48. His springboard CQ Transcriptions, Republican presidential debate (transcript), Jan. 16, 2012.
49. Gingrich carried “Republican Primary Map,” New York Times.
50. Stuart Stevens Author interview with a senior Romney adviser.
51. In one editorial meeting Author interview with a senior Fox producer.
52. Fox News was on track Brian Stelter, “Fox News Is Set to Renew O’Reilly and Hannity Through 2016 Elections,” “Media Decoder” (blog), New York Times, April 19, 2012, http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/19/fox-news-is-set-to-renew-oreilly-and-hannity-through-2016-elections/.
53. “Listen, one out of every” Howard Kurtz, “Roger’s Reality Show,” Newsweek, Sept. 25, 2011.
54. In the fall of 2011 Author interviews with a person familiar with the matter. Fox also feuded with one of its own local Fox stations. In April 2010, a senior Fox News executive named David Winstrom sent a critical letter to Steve Smith, the chairman and CEO of Journal Communications, the parent company of the Fox broadcast affiliate in Naples, Florida. A reporter for the affiliate, Rob Koebel, had interviewed Ailes at Ave Maria Law School, the conservative Catholic institution funded by Domino’s Pizza billionaire Tom Monaghan. Media Matters had posted the interview online. “The story your station produced and aired was forwarded to me,” Winstrom wrote Smith. “I was surprised at the bias in the story. At Fox we understand when you’re number 1 you need a thick skin because other news organizations are going to take shots at you. I was just surprised one of our own Fox affiliates would be taking the shots.” The letter noted that Koebel had asked Ailes: “How do you defend [Fox News] from the critics especially when you have a lineup that includes Sarah Palin?” Winstrom informed Smith that he hadn’t “discussed the interview with Roger” and added “he probably doesn’t have any strong feelings one way or another about the clearly biased questions.” But, Winstrom explained, “Fair & Balanced is not just a slogan.… The Fox News Channel has a strong following in Florida. We appreciate the south Florida viewers. I hope that your Fox station and our Fox News team can work at keeping those loyal viewers.”
55. “I’d give anything” Chafets, Roger Ailes, 234.
56. “I don’t want the kid” Sella, “Red-State Network.”
57. “He has common feelings” Author interview with a close colleague of Roger Ailes.
58. When Zachary was twelve Author interview with a Dilenschneider Group employee.
59. Around this time Chafets, Roger Ailes, 235.
60. In February 2012 Author interview with Gordon Stewart.
61. That week Liz Schevtchuk Armstrong, “Neighbors Object to Mega-Structure for Art Collection,” Philipstown.info, Feb. 20, 2012, http://philipstown.info/2012/02/20/neighbors-object-to-mega-structure-for-art-collection/.
62. Later that month David Brock, Ari Rabin-Haft, and Media Matters for America, The Fox Effect: How Roger Ailes Turned a Network into a Propaganda Machine (New York: Random House, 2012).
63. “He was obsessed” Author interview with a Fox News contributor.
64. In retaliation “The Fox Effect: The Book That Terrifies Roger Ailes and Fox News,” Daily Kos, Feb. 28, 2012, http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/02/28/1069245/-The-Fox-Effect-The-Book-That-Terrifies-Roger-Ailes-And-Fox-News.
65. On April 10 “Announcing Our Newest Hire: A Current Fox News Channel Employee,” Gawker, April 10, 2012, http://gawker.com/5900710/announcing-our-newest-hire-a-current-fox-news-channel-employee.
66. Within twenty-four hours Joe Muto, “Hi Roger. It’s Me, Joe: The Fox Mole,” Gawker, April 11, 2012, http://gawker.com/5901228/hi-roger-its-me-joe-the-fox-mole.
67. When Muto quickly landed John Cook, “A Low Six-Figure Book Deal for the Fox Mole,” Gawker, May 3, 2012, http://gawker.com/5907475/a-low-six+figure-book-deal-for-the-fox-mole.
68. Jimmy Gildea Chafets, Roger Ailes, 229.
69. “I told them” Sherman, “Roger Ailes Fired His PR Chief, and Now He’s All Alone,” “Daily Intel” (blog), New York, Aug. 20, 2013, http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2013/08/roger-ailes-fired-his-pr-chief-now-all-alone.html.
70. At 6:30 in the morning Kat Stoeffel, “Fox Mole Joe Muto Says His Laptop Was Seized in Grand Larceny Investigation,” New York Observer, April 25, 2012.
71. A year later David Bauder, “Joe Muto, Fox News Mole, Resurfaces with Book,” Associated Press, June 3, 2013.
72. “He likes to raise” Author interview with a senior producer.
73. While Fox reporters Eric Bolling, The Five, Fox News Channel, Sept. 28, 2012.
74. A few days before the election Jeanette Steele and Nathan Max, “Families Differ on U.S. Response,” San Diego Union-Tribune, Nov. 2, 2012.
75. “ELECTION OFFICIALS” Megyn Kelly, America Live, Fox News Channel, Nov. 5, 2012.
76. Michael Clemente had Author interview with a person familiar with the matter.
77. So when Ailes wanted Author interview with a person familiar with the matter.
78. On the day before Fox & Friends, Fox News Channel, Oct. 21, 2012.
79. On the afternoon Chafets, Roger Ailes, 240.
80. Rove’s Super PAC Nicholas Confessore, “At 40, Steering a Vast Machine of G.O.P. Money,” New York Times, July 22, 2012.
81. “Hell, maybe Karl’s right” Chafets, Roger Ailes, 240.
82. At 5:00 p.m. Author interview with a person in the room.
83. About an hour later Chafets, Roger Ailes, 239–46.
84. One Fox executive Author interview with a person in the room.
85. Downstairs Sherman, “How Karl Rove Fought with Fox News over the Ohio Call.”
86. On air, Dick Morris Don Frederick, “Dick Morris Stands His Ground,” Bloomberg News, Nov. 5, 2012, http://go.bloomberg.com/political-capital/2012-11-05/dick-morris-stands-his-ground-romney-wins-maybe-by-landslide/.
87. In private Author interview with a person who attended the rehearsal.
88. “You’re a hero” Author observation of Ailes at Bradley Prize ceremony, June 12, 2013.
89. “When the mainstream media” Paul Goldman and Mark J. Rozell, “Right-Wing Talk Shows Turned White House Blue,” Reuters, April 11, 2013.
90. Bill Shine sent Sherman, “Fox News Puts Karl Rove on the Bench,” “Daily Intel” (blog), New York, Dec. 4, 2012, http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2012/12/fox-news-puts-karl-rove-on-the-bench.html.
91. In February Brian Stelter, “Fox News and Dick Morris Part Ways,” “Media Decoder” (blog), New York Times, Feb. 6, 2013, http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/06/fox-news-and-dick-morris-part-ways/.