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.
Georgia pair charged with murder after bartender’s dismembered remains found in lake outside Atlanta
Southwest jet struck by ground equipment vehicle at Memphis airport
Second Amendment Groups Target Purple State’s Decades-Long ‘Permission Slip’ Scheme With New Lawsuit
Artificial Intelligence May Change American Healthcare Forever, Study Suggests
Judge Demands Public See the Truth About Karmelo Anthony, Orders Release of Footage Surrounding Murder
Concertgoer dies after apparent fall from upper level at Madison Square Garden
‘The Era of Deportations Has Begun’: European Parliament Passes Toughest Immigration Policy in Decades
Multiple hikers dead amid scorching Grand Canyon temperatures
Mark Levin blasts Trump administration over Israel: ‘Stop trashing, smearing, bullying’ ally
Trump’s Iran gamble divides GOP hawks and ‘America First’ conservatives over what victory looks like
College sports sees pivotal moment as Senate looks to move legislation on NIL, transfers across goal line
New Report Says Major School System Hid Admissions Data Defying Supreme Court
Perverted: Meal Kit Company Runs Gross Pride Month Ad, Offering Recipes to Aid Vile Sex Act
Trump’s DOJ Just Did What Decades of Speeches Never Could
Elon Musk Gets Dealt Blow By Biden-Appointed Judge Days After Becoming Trillionaire
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.
Georgia pair charged with murder after bartender’s dismembered remains found in lake outside Atlanta
Southwest jet struck by ground equipment vehicle at Memphis airport
Second Amendment Groups Target Purple State’s Decades-Long ‘Permission Slip’ Scheme With New Lawsuit
Artificial Intelligence May Change American Healthcare Forever, Study Suggests
Judge Demands Public See the Truth About Karmelo Anthony, Orders Release of Footage Surrounding Murder
Concertgoer dies after apparent fall from upper level at Madison Square Garden
‘The Era of Deportations Has Begun’: European Parliament Passes Toughest Immigration Policy in Decades
Multiple hikers dead amid scorching Grand Canyon temperatures
Mark Levin blasts Trump administration over Israel: ‘Stop trashing, smearing, bullying’ ally
Trump’s Iran gamble divides GOP hawks and ‘America First’ conservatives over what victory looks like
College sports sees pivotal moment as Senate looks to move legislation on NIL, transfers across goal line
New Report Says Major School System Hid Admissions Data Defying Supreme Court
Perverted: Meal Kit Company Runs Gross Pride Month Ad, Offering Recipes to Aid Vile Sex Act
Trump’s DOJ Just Did What Decades of Speeches Never Could
Elon Musk Gets Dealt Blow By Biden-Appointed Judge Days After Becoming Trillionaire
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.
