Roger Ailes: Off Camera (24 page)

Roger with his only child, Zac.

I want to thank Sentinel Books, starting with its preternaturally smart publisher, Adrian Zackheim, my gifted editor, Niki Papadopoulos, and the talented Natalie Horbachevsky. They are real pros whose contributions to this book have been invaluable.

I am grateful, as always, to my agent, Flip Brophy. I’m lucky to have her and I know it.

Many thanks to Julia Kardon for her meticulous fact checking, and to Nephi Tyler, who did a terrific job as my editorial assistant/researcher, and to my first reader, my son, Coby, who is blessed with great taste and unwavering (sometimes brutal) intellectual honesty.

A lot of people took the time to talk to me for this book. Many are quoted, others have preferred to stay off the record. I appreciate everyone’s help and generosity.

I am indebted to Brian Lewis, Fox News executive vice president for corporate communications, who was always willing to answer just one more question; and to Ailes’s assistants, Gina Dell ’Aquila and Liz Downey, who were consistently cheerful and helpful.

Special thanks goes to Judy Laterza, Roger Ailes’s longtime executive assistant, who handled my many requests with generous efficiency and exceptional kindness.

The page numbers in this index refer to the printed version of this book. To find the corresponding locations in the text of this digital version, please use the “search” function on your e-reader. Note that not all terms may be searchable.

Abernathy, Jack, 188–89

Abramson, Jill, 123

ACORN, 199–200

Ads, political, by Ailes, 48–50, 56

Afghanistan war, Ailes position on, 97

African Americans

Fox audience of, 166

Fox branded as racist, 197–98

at Fox News, 145–46, 161, 166–170

Ailes, Beth (wife)

Ailes thoughts about future, 235

Catholicism of, 175

as local newspaper editor, 109, 112, 214, 240

marriage to Ailes, 103–5

media positions of, 68, 104–5

Putnam residence, 1, 105–13

Ailes, Bob (father), 6–13, 18–19

Ailes, Donna Jean (sister), 8

Ailes, Donna (mother), 8, 11–13

Ailes, Marjorie (wife)

divorce from Ailes, 38

marriage to Ailes, 22

and Roger’s early career, 23–24, 80

Ailes, Norma (wife), 42–43

Ailes, Robert, Jr. (brother), 8

Ailes, Roger

on abortion, 142

Ailes Communications, 37–60

Broadway shows produced by, 16–17, 39

business roles at Fox, 187–194

and Catholicism, 175–76

at CNBC, 65–69

divorces, 38, 43

documentary films by, 36, 39, 61, 148–150

earnings (2011–2012), 184

education, 10–13, 21–22

family and early life, 6–12

and Fox Broadcasting Company, 188

and Fox News.
See
Fox News

friendships of, 28, 63–64, 94–95, 147–161, 163–64, 168

on future, 232–37

Horatio Alger Award (2011), 10

on illegal immigration, 180–81

illness of, 9–11, 25, 234

Israel, position on, 178

liberal media, attacks on, 122–23, 146, 159

marriage to Beth, 103–5

marriage to Marjorie, 22

marriage to Norma, 42–43

Mike Douglas Show, The
, 23–30

Murdoch on, 183–86

new contract (2012), 232

and Nixon campaign, 31–37

and Obama administration.
See
Obama, Barack/Obama administration

parents’ divorce, 12–13, 21

as political consultant.
See
Political campaigns

political quotient (PQ) of, 130

as president, actions of, 131–33

Putnam County News and Recorder
purchase, 109–10, 112–13

Putnam residence, 1, 105–13

on racial differences/identity, 164, 170

radio jobs, 22–23

as Republican power broker (1982), 41

Roger E. Ailes Newsroom (Ohio University), 28–29

and Rush Limbaugh TV show, 61–64

as self-taught businessman, 187

Straight Forward
interview show, 68

technology/early adoption, resistance to, 193–94

temper/fighting, 216–18

on United Nations, 227

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill speech, 222–29

You Are the Message
, 13, 29, 45, 88, 170–71

Ailes, Zac (son), 1–3, 106, 136, 175, 202

Ailes thoughts about future, 234–36

birth of, 104

Ailes Apprentice Program, 164–66

Ailes Communications, 37–60.
See also
Political campaigns

specialty areas of, 37–38

Air America, 100

Akre, Jane, 214–15

America’s Newsroom
, 172

America’s Pulse
, 208

“America’s Talking,” 67–69

AOL, Time Warner merger, 69

Arledge, Roone, 69, 84, 90, 177, 190

Armstrong, Neil, 36, 106

Arnett, Peter, 94

Art of War, The
(Sun Tzu), 236

Asman, David, 191

Atwater, Lee, 50

Axelrod, David, 199

Ayers, Bill, 199–200

Bachmann, Michele, 128, 209

Baier, Bret, 97, 175, 202, 242

Banderas, Julie, 178

Barnes, Fred, 125

Baxter, Leone, 38

Bayh, Evan, 126, 219

Beck, Glenn, 195, 210–12

anti-Obama pieces, 197

earnings (2011), 212

extreme reporting of, 200, 211–12

Beckel, Bob, 51, 54, 59, 156–57, 198, 245

Beckwith, David, 51

Begala, Paul, 47, 59

Best Decision ad, 56

Biden, Joe, 181

Billings, Lem, 149–150

Bingaman, Jeff, 58

Bolton, John, 105

Boston Harbor ad, 48–49

Boyer, Peter, 108, 112

Bream, Shannon, 172

Breitbart, Andrew, 137, 209

Breslin, Jimmy, 41

Brinkley, Douglas, 119

Brisbane, Arthur, 121–22, 123

Brock, David, 59, 204–5

Brokaw, Tom, 91

Brooks, David, 126

Brown, Ron, 51–52

Brown, Scott, 169–170

Buchanan, Pat, 125

Buckley, William, 125

Buettner, Russ, 122

Burke, Greg, 175

Bush, George H. W.

Ailes and campaign of (1988), 47–54

Ailes and campaign of (1992), 60

Bush, George W.

drunk driving, Fox report, 120

winning (2000), premature announcements, 95–96

Buttner, Brenda, 225

Cable news

on-air mistakes in, 207

CNBC, Ailes at, 65–69

CNN, beginning of, 64–65

and Murdoch/Ailes.
See
Fox News

satellite/cable/Internet synergy, 69

Cain, Herman, 188–89

Campaigns, Inc., 38

Cannon, Lou, 43–44

Carey, Tim, 41–42, 49

Carlson, Gretchen, 76, 172

Carlson, Tucker, 170

Carney, Jay, 195, 204

Carter, Jimmy, 110

Carville, James, 59

Catholicism, and Fox News, 175–76

Cavuto, Neil, 65–66, 175, 233

hired by Ailes for Fox, 77–78

Celebrezze, Anthony, Jr., 55–56

Christie, Chris, 139, 243

Clemente, Michael, 118, 128, 136–37, 141–42, 175, 203–4, 218

Clinton, Bill, 58, 93–94

Clinton, Hillary, 208

CNBC

Ailes at, 65–69

“America’s Talking,” 67–69

growth under Ailes, 65

MSNBC replaces, 69

staff leaves with Ailes, 73

CNN

beginning of, 64–65

Clinton News Network, Ailes on, 93–94

versus Fox, 92–95, 98–99, 203, 231, 246

Fox News sharing with, 95

motto of, 116

NewsStand
fiasco, 94

Time Warner acquisition, 69, 92

Colavita, Tony, 42

Collier, Chet, 65, 68, 104, 152, 216

at Fox News, 74

and Roger’s early career, 24, 25

Collier, Dottie, 104

Colmes, Alan, 83, 87, 125

ColorOfChange.org, 197–98, 212

Colvin, Marie, 140

Conservatives/conservative media.
See also
Fox News

Fox & Friends
as beginning, 76

on liberal shows, 126

political quotient (PQ), 128–130

pre-Fox, 125

Republican Party, Fox as wing of, 199, 219, 233

Rush Limbaugh TV show as template, 61–64

TV news (1973), 39–40

Coors, Joseph, 39–40

Corn, David, 125

Corrigan, Jack, 53–54, 59

Cortes, Frankie, 178–180

Cosby, Bill, 26–27

Cramer, Jim, 78–82, 153, 190

conflict with Ailes, 79–82

hired by Ailes for Fox, 79

Crier, Catherine, 82, 83

Cronkite, Walter, 97, 118–19

C-SPAN, 68

Cummings, Elijah, 27

Cuomo, Chris, 124, 151, 154, 176

hired by Ailes for Fox, 151

Cuomo, Mario, 41

D’Amato, Al, 40–41

Danner, Mark, 99–100, 123–24, 172, 233

Darman, Richard, 43

Daschel, Tom, 76

Dateline
, 69

Dean, Howard, 76

Deggans, Eric, 165–67, 233

DeMint, Jim, 128

Dick Cavett Show, The
, 25

Dinkins, David, 58, 163–64

Dobbs, Lou, 191, 225

Doocy, Steve, 68, 75–76, 142

Douglas, Mike

later view of Ailes, 57

memorial show, 152–53

show, Ailes as producer, 23–30, 231

Dukakis, Michael, Ailes/Bush campaign against, 47–54

Dunn, Anita, 199, 202, 205

Dunne, Finley Peter, 124

Edge, The
, 83

Edwards, John, 223

English, Kevin, 80

English Premier League football, 189–190

Estrich, Susan, 51, 54, 125, 151

Factor, The
.
See also
O’Reilly, Bill

popularity of, 85–86

Fair and balanced, 98, 115–17

Faulkner, Harris, 166–67

Feinberg, Kenneth, 198

Fellini: Wizards, Clowns and Honest Liars
, 39

Ferraro, Geraldine, 54, 151–52

Ferrer, Norma.
See
Ailes, Norma (wife)

Ferrer, Shawn, 42–43

Five, The
, 157–58, 172, 178, 212

Folkenflik, David, 207–8

Foster, Vince, 67

Fox & Friends
, 172, 190

as beginning of conservative media, 76

Fox Broadcasting Company, 188

Fox Effect: How Roger Ailes Turned a Network into a Propaganda Machine, The
(Brock, Rabin-Havt, Media Matters), 204–6

Fox Entertainment, 232

Foxman, Abe, 146, 178, 210–11

Fox News

African American audience, 166

African Americans at, 161, 166–170

Ailes Apprentice Program, 164–66

Ailes approach to news, 117–18, 120–21, 124–25, 127–28, 178, 233

Ailes rules for employees, 81–82, 153–55, 216, 228–29

on-air mistakes, 95–96, 207–10

America’s Newsroom
, 172

America’s Pulse
, 208

and Bush election (2000) fiasco, 95–96

and Catholicism, 175–76

versus CNN, 92–95, 98–99, 203, 231, 246

CNN sharing with, 95

conservative commentators, recent, 219–220

daily meetings, 135–143

executive staffing, first, 74–75

Factor, The
, 85–86

and “fair and balanced,” 98, 115–17

Five, The
, 157–58, 172, 178, 212

Fox & Friends
, 76, 172, 190

Fox Business Network, 78

Fox News Headquarters
, 172

Giuliani support of, 58, 92

Glenn Beck firing, 210–12

insubordinate anchors, firing of, 78–83

Ivy League school hires, 225

Latinos at, 145–46, 176–181

liberal commentators/guests/reporters, 54, 76, 125–27, 145–48, 151, 157–58, 161, 168–69

liberal producers, 128

liberals view of.
See
Liberals/liberal media

lineup, permanence over time, 83

mainstream, move toward, 100–101, 125–27, 210, 212

moles at, 213–15, 228–29

Murdoch/Ailes and origin of, 69–71

national security, holding story for, 221

news as entertainment view, 99–100

and Obama administration.
See
Obama, Barack/Obama administration

original lineup, 76–90

political quotient (PQ) of, 130

ratings, highest, 98

Republican Party, Fox as wing of, 199, 219, 233

and September 11/war on terror, 96–97

Special Report
, 91, 100, 126, 203

Time Warner broadcasting issue, 92

Turner (Ted) attack on, 91–93

women in positions at, 168, 171–74

Fox News Latino, 178

Frank, Barney, 128

Franken, Al, 98, 125

Fraser, Woody, 46, 225

Dick Cavett Show, The
, 25

Douglas memorial show, 152–53

hired by Ailes for Fox, 153

Mike Douglas Show, The
, 23–25, 29, 32

Freud, Matthew, 185

Full Moon Project, 110

Gadahn, Adam, 141

Garment, Leonard, 33

Garrett, Kelly, 38

Gates, Bill, 69

Gawker, 213–14, 228–29

Gibbs, Robert, 195–96, 197–99, 241

Gibson, Charlie, 40

Gildea, Jimmy, 1, 213, 224, 228–29

Gingrich, Newt, 87, 217–19, 222

Giuliani, Rudy, 151

and Kerik scandal, 122

marries Beth/Roger, 104

mayoral run (1989), 58

pro-Fox actions, 58, 92

Goldstein, Al, 63–64

Goldwater, Barry, 31

Goler, Wendell, 166

Good Morning America
, 46

Gordon, Bob, 104

Gore, Al, 50

Green, Jehmu, 167–68, 170

Green, Lauren, 166, 172–73

Greenwald, Robert, 75

Gregory, Dick, 27–28

Griffin, Jennifer, 225

Groseclose, Tim, 128–130

Gross, Matt, 214

Group W Productions, 25

Guilfoyle, Kimberly, 172, 178

Gutfeld, Greg, 141

Haldeman, Bob, 35

Hannity, Sean, 86–88, 175

on-air mistakes by, 209

hired by Ailes for Fox, 87–88

Obama complaints about (2008), 195–96, 199

O’Reilly, negative relationship with, 86

political stance of, 88, 199

popularity of, 87

Hannity & Colmes
, 83, 87–88

Harrigan, Steve, 225

Harvard University, postelection seminar (1988), 51–54

Hayes, Steve, 225

Hemmer, Bill, 175

Herridge, Catherine, 225

Hill, E. D., 208

Holshouser, Jim, Jr., 38–39, 57

Holtzman, Elizabeth, 40

Hope, Bob, 29–30

Horatio Alger Award (2011), 10

Horton, Willie, 49–51

Hot l Baltimore, The
, 16–17, 39, 74

Hubbell, Webster, 67

Huckabee, Mike, 219

Huddy, John, 39

Huffington, Arianna, 200–201

Hume, Brit, 47, 88–90, 119, 125, 172, 173–74, 185

early positions, 90–91

hired by Ailes for Fox, 89

Hume, Kim, 91

Humphrey, Hubert, 34

Hurricane Sandy, 243

Ignatius, David, 141

Imus, Don, 190–91

Imus in the Morning
, 67

Inside Edition
, 85

Iraq War, Ailes position on, 97

Jackson, Jesse, 51, 151, 161