Jesse Watters Shrugs Off Backlash Over Comments on Harris and Generals

Jesse Watters has attempted to downplay his controversial remarks concerning Kamala Harris, suggesting that military generals “would have their way” with her should she be elected president. His comments during a recent episode of The Five sparked significant backlash, with many viewers calling for his dismissal from Fox News.

In response to the uproar, Watters addressed the situation on Tuesday night’s episode, contending that his words were “misconstrued” and were not meant to convey a sexual implication.

“There’s been some attention to comments I made on the show yesterday about VP Harris,” Watters stated. “People are misconstruing my comments to mean something inappropriate. I wasn’t suggesting anything of a sexual nature. I was expressing my opinion that Vice President Harris’s current leadership style could pose a problem if elected.”

The remarks were made while discussing Harris’s approach to foreign policy and the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021, coinciding with the third anniversary of that chaotic exit from the region.

During the discussion, Watters directed pointed questions at Harris, asking, “What is her foreign policy? This is where the president has the most impact. We don’t know who she is, we don’t know what she believes.” He added, “She’s going to get paralyzed in the situation room while the generals have their way with her.”

His co-host Jeanine Pirro promptly criticized his statement, saying, “I don’t like that. Take it back.” Dana Perino also expressed her disapproval, directly naming Watters to highlight her concern.

Trying to temper his earlier remark, Watters clarified, “Figuratively…Have their way with her, control her…not in a sexual way.” Yet, as the episode continued, he couldn’t resist referencing the controversy again, joking about his mother’s potential reaction should she watch the segment.

Outrage brewed among viewers following Watters’s comments, with many labeling him as misogynistic and sexist, and calling for his immediate termination from the network. Activist Amy Siskind voiced her outrage on social media, stating, “Jesse Watters should be fired for this. Even the two women on this panel were appalled.” Others echoed similar sentiments, condemning Watters for his apparent insensitivity.

Further criticism came from Kerstin Emhoff, the ex-wife of Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, who remarked that while there are many pressing issues, the notion of Kamala being manhandled in the situation room is not among them.

The backlash against Watters was not limited to liberal circles; former Republican congresswoman Barbara Comstock also remarked on social media that “nobody misconstrued” his comments, emphasizing the need for accountability.

She posted, “When even Fox Hosts can’t abide the intentional misogyny against @KamalaHarris by the dumbest and most obnoxious man on Fox, Jesse Watters.”

This was not the first time Watters faced scolding from his female co-hosts regarding sexist remarks. On a previous occasion, he ridiculed the concept of men supporting female candidates, suggesting that such behavior stemmed from “mommy issues” or the desire for acceptance from women.

During that discussion, he commented, “If you want to be accepted by women you should vote for a woman,” prompting another interjection from Perino: “What?”

In yet another incident, Watters was reprimanded when he suggested in a rant about electric cars that women typically do not dictate which car to purchase in their relationships.

These instances have collectively fueled the ongoing debate about sexism in media and the treatment of women in politics, particularly regarding the gendered language used by male commentators.

As public scrutiny continues, Watters’s remarks and the subsequent fallout highlight the delicate balance between free speech and the responsibility of media figures to communicate thoughtfully and respectfully.