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.
Trump set to read Scripture from the Oval Office during ‘America Reads the Bible’ event starting Sunday
Fox News Campus Radicals Newsletter: Dem teachers groom ‘foot soldiers,’ justice served to anti-Israel group
Fact Check: Did Pete Hegseth Accidentally Quote a ‘Fake Bible Verse from Pulp Fiction’?
Skeletal remains found by hikers in Washington state woods identified as woman missing since 2024
Two boys dead after illegal immigrant from Mexico allegedly drove drunk and hit them on a sidewalk
Grieving mothers scorch Dem lawmaker after he pivots during hearing to attack ‘MAGA Republicans’
Newsom PAC bought thousands of memoir copies about his hardships, juicing sales
Report: California Using Taxpayer Funds to Give Homeless Transgender Illegals Sex Changes
Iran Has ‘Agreed to Everything,’ Trump Says
Video shows teen snatched at bus stop – but victim slips SOS at gas station to escape repeat offender suspect
Watch: Student Calmly Dismantles Two Abortion Supporters’ Entire Argument with One Simple Question
Utah leaders launch probe into Supreme Court justice over alleged relationship with redistricting lawyer
Texas AG sues Houston mayor and city council over new sanctuary city ordinance limiting ICE cooperation
Jury Awards $300,000 to Woman Who Drank 14 Tequila Shots on Carnival Cruise Ship
Judge Called Out Former Lt. Governor’s ‘Very Concerning’ Behavior Days Before He Killed His Wife
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.
Trump set to read Scripture from the Oval Office during ‘America Reads the Bible’ event starting Sunday
Fox News Campus Radicals Newsletter: Dem teachers groom ‘foot soldiers,’ justice served to anti-Israel group
Fact Check: Did Pete Hegseth Accidentally Quote a ‘Fake Bible Verse from Pulp Fiction’?
Skeletal remains found by hikers in Washington state woods identified as woman missing since 2024
Two boys dead after illegal immigrant from Mexico allegedly drove drunk and hit them on a sidewalk
Grieving mothers scorch Dem lawmaker after he pivots during hearing to attack ‘MAGA Republicans’
Newsom PAC bought thousands of memoir copies about his hardships, juicing sales
Report: California Using Taxpayer Funds to Give Homeless Transgender Illegals Sex Changes
Iran Has ‘Agreed to Everything,’ Trump Says
Video shows teen snatched at bus stop – but victim slips SOS at gas station to escape repeat offender suspect
Watch: Student Calmly Dismantles Two Abortion Supporters’ Entire Argument with One Simple Question
Utah leaders launch probe into Supreme Court justice over alleged relationship with redistricting lawyer
Texas AG sues Houston mayor and city council over new sanctuary city ordinance limiting ICE cooperation
Jury Awards $300,000 to Woman Who Drank 14 Tequila Shots on Carnival Cruise Ship
Judge Called Out Former Lt. Governor’s ‘Very Concerning’ Behavior Days Before He Killed His Wife
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.
