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.
Ken Paxton Shuts Down Alleged Chinese ‘Birth Tourism Center’ Ahead of Race Against Talarico
Trump-Xi summit could hold key to lower gas prices, GOP chairman says
Italy Scrambles Warships Toward Red Sea as Houthis Close in on Global Shipping Chokepoint
Federal appeals court deals blow to Trump deportation agenda
MN Dem Sen candidate in hot seat over upcoming event hosted by man enveloped in fraud scandal: ‘Red flags’
Republicans face brutal midterm headwinds. Six forces could help them defy history.
Thune’s midterm crossroads: Keep the Senate working or let candidates campaign
Parents accuse Oregon hospital of making them drive dead baby home to Seattle: lawsuit
Tennessee cops raided man’s home after he criticized officer for speeding: lawsuit
Pure Evil: Missouri Mother Pleads Out After Baking Tiny Baby to Death in Oven – Her Sentence Proves Society Has Lost Its Way
Illegal alien allegedly grabs school police officer’s gun, shoots him in femoral artery: DOJ
Previously Deported Illegal Alien Charged with Horrific Crimes Against Louisiana Child
One of the Left’s Favorite Podcasters Calls Christian Conservatives a ‘Cancer’ to America
Michigan student confronts El-Sayed over Iran stance in tense exchange: ‘Do you stand with us?’
NYC kitten rescue defends ‘NO F—ING MAGA’ adoption policy as PETA calls for it to be abolished
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.
Ken Paxton Shuts Down Alleged Chinese ‘Birth Tourism Center’ Ahead of Race Against Talarico
Trump-Xi summit could hold key to lower gas prices, GOP chairman says
Italy Scrambles Warships Toward Red Sea as Houthis Close in on Global Shipping Chokepoint
Federal appeals court deals blow to Trump deportation agenda
MN Dem Sen candidate in hot seat over upcoming event hosted by man enveloped in fraud scandal: ‘Red flags’
Republicans face brutal midterm headwinds. Six forces could help them defy history.
Thune’s midterm crossroads: Keep the Senate working or let candidates campaign
Parents accuse Oregon hospital of making them drive dead baby home to Seattle: lawsuit
Tennessee cops raided man’s home after he criticized officer for speeding: lawsuit
Pure Evil: Missouri Mother Pleads Out After Baking Tiny Baby to Death in Oven – Her Sentence Proves Society Has Lost Its Way
Illegal alien allegedly grabs school police officer’s gun, shoots him in femoral artery: DOJ
Previously Deported Illegal Alien Charged with Horrific Crimes Against Louisiana Child
One of the Left’s Favorite Podcasters Calls Christian Conservatives a ‘Cancer’ to America
Michigan student confronts El-Sayed over Iran stance in tense exchange: ‘Do you stand with us?’
NYC kitten rescue defends ‘NO F—ING MAGA’ adoption policy as PETA calls for it to be abolished
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.
