National political reporter Salena Zito weighed in on revelations that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has repeatedly referenced a fictional couple—“Joe and Eileen Bailey”—as guides for his political decision-making.
Proft recapped a recent Last Week Tonight segment by John Oliver showing Schumer describing the Baileys’ personal views, voting history, and even their occupations as though they were real acquaintances. According to Oliver’s research, the couple does not exist. Zito called the fabrication “deeply disturbing,” noting the level of detail Schumer provided over the years. “If your child did this in school, they would be going to see the psych ward,” she said, adding that the story plays directly into Donald Trump’s long-standing criticism of politicians for dishonesty.
The conversation also touched on another controversy—remarks by CBS reporter Scott McFarland about the July assassination attempt on Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania. McFarland told Chuck Todd he left the event with PTSD, claiming the crowd intended to attack journalists. Zito, who was present that day, strongly disputed that account, describing the attendees as calm, prayerful, and helpful to one another in the aftermath. She called McFarland’s description “despicable” and emblematic of a media culture disconnected from Middle America.
Zito linked both stories to a broader divide between Washington–New York media circles and voters in the heartland. She argued that many in national journalism lack curiosity and empathy for the people who often decide elections, particularly in the Midwest. Turning to policy, she said many residents of small towns and rural areas support Trump’s efforts to address crime and urban disorder, citing her own discomfort in major cities like Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. “There is a belief that our cities are unsafe,” she said, blaming permissive policies and unsupportive city leadership toward police.
Zito’s latest book, Butler: The Untold Story of the Near Assassination of Donald Trump and the Fight for America’s Heartland, recently debuted at number one on The New York Times bestseller list.