The mainstream media have accused President Donald Trump of endangering journalists and press freedom by criticizing “fake news” — but were largely silent as Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) launched an attack on Fox News on Tuesday.
Fox News did nothing to provoke the attack, other than inviting Warren to appear on a candidate town hall and to reach its audience of millions. Several other Democrats — and even socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) — have done so.
But Warren turned down the offer, saying she did not want to help the network make money for “hate.” She went even further, using the Fox invitation as the pretext to launch an attack on the network across several social media platforms.
On Instagram, Warren posted a GIF calling Fox a “hate-for-profit … racket,” and added a statement: “I won’t do a town hall with Fox News because I won’t invite millions of Democratic primary voters to tune in, inflate ratings, and help sell ads for an outlet that profits from racism and hate. If you agree, sign our petition.”
WATCH: GOP senator unloads on ‘creature of Washington’ challenger in critical Senate showdown
Historian blasts Smithsonian’s activism shift after first visit in over a decade: ‘Completely different place’
Midterm Countdown: Republicans get a glimmer of hope
Washington man arrested on arson charge tied to devastating Spokane wildfire
Pennsylvania school bus aide accused of sexually assaulting special needs teen
Federal judge blocks New York law banning ICE agents from wearing masks
California mom begged for help before ex gunned her down in front of their 4-year-old son: DA
ICE detainee who illegally re-entered US after deportation dies at Delaney Hall
Unearthed video exposes El-Sayed’s opinion on driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants
Watch: New Women’s Pro Baseball League Begins With ‘Worst Anthem Rendition of All Time’
‘The Brink of War’ tells story of Reagan-Gorbachev nuclear discussions
Knoxville Mayor Shares Chilling 2020 Talk When Deborah Birx Admitted the Truth Didn’t Matter When It Came to the Science
Mass Cyclospora Outbreak Officially Turns Deadly
Watch: Trump Goes Off When Reporter Says He’s With ‘MSNOW’
Watch: 4 of the Most Intense Exchanges When RFK Jr. Put CNN’s Dana Bash in Her Place on COVID and Fauci
I love town halls. I’ve done more than 70 since January, and I’m glad to have a television audience be a part of them. Fox News has invited me to do a town hall, but I’m turning them down—here’s why…
— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) May 14, 2019
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
Hate-for-profit works only if there’s profit, so Fox News balances a mix of bigotry, racism, and outright lies with enough legit journalism to make the claim to advertisers that it’s a reputable news outlet. It’s all about dragging in ad money—big ad money.
— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) May 14, 2019
But Fox News is struggling as more and more advertisers pull out of their hate-filled space. A Democratic town hall gives the Fox News sales team a way to tell potential sponsors it's safe to buy ads on Fox—no harm to their brand or reputation (spoiler: It’s not).
— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) May 14, 2019
Here’s one place we can fight back: I won’t ask millions of Democratic primary voters to tune into an outlet that profits from racism and hate in order to see our candidates—especially when Fox will make even more money adding our valuable audience to their ratings numbers.
— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) May 14, 2019
WATCH: GOP senator unloads on ‘creature of Washington’ challenger in critical Senate showdown
Historian blasts Smithsonian’s activism shift after first visit in over a decade: ‘Completely different place’
Midterm Countdown: Republicans get a glimmer of hope
Washington man arrested on arson charge tied to devastating Spokane wildfire
Pennsylvania school bus aide accused of sexually assaulting special needs teen
Federal judge blocks New York law banning ICE agents from wearing masks
California mom begged for help before ex gunned her down in front of their 4-year-old son: DA
ICE detainee who illegally re-entered US after deportation dies at Delaney Hall
Unearthed video exposes El-Sayed’s opinion on driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants
Watch: New Women’s Pro Baseball League Begins With ‘Worst Anthem Rendition of All Time’
‘The Brink of War’ tells story of Reagan-Gorbachev nuclear discussions
Knoxville Mayor Shares Chilling 2020 Talk When Deborah Birx Admitted the Truth Didn’t Matter When It Came to the Science
Mass Cyclospora Outbreak Officially Turns Deadly
Watch: Trump Goes Off When Reporter Says He’s With ‘MSNOW’
Watch: 4 of the Most Intense Exchanges When RFK Jr. Put CNN’s Dana Bash in Her Place on COVID and Fauci
I’m running a campaign to reach all Americans. I take questions from the press and voters everywhere I go. I’ve already held town halls in 17 states and Puerto Rico—including WV, OH, GA, UT, TN, TX, CO, MS & AL.
— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) May 14, 2019
I’ve done 57 media avails and 131 interviews, taking over 1,100 questions from press just since January. Fox News is welcome to come to my events just like any other outlet. But a Fox News town hall adds money to the hate-for-profit machine. To which I say: hard pass.
— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) May 14, 2019
One journalist who offered a mild criticism was Yashar Ali of New York magazine, who pointed out — after prompting by “a rival campaign” to Warren’s — that she had appeared on Fox News last year:
2. A rival campaign just sent me this Fox News clip from last year. Warren appearing on Fox News a year ago. Obviously there’s a difference between this and a townhall but worth noting this appearance. https://t.co/0vVHX8oJ5A
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) May 14, 2019
Several Fox News hosts have been targeted by coordinated advertising boycotts, and Tucker Carlson’s home was vandalized by a left-wing Antifa (“anti-fascist”) mob last year.
Story cited here.
