Wednesday’s highly anticipated public impeachment hearing amounted to a ratings flop, with only 13 million viewers tuning in, according to reports.
The hearing, which featured Bill Taylor, acting U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, and George Kent, a senior State Department official, was teased as a “bombshell, given House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff’s (D-CA) allocating Democrats more time to dominate and minimize GOP voices in the first hour. Nonetheless, Democrats failed to live up to the hype, as reflected in viewership.
According to Axios, Wednesday’s lackluster impeachment hearing drew just 13 million viewers. The number pales in comparison to those who viewed former FBI Director James Comey’s June 2017 testimony and Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s September 2018 hearing, which saw 19.5 million viewers and 20 million viewers, respectively.
Of the cable news networks, Fox News led the pack with 2.9 million viewers between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. EST, followed by MSNBC with 2.7 million, per Axios. CNN fell over one million viewers behind Fox News, attracting 1.8 million viewers. ABC edged out CBS, but both drew around two million viewers, followed by NBC with 1.7 viewers.
Don’t Forget: Key Platner Staffer Talked About His Penis in Book for 10-Year-Old Boys, Said He Wanted Them to See Images of It
Obama judge clears left-wing group to fly ominous flag aimed at Trump on his own turf
NEW VIDEO: UK Releases Outrageous Bodycam of Cops Who Cuffed Dying Brit for Being Racist Toward Man Who Stabbed Him
GOP demands Trump kill controversial $2B fund before reviving ICE funding package
WATCH: Schiff ducks Platner questions as embattled Dem Senate hopeful hits DC
Virginia bus driver from crash that killed five faces more manslaughter charges
Google Employee Charged with Stealing Search Data To Make $1.2 Million in Polymarket Scheme
Breaking: Trump Names Acting Director of National Intelligence After Tulsi Gabbard Announces Resignation
Foreign enemies have a shockingly simple way to track US troops overseas, lawmakers warn
Hilton, Becerra, and Steyer make final pitch in California’s chaotic marquee race for governor
Connecticut Dems Facing Legal Trouble in Desperate Attempt to Ban Glocks
Sanders says Platner has the ‘guts’ to fight billionaires despite growing scandal pileup
Iowa man suspected of killing 6 family members in ‘act of evil’
Ohio Gov. DeWine Revokes AI Data Center Tax Break Measures
Republicans chase breakthroughs in multiple state primary elections and more top headlines
The numbers, however, do not reflect those who watched the debate on alternative platforms, as Axios noted.
The impeachment hearing left many Democrats feeling, privately, deflated. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) masterfully made a mockery of Schiff’s “star witness” by demonstrating Taylor’s stunning lack of knowledge:
The hearing forced impeachment-driven Democrats and establishment media outlets to tweak the narrative to focus on what they now claim is President Trump’s “attempted” crimes – bribery and extortion – despite a lack of basis for either accusation.
This exchange between Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX) and Wednesday’s witnesses laid out the new narrative:
“So ambassadors, is attempted murder a crime?” he asked, repeating his question. “Is attempted murder a crime?”
“Attempted murder is a crime,” Taylor said.
“Is attempted robbery a crime?” he asked.
“Neither of us is a lawyer,” Taylor began before Castro interrupted.
“I think anyone in this room could answer that question,” he said.
“I’ll go out on a limb and say yes it is,” Taylor said.
“Is attempted extortion and bribery a crime?” Castro asked, trying to draw a parallel.
“I don’t know sir,” Taylor said.
Don’t Forget: Key Platner Staffer Talked About His Penis in Book for 10-Year-Old Boys, Said He Wanted Them to See Images of It
Obama judge clears left-wing group to fly ominous flag aimed at Trump on his own turf
NEW VIDEO: UK Releases Outrageous Bodycam of Cops Who Cuffed Dying Brit for Being Racist Toward Man Who Stabbed Him
GOP demands Trump kill controversial $2B fund before reviving ICE funding package
WATCH: Schiff ducks Platner questions as embattled Dem Senate hopeful hits DC
Virginia bus driver from crash that killed five faces more manslaughter charges
Google Employee Charged with Stealing Search Data To Make $1.2 Million in Polymarket Scheme
Breaking: Trump Names Acting Director of National Intelligence After Tulsi Gabbard Announces Resignation
Foreign enemies have a shockingly simple way to track US troops overseas, lawmakers warn
Hilton, Becerra, and Steyer make final pitch in California’s chaotic marquee race for governor
Connecticut Dems Facing Legal Trouble in Desperate Attempt to Ban Glocks
Sanders says Platner has the ‘guts’ to fight billionaires despite growing scandal pileup
Iowa man suspected of killing 6 family members in ‘act of evil’
Ohio Gov. DeWine Revokes AI Data Center Tax Break Measures
Republicans chase breakthroughs in multiple state primary elections and more top headlines
The second round of public impeachment hearings, featuring former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch, will air Friday at 9:00 a.m. EST.
Story cited here.
