Fox Promotes Trump-Hating Influential Iowan Vander Plaats

In yet another example of the schism at Fox News, the Your World show gave a very friendly platform to influential Iowa Republican Bob Vander Plaats who just happens to be one of Donald Trump's targets, as Fox News is lately, and who said he’d “definitely think twice” before voting for Trump even if he were the nominee.

The Des Moines Register has the complete story about the feud between Trump and Vander Plaats – which “we report, you decide” Fox News did not provide. But host Neil Cavuto did read aloud one of Trump’s attack tweets: “Why doesn’t phony @bobvanderplaats tell his followers all the times he asked for him and his family to stay at my hotels-didn’t like paying.”

“Why doesn’t Donald Trump come clean and say all the times he’s invited me to be there and make sure that I stayed at his hotels so he can lavish his friendship on me,” Vander Plaats responded. “But what he’s not used to, Neil, he’s used to giving all these politicians money, and they do exactly what he tells them to do. Hillary Clinton even goes to his third wedding. But I don’t give him my endorsement, so I’ll assume the friendship has got strings attached.”

Although he supports Ted Cruz, Vander Plaats insisted he’s “still a friend” of Trump’s. “My friendship is not phony, but he’s still not getting my endorsement,” he added.

“Donald Trump, he has a history of this,” Vander Plaats said, apparently referring to Trump’s personal attacks. “Ask Chuck Todd of NBC News. Ask Megyn Kelly now, with Fox News. Ask Frank Luntz, your favorite pollster. …What was his first comment (when Trump fell behind Cruz in Iowa)? His first comment was, 'Are the people of Iowa stupid?' So if you’re not with Donald Trump, he is definitely against you, and, Neil, that leads to a real judgment and discernment issue about being President of the United States.”

Vander Plaats also blasted Trump for backing out of tonight's debate, “the final interview” before the Iowa caucuses. He felt certain that Iowans “are going to penalize him” for it. “Here’s this tough Donald Trump who’s now wimping out because of Megyn Kelly, and you’re telling me you’re going to stand up to Putin, or you’re going to stand up for our Second Amendment right or a nuclear Iran?” Vander Plaats continued.