Fox News Host Howard Kurtz Gets Roasted For "Both Sides" Take On Election Aftermath

As you may be aware, the 2020 United States Presidential Election has dragged on for a full week after Election Day as Donald Trump refused to concede after major news media outlets and news networks called the election for Joe Biden. Trump and his team have spent the week making unproven accusations of fraud and pursuing lawsuits, some of which have been thrown out, raising fears that an attempted coup is underway in Washington.

On Twitter, Fox News host Howard Kurtz chimed in on the controversy, citing the Trump administration's refusal to cooperate with Biden's transition team alongside The View host Whoopi Goldberg saying "suck it up" as examples that "both sides are playing the politics of payback."

From Trump's GSA barring Biden transition officials from federal buildings to Whoopi Goldberg telling his voters to suck it up, both sides are playing the politics of payback. Why the anger still rages and the election feels endless https://t.co/Bs31H2aYJg

— HowardKurtz (@HowardKurtz) November 11, 2020

Kurtz quickly emerged as Twitter's main character with a take many felt was an absurd false equivalence, arguing that statements made on The View were the same level of alarming as the Trump administration's refusal concede the election. In many Twitter users' eyes, the post was exemplary of the fallacy of "both sides"-ism that has become frustratingly common in political discourse.

On one hand, a government agency is refusing to take part in the peaceful transition of power.

On the other, one of the co-hosts of The View said something that might have hurt Trump voters’ feelings.

Serious newsman Howard Kurtz: These are the same https://t.co/aoe1kuW44k

— Parker Molloy (@ParkerMolloy) November 11, 2020

Hey @HowardKurtz, equating Whoopi Goldberg’s personal opinion with a government official refusing to execute her duties is like comparing a fan to a Super Bowl quarterback. One has no role. The other does. Let’s don’t both sides the sedition of government officials. https://t.co/GpJt7uRAcX

— stuart stevens (@stuartpstevens) November 11, 2020

ah yes, the famous two sides, "the president of the United States" and "Whoopi Goldberg" https://t.co/DiQoOoz6OW

— Albert Burneko (@AlbertBurneko) November 11, 2020

Yes, I always said that Whoopi Goldberg should stop interfering with the President-Elect's intelligence briefings. Totally a "both-sides" kind of thing. https://t.co/EIRpqeGEtt

— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) November 11, 2020

I think we have discovered the ultimate in Both Siderism. Its Holy Grail. https://t.co/N8jchkWtGb

— Charles P. Pierce (@CharlesPPierce) November 11, 2020

From the replacement of every top military official in order to support a refusal to concede unprecedented in the 230 year history of the country to an offhand comment made by Jessica Biel, both sides are engaged in unprecedented divisiveness https://t.co/pHaPnmMxNR

— Ben Mathis-Lilley (@BenMathisLilley) November 11, 2020

Kurtz later defended his tweet by suggesting that people read his column instead of the tweet summary. In the column, Kurtz makes other similar statements, such as listing Secretary Mike Pompeo's statement that "there will be a smooth transition to a second Trump term" along with MSNBC co-host Touré stating they "hope the fain and anxiety you feel now is excruciating" to Trump voters.