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.”
‘Severe’ Pentagon lockdown sparks emergency response as hazmat teams sweep area
WATCH: Trump DHS escalates pressure over migrant child warnings it says Biden ignored: ‘Move heaven and hell’
Gordie Howe bridge opening pushed back over unnamed ‘issues’ after Trump-Canada feud
Austin Metcalf’s dad expresses empathy for Karmelo Anthony as killer’s parents say ‘they did a number on us’
DOJ accuses Jamaican woman of committing marriage fraud and lying to boost disability benefits
WATCH: Philadelphia police release new video of two suspects in Penn State student’s fatal robbery
Breaking: Trump Says US Will Seize Iranian Territory and ‘Assume Total Control of Their Oil and Gas Markets’
Outrageous: Black Advocates Move to Have Austin Metcalf’s Brother Arrested, Charged as Accessory to Murder
Chip Roy fields proposal to block pay and power for longtime lawmakers
Second Amendment fights grow across several states over 3D-printed gun laws
DEADLY PHOTO: We Now Know What Karmelo Anthony’s Knife Looked Like, and It Was No Quaint Leatherman Multitool
LGBT People Surge Into Seattle from Republican States, Demand More Public Resources
Spencer Pratt’s Los Angeles mayor run ends in defeat, but the spotlight stays on
Toledo police name suspect Ka Nye Taylor in festival shooting that injured 12, hunt second gunman
Prosecutors won’t seek death penalty in Minnesota Democrat’s assassination
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
‘Severe’ Pentagon lockdown sparks emergency response as hazmat teams sweep area
WATCH: Trump DHS escalates pressure over migrant child warnings it says Biden ignored: ‘Move heaven and hell’
Gordie Howe bridge opening pushed back over unnamed ‘issues’ after Trump-Canada feud
Austin Metcalf’s dad expresses empathy for Karmelo Anthony as killer’s parents say ‘they did a number on us’
DOJ accuses Jamaican woman of committing marriage fraud and lying to boost disability benefits
WATCH: Philadelphia police release new video of two suspects in Penn State student’s fatal robbery
Breaking: Trump Says US Will Seize Iranian Territory and ‘Assume Total Control of Their Oil and Gas Markets’
Outrageous: Black Advocates Move to Have Austin Metcalf’s Brother Arrested, Charged as Accessory to Murder
Chip Roy fields proposal to block pay and power for longtime lawmakers
Second Amendment fights grow across several states over 3D-printed gun laws
DEADLY PHOTO: We Now Know What Karmelo Anthony’s Knife Looked Like, and It Was No Quaint Leatherman Multitool
LGBT People Surge Into Seattle from Republican States, Demand More Public Resources
Spencer Pratt’s Los Angeles mayor run ends in defeat, but the spotlight stays on
Toledo police name suspect Ka Nye Taylor in festival shooting that injured 12, hunt second gunman
Prosecutors won’t seek death penalty in Minnesota Democrat’s assassination
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.
