This weekend, South Bend, Indiana mayor Pete Buttigieg did what some of his Democratic opponents refuse to do: He showed his face on FOX News.
Buttigieg took the opportunity to share his 2020 campaign message with voters liberal politicians don't typically address during Sunday's town hall in New Hampshire, hosted by Chris Wallace. He got candid about his views on jobs and the economy, abortion, the opioid crisis, and more.
Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Kamala Harris (D-CA) have no plans to give FOX the same courtesy. Because...
Fox News is a hate-for-profit racket that gives a megaphone to racists and conspiracists—it’s designed to turn us against each other, risking life and death consequences, to provide cover for the corruption that’s rotting our government and hollowing out our middle class.
— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) May 14, 2019
The Democratic National Committee has also given FOX the cold shoulder, announcing earlier this year that they had changed their minds and won't be partnering with the network for any of their primary debates.
As even the co-hosts of "The View" will tell you, FOX viewers deserve to hear directly from the candidates just as much as anyone else.
"If you can't face the Fox audience, you can't face the U.S.," Whoopi Goldberg said. "It's that simple."
So, kudos to Buttigieg for showing up. But, to the chagrin of the network, during the town hall he said he understands where the other Democrats are coming from, and proceeded to criticize a few FOX hosts.
"I get where that's coming from, especially when you see what goes on with some of the opinion hosts on this network," Buttigieg said. "When you’ve got Tucker Carlson saying that immigrants make America dirty. When you’ve got Laura Ingraham comparing detention centers with children in cages to summer camps. There is a reason why anybody has to swallow hard and think twice before participating in this media ecosystem."
"Fox & Friends" co-host Brian Kilmeade said the mayor showed "no courage" in attacking the FOX hosts, because he has yet to even appear on their primetime shows.
Fox News host Brian Kilmeade complains about Buttigieg's digs at Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham: "Don't hop on our channel and continue to put down the other hosts on the channel or the channel." pic.twitter.com/r7JIh5YU70
— TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) May 20, 2019
"Don’t hop on our channel and continue to put down the other hosts on the channel, or the channel," a frustrated Kilmeade said. "If you feel that negative about it, don’t come."
If President Trump was CEO of FOX, he wouldn't have invited "Alfred E. Newman" in the first place.
Hard to believe that @FoxNews is wasting airtime on Mayor Pete, as Chris Wallace likes to call him. Fox is moving more and more to the losing (wrong) side in covering the Dems. They got dumped from the Democrats boring debates, and they just want in. They forgot the people.....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 19, 2019
....who got them there. Chris Wallace said, “I actually think, whether you like his opinions or not, that Mayor Pete has a lot of substance...fascinating biography.” Gee, he never speaks well of me - I like Mike Wallace better...and Alfred E. Newman will never be President!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 19, 2019