Greg Gutfeld and Juan Williams clash over photo of drowned migrants at border

June 28, 2019 by Ben Marquis

For many months now, President Donald Trump has been warning about the immigration crisis at the southern border and pleaded with Democrats to join him in addressing the issue, but Democrats repeatedly dismissed the characterization of the situation as a “crisis” and refused to cooperate on any legislative proposals.

The conversation shifted this week, however, in large part due to a shocking photo of a father and child who drowned while attempting to cross the Rio Grande River. The photo sparked a heated discussion on Fox News’ “The Five” on Wednesday that wound up with co-host Greg Gutfeld delivering a devastating putdown to liberal co-host Juan Williams.

After Williams attempted to suggest that Gutfeld “dismissed” the deaths of the migrants, Gutfeld couldn’t let that slip past. “I didn’t dismiss it, I dismissed your hypocrisy over it!” he informed Williams.

Narrative shift

Gutfeld started the segment by highlighting the left’s sudden shift from outright dismissal of the border crisis to now embracing it — a wholly political move to exploit the deteriorating situation against President Trump. It’s the height of partisan hypocrisy, Gutfeld opined.

Williams, as usual, disagreed with Gutfeld’s take and essentially repeated the left’s talking point that the dire situation at the border — particularly with regard to children and detention facilities — was solely the result of President Trump’s policies.

Gutfeld called out Williams for “laughing” off the crisis months ago, while Williams insisted he’d always taken the situation seriously, but the conversation got even more heated.

Democrats, media should be ashamed

Conservative co-host Katie Pavlich briefly engaged with Williams over when the “crisis” actually started — way back in 2014, in Pavlich’s recollection and own reporting.

Co-host Jesse Watters interjected with a short but impassioned monologue of his own on Democratic hypocrisy and obstructionism on immigration in general.

“I find the way the media is using this latest photo to be disgusting. I can’t — I mean, we know that a picture sells a story, but they are using it to sell a political agenda and they should be ashamed of themselves,” Gutfeld said.

Co-host Dana Perino noted how shocking photos can often be used to spark action, and said, “Now it’s a crisis and I think the Democrats, one of the reasons they went down and got those pictures taken is because they knew the story was about to turn on them.”

“Hypocrisy”

As Gutfeld prepared to cut to a commercial, Williams interrupted, “But I must say, the picture that you dismissed is very real. Those people are dead.”

“I didn’t dismiss it, I dismissed your hypocrisy over it,” Gutfeld fired back, then attempted to end the segment once again.

Williams again interrupted and said, “Oh, that’s it then, stop the discussion,” to which Gutfeld replied, “It’s not a discussion when you stop making sense.”