Perino is a Bush machine operative and always has been. She serves in the place of the Bush daughters, Jenna and Babs II. Pillows and cushions are guaranteed to her for life. She is a Jebber Bush fan, or of anyone they tell her to fan. She is indispensable for the red meat she is provided by Bushies, and this meeting she attended is one obvious example.
FOX is a Bush machine operation. FOX + Perino = Establishment.
I would say Perino even trumps Meagain Killy’s legs and mouth, in value to Egbert Murdoch, who has caned Roger Aisles out into the hallway, relegated to using a walker, now. (For real.)
It was only Ailes who ever gave us a conservative FOX. Now the Egbert boys are increasingly at the helm, and Egbert is now a regular who hawks all the Ailes staff meetings haunting them with his presence.
You are on to something. It will never get covered, either.
Many folks don't know that aging Murdoch pere is semi-retired but keeps his snoot in the management. His two leftist, forty-something sons assumed the day-to-day operation of Fox News last April.
The lefty hands now in the cockpit have resulted in lots of changes, subtle and not-so-subtle, in the ideologies of the anchors, regulars, contributors and panelists.
Some have done complete flip-flops, some have become more openly liberal, some more wary in protecting themselves when giving opinions, some have become more moderate, more guarded, etc. in their views and analysis.
Some are just plain sucking-up to the new non-conservative management that mails them their paychecks.
Note that the two radicals, Geraldo (Che) Rivera and Juan Williams are even more leftist, radical, loudmouthed and have more free rein than ever under the new lefty top brass.
Leni