Shortly thereafter, Turner publicly characterized Christians as Jesus freaks, a comment that Varney, a devout Christian, found offensive. He resigned over it.
Several months later, Varney joined CNBC's Wall Street Editorial Board With Stuart Varney, but the show was cancelled in January 2003, and he left. According to Varney, the powers that be at CNBC did not like the politics of the show, which was essentially free-market conservatism.
"We got the impression that the xecutives at CNBC were not keen on that particular political perspective," Varney says.
He joined Fox shortly thereafter.
THE INTERVIEWS
While he's interviewed a lot of heavy hitters over the years, the most interesting one he's ever done-and the only one where he was ever intimidated-was with Margaret Thatcher just after she'd left as U.K. prime minister. She just exuded so much power, he says. He was at CNN at the time, and there was a large room full of dignitaries-finance ministers, foreign ministers, prime ministers, sheiks-and he was interviewing Thatcher in a small room off to the side. When she walked through that large room, there was a hush because everyone knew Margaret Thatcher had just walked in, he says.
"She was completely different from any other politician. She answered your questions directly. She answered the questions you asked," he says. "I am an unabashed admirer of hers, not necessarily from a political point of view but just from what she accomplished."
He also interviewed George W. Bush in the Oval Office and found the former president to be very personable and easy to talk to. He says Bush himself opened up the big wide doors of the Oval Office, looked Varney right in the eye and said in a jovial manner, "Stu," as if he'd known him all his life.
"It was really rather endearing, coming from the president of the United States in the Oval Office, I thought," Varney says.
The next time he saw Bush, the president asked him if he was legally allowed to be in this country. Varney said he told him he was, to which Bush asked to see his green card. Varney happened to have it with him and pulled it out.
"There were occasions in [Bush's] public speeches when he did not come across as an eloquent, flowing speaker, but in private, in an interview situation, one on one, he's completely different," Varney says. "He's personable, direct, sharp-edged, funny and altogether engaging."
His interview with actor-turned-environmental-activist Ed Begley Jr. was not as amicable. Varney says he's not against saving the environment, but Begley's responses were extreme, and the former actor went after him, so Varney hit him right back.