Former Alaska Gov. and 2008 vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin was a Fox News contributor until 2015.
During an appearance on The Lead with Jake Tapper this afternoon, she was asked for her thoughts on the departure of Bill O’Reilly from Fox News, and about workplace harassment in general.
Palin believes the company culture at Fox needs to change.
“Well, I think the key there is that you said I ‘used’ to be with Fox — I used to be with Fox,” said Palin. “The corporate culture there obviously has to change. Women don’t deserve and they should not ever have to put up with any kind of intimidating work space.
At the same time, if a woman feels like she is being intimidated and harassed, she needs to stand up and do something about it, not stick around for a paycheck for years and years and years, and then after the fact complain about what she went through.”
Palin did go on to say “there were some great, great people there, and they’re doing some good things.”
But Tapper wasn’t done, asking: “Did you ever witness, or experience God forbid anything like that at Fox?”
Palin replied, “I wouldn’t put up with anything that would be perceived as intimidating or harassing…”
Tapper continued, “But you said ‘your former,’ so I wonder, was the treatment of women part of the reason you left?”
“You know I’m not going to speak for them, my contract wasn’t renewed — that’s the line,” Palin replied.
Tapper continued to push, though delicately: “I don’t want to be a jerk, but it sounds like you experienced something…”
Palin responded:“I just — you know, it was time to part ways and, you know, get out there in, I guess, a more diverse arena to express views and to speak for the public, and that’s what I’ve been able to do now.”
Palin was in Washington with her partners-in-crime Kid Rock and Ted Nugent, and got a chance to meet with President Trump in the Oval Office.
The trio also decided to snap a photo with former First Lady, Secretary of State and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Well, at least a photo with a painting of her.
