CNN anchor Jake Tapper disagreed Monday with ABC’s late night comedian Jimmy Kimmel that Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy is a “dumb son of a bitch.”
President Joe Biden was caught on a hot mic Monday calling Doocy a “stupid son of a bitch” during a White House press gathering in response to the Fox News reporter asking a question about inflation. When Kimmel asked Tapper whether Doocy is a “dumb son of a bitch,” the CNN anchor responded that no president should call a reporter names.
“I know you don’t usually give out opinions but that reporter, Peter Doocy, is he a dumb son of a bitch?” Kimmel asked.
“I don’t think any president should be calling any journalist a ‘dumb son of a bitch.’ And to be fair to Peter Doocy, the question was fairly anodyne…” Tapper said. “It would be like you calling me a ‘dumb son of a b*tch’ right now, caught on microphone. I mean, he was standing right in front of a microphone.”
Jimmy Kimmel: “Fox…says…you’re on Team Biden…yet, here you are, defending Peter Doocy, who…is indeed a dumb son of a bitch.”
Jake Tapper: “So, I do not agree…I recognize that Peter’s channel probably would never come to my defense like that, but it is what it is.” pic.twitter.com/GAdURGzeaR
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) January 25, 2022
Kimmel pressed Tapper on “defending” Doocy, saying Fox News said the CNN anchor is on “Team Biden” and a “mouthpiece for the Democrats.” (RELATED: Peter Doocy Give Comeback To Biden Calling Him A ‘Stupid Son-Of-A-B*tch)
“And yet, here you are defending Peter Doocy, who as far as I’ve been able to tell is a dumb son of a bitch,” Kimmel said.
“So, I do not agree with that, and I will say, standards for decency don’t have to do with whether or not you like the people that are being treated poorly, it just has to do with the standard,” Tapper responded. “And yes, I recognize that Peter’s channel probably would never come to my defense like that, but it is what it is.”
“I should also note, just in terms of breaking news, Biden did call Peter Doocy to apologize. They did have a phone conversation,” he continued.
Doocy said Biden called him within an hour after the briefing to “clear the air,” telling the reporter the remark was “nothing personal.” The Fox News reporter said he appreciated the conversation and that the two can “move forward.”