motherfuck his $500,000 burning tree. https://t.co/YwkCYx3EB1
— Sam Youngman (@samyoungman) December 13, 2021
Others wondered what Doocy expects a world leader to do about a private business’ plant.
Biden Refuses To Mobilize Military In Response To Christmas Tree Attack https://t.co/zQ1BNAaN3t
— Oliver Willis (@owillis) December 13, 2021
Doocy thinks the President is so powerful he even controls the behavior of homeless arsonists in New York City. https://t.co/03PTlyE2zf
— Carolyn Boyle (@accidntlmystic) December 13, 2021
(Via Raw Story)