In New Texts Between Hannity and Mark Meadows, a Shift

CNN has more texts from Mark Meadows, this time dozens of them between the former White House chief of staff and Fox News host Sean Hannity. The two exchanged more than 80 messages between Election Day 2020 and President Biden's inauguration, which the news outlet says show "a real-time window into how Hannity, a close friend of [Donald] Trump, was reacting to the election and its aftermath." Of note is how the texts depict "Hannity's evolution from staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump's election lies to being 'fed up' with the 'lunatics' hurting Trump's cause in the days before January 6," per CNN. Among the standouts:

• Election Day: As previously reported, the Fox host texted Meadows on Election Day, "NC gonna be ok?"—a reference to Trump's efforts in the state. Meadows responded with a suggestion: "Stress every vote matters. Get out and vote." Hannity responded, "Yes sir. On it," then asked if there was "any place in particular we need a push." After Meadows named a number of states, Hannity replied, "Got it. Everywhere."
• A week later: "I'm beginning to feel down. To [sic] much disorganization," Hannity wrote to Meadows on Nov. 10, referring to continued efforts to contest Biden's win. Meadows' reply: "Very disorganized but I have been busting heads yesterday and today. Let NOT your heart be troubled my friend."
• Nov. 29, 2020: "There is no way Biden got these numbers. Just mathematically impossible," Hannity wrote. "It's so sad for this country they can pull this off in 2020. We need a major breakthrough, a video, something." Meadows agreed, noting, "You're exactly right. Working on breakthrough," to which Hannity replied, "Ok. Would be phenomenal."
• Dec. 8., 2020: "Everyone knows it was stolen. Everyone," Hannity texted to Meadows about the election. "I vacillate between mad as hell and sad as hell. Wtf happened to our country Mark." Meadows' answer: "So upset to see what we allowed to happen."
• Dec. 22, 2020: Meadows, replying to a Hannity check-in to see how he was doing, wrote back, "Fighting like crazy. ... Very tough days but I will keep fighting." Hannity, in an apparent reference to other Trump supporters using tactics he didn't approve of to try to help Trump, replied: "You fighting is fine. The fing lunatics is NOT fine. They are NOT helping him. I'm fed up with those people."
• Another Fox host: Maria Bartiromo of Fox Business Network also makes an appearance in the new trove of texts, with messages showing she provided questions for Trump ahead of one of her interviews with him. While the Hill notes it's not unusual for reporters to give interviewees a heads-up on what topics they'll cover, Bartiromo "suggests specific messages Trump should convey in his responses."
• Bartiromo's text: "Hi the public wants to know he will fight this. They want to hear a path to victory. & he's in control," she wrote to Meadows on Nov. 29, 2020, an hour before her interview with Trump, his first since the election. "You've said MANY TIMES THIS ELECTION IS RIGGED... And the facts are on your side. Let's start there. What are the facts? Characterize what took place here. Then I will drill down on the fraud including the statistical impossibilities of Biden magic (federalist). Pls make sure he doesn't go off on tangents. We want to know he is strong he is a fighter & he will win." Per CNN, "her line of questions mirrored much of what she laid out in the text message."

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