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A local Atlanta television station cut ties with a political analyst who joked about former President Trump’s “imminent orange face.”
Bill Crane appeared on WSB-TV’s evening news Sunday to discuss the political landscape heading into the 2022 midterm elections and how Democrats believe it is to their advantage if Trump continues to dominate the news cycle, particularly the criminal investigation investigating the former president’s involvement in overturning the 2020 election results in Georgia.
“Labor Day is when undecided voters and unaligned voters really start to focus on future elections and keeping Donald Trump in play and his fantasy of stealing the election in November 2020 makes Donald Trump and his looming orange face before voters are at stake. when they’re trying to decide how they’re going to vote.”
Ray Carter, the vice president and general manager of the ABC affiliate station, issued a statement early Monday announcing that Crane would no longer appear on the network.
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Atlanta’s WSB-TV cut ties with political analyst Bill Crane over a joke about former President Trump’s “imminent orange face.”
(WSB-TV)
“During Channel 2’s Action News Sunday evening at 6:00, Bill Crane, a frequent guest as an outside political analyst, made comments about former President Donald Trump that are not aligned with our commitment to “fair and unbiased reporting and analysis. As a result, we are ending our relationship with Mr. Crane, effective immediately,” Carter said.
Crane, who has been a paid contractor for WSB Radio since 2006 and WSB-TV since 2011, told Fox News Digital that he stands by his analysis, but that his sense of humor went “over the top some viewers and of course it was not funny for others. .”
“I respect station management’s ability to make that call, Georgia is a right-to-work state, a concept I also support, and employers can terminate ‘at will’. It doesn’t necessarily make sense for the ’employee,’ Crane said. “I’ve been providing on-air political analysis in this market for 22 years. I’ve certainly offended people on both sides of the aisle and worked a couple of senators and a governor from both major political parties. But a lot of people have lost the sense of humor, and I think that given the hundred hours of airtime and nearly 1,000 columns a week, that part of my career and life would boil down to more than four words.”
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He continued: “I’m behind the analysis of tactics and strategy. My verbiage certainly could have been a little more PC. That, however, historically has not been my style. I’m sorry if I disappointed or embarrassed our new owners or station management and offered an on-air apology, but I stand by the thought within my response and assessment.”
CASPER, WY – MAY 28: Former President Donald Trump speaks at a rally on May 28, 2022 in Casper, Wyoming. The rally is being held in support of Harriet Hageman, the primary challenger to Representative Liz Cheney in Wyoming. (Photo by Chet Strange/Getty Images)
(Chet Strange/Getty Images)
Crane went on to say that he was “not allowed” to apologize on air and was told that “the ‘bias’ implicit in my comments rendered my credibility irretrievable.”
The investigation into Trump’s role in trying to overturn President Biden’s election victory in Georgia took a new turn last week as his former lawyer Rudy Giuliani was ordered to testify before a large sworn Giuliani himself was also said to be a target of the criminal investigation.
The grand jury also sought testimony from Sen. Lindsey Graham, RS.C., which was deferred in a decision by the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
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Trump has been the subject of multiple investigations, including a New York probe into his business dealings and a federal investigation into his actions on January 6.
The former president was aiming to defeat Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp in the GOP primary to certify Biden’s election victory, but the incumbent defeated Trump-backed challenger David Purdue.
Gov. Brian Kemp (R-GA) speaks during an election night party after winning the renomination to be the Republican nominee for governor on May 24, 2022 at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Georgia .
(Nathan Posner/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
In early August, Fox News Digital asked Trump if he would consider endorsing Kemp in the general election against Democratic candidate Stacey Abrams.
“Well, we’re going to look at everything,” Trump told Fox News Digital.
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Kemp suggested he would welcome Trump’s endorsement, telling Fox News’ Guy Benson, “I want everybody’s endorsement going into the November 8 election.”
Joseph A. Wulfsohn is a media reporter for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to joseph.wulfsohn@fox.com and on Twitter: @JosephWulfsohn.
