The press absolutely loved Fox News’ debate moderators

The right-leaning cable network and its three moderators, Megyn Kelly, Bret Baier and Chris Wallace, showed that they could ask Republicans “hard-hitting” and difficult questions, the New York Times, the New York Post, the Wall Street Journal and several others declared shortly after the debate concluded.

“The Republican presidential candidates’ debate on Thursday night was notable for its pointed accusations,” the New York Times claimed in a report titled “Fox News Moderators Bring a Sharpened Edge to the Republican Debate Stage.”

A Times op-ed said elsewhere of the debate that, “It was riveting. It was admirable. It compels me to write a cluster of words I never imagined writing: hooray for Fox News.”

Media reporter Howard Kurtz responded to the Times op-ed by tweeting, “When NYT’s liberal Frank Bruni says “hooray for Fox News,” you know the debate moderators did a great job.”

The top polling Republican candidates, including former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, former realty TV star Donald Trump and Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida and Rand Paul of Kentucky, were each confronted with difficult questions regarding past comments and support for controversial legislation.

The moderators did not shy away from awkward inquiries, and they made sure to follow up on their questions.

National Journal said of Fox’s handling of the debate, “If Republicans thought that Fox News would go easy on the GOP contenders, Kelly and her colleagues Chris Wallace and Bret Baier clearly had other things in mind. They were aggressive from the get-go, consistently asking pointed questions of all 10 candidates on stage, especially — though not only — Trump.”

Politico meanwhile declared, “one thing is indisputable — the three Fox News moderators … won the night.”

The so-called “explainer” website Vox said simply, “Let us now praise the Fox News debate moderators.”

The Wall Street Journal declared, “Fox News Moderators Ask the Tough Questions.”

Even the pro-Clinton activist group Media Matters for America had something nice to say about Baier, Kelly and Wallace, writing at one point that, “Fox’s debate moderators appeared effective and pointed.”

“The [Fox News] moderators were the real winners out of the GOP debate,” CNN tweeted. “Kudos to [Megyn Kelly]!”

Not everyone was happy, however, as fans of certain candidates were upset that their 2016 didn’t perform as well as hoped.

Led by Trump himself, fans of the former reality TV star were irate Friday as many of them blamed Kelly for the real estate mogul’s meandering and often incomprehensible debate performance.

There was also criticism in the press for how Fox’s overall handling of the primary event.

“It was clear from the opening bell of Thursday evening’s two-hour prime-time Republican presidential debate that the three Fox News moderators … were out to make news and force mistakes, rather than inform voters about the qualifications and qualities of the 10 candidates on stage,” wrote Hill contributor Richard Benedetto.

This critique, however, is in the minority. The press’ reaction to Fox’s handling of the debate has been overwhelmingly positive.

“Conservatives need to quit bitching about the Fox News moderators. They did EXACTLY what they should have done. Tough questions,” radio host Neal Boortz said.

In contrast, however, reviews were not nearly as glowing for Fox’s Thursday “happy hour” GOP debate featuring seven runner-up primary candidates, including former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, former HP CEO Carly Fiorina, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal.

Members of the press hammered network anchors Martha MacCallum and Bill Hemmer for their supposedly uninspired and “insulting” handling of the entire ordeal.

“Would’ve been great if someone had responded to these insulting questions by asking moderators why they’re not hosting the big debate,” Politico’s Eli Stolkos followed up, referring to a second debate Thursday night featuring the top-polling GOP candidates.

Time magazine’s Alex Altman added, “Moderators were awful. Whole thing deeply sad.”

BuzzFeed’s Andrew Kaczynski added, “The losers of this debate are both of the hosts from Fox News.”