Bernie Sanders' Fox News Town Hall Was a Ratings Smash. Now More Dems Are Thinking About Doing Them.

[Uncle Joe]

Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (I-VT) Monday evening Fox News town-hall event was the most-watched town-hall event of the 2020 campaign thus far, according to early Nielsen data. And at least three other Democratic candidates are open to participating in one of their own.

According to early Nielsen data, more than 2.5 million viewers tuned in to hear Sanders, a self-described “democratic socialist,” make his case on Fox News. That total viewership bested CNN’s Bernie Sanders town hall event from back in February. The Fox viewership also doubled MSNBC’s during the same time period on Monday evening, and nearly tripled CNN’s.

(snip)

The event, which took place in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, saw the Vermont senator discuss a wide range of topics and occasionally spar with moderators Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum.

While the Democratic National Committee banned the network from hosting one of its sanctioned debates, the success of Sanders’ town-hall event—both in terms of ratings and the headlines generated—comes as at least three other presidential campaigns consider being involved in a similar event.

(snip)

https://www.thedailybeast.com/bernie-sanders-fox-news-town-hall-was-a-ratings-smash-as-pete-buttigieg-and-other-democrats-consider-one

[SHRED]

1. At first I was opposed to this

Now I'm thinking we should.
Flood them with alternative choices, ideas, and truth.

[SHRED]

3. I didn't want FUX to benefit

Ratings and such.

[George II]

15. Most of our candidates are talking to Democrats, who are primarily responsible for choosing...

...our nominee.

That "35%" you speak of won't be choosing our nominee. The time to not ignore them is AFTER the Convention next year, where our nominee will be chosen.

[floppyboo]

16. How does this strategy help?

I see no reason to follow your advice on this. Do you think it is wasting time? energy? Is the country that black and white? Is it a good thing to promote divisiveness?

[bahrbearian]

26. I guess the strategy is Fox viewers aren't real Americans and don't get to vote..

or primaries are more important the general elections or something like that.

[Cary]

76. If you don't want what you call "divisive" then...

.. why not set an example? With all due respect you come off, to me at least, as condescending. George's opinion is as valid as yours.

In my opinion anyone hoping to be "less divisive" with Unindicted Co-Conspirator cultists simply asks to be gaslighted. They understand just one thing: raw power. Overwhelm them and they may listen, within their limitations.

We can, however, be less divisive amongst ourselves. It isn't that difficult, in my opinion. It would not have hurt you to be less dismissive of George. That is if you really wish to be less divisive.

[George II]

31. How many of those viewing last night, or the other Democratic town halls on Fox....

....will be involved with choosing our Democratic candidate? It's not like we're in the General Election campaign yet. We're currently in the process (or will be in a few months) of choosing OUR candidate, not theirs.

[floppyboo]

35. Quite a few I think.

Like all those rust belt voters who registered Dem so they could vote for Bernie in the primaries, where he did really well, despite Robbie Mook being brainwashed by Russians to convince Hillary she didn't have to canvass there, and then either stayed home or voted for Trump. I bet some of them watch Fox. Hell, my leftie father used to watch CNN on occasion just so he could get a rise in his old veins yelling at Schwartzkopt and Ollie. Same difference.

[srobertss]

54. Probably very few in the Fox audience will be voting in Democratic primaries

But, there’s something about blowing the wind of sanity into that venue that is really impressive. The audience who showed up may have preselected themselves, but Sanders really held his own with the questions from the hosts. It seemed like they kind of lost control of the narrative, which is a very good thing. I think more Democratic candidates should go on.

[srobertss]

56. PS

But, I’m guessing Fox may take pains not to lose control of the narrative if any of the other candidates follow suit, so that may be good reason not to do it.

[TexasTowelie]

30. I don't know if or who staged it.

But according to PennLive.com most of the audience was in Sanders gear. If it was first come, first admitted then it would be easy to pack the audience.

I'm on my cell phone or I would provide the link.

[Autumn]

45. Provide that link please, I'll wait. . I watched in on a 60 inch and if most of the audience

was in Sanders gear, my TV malfunctioned. I saw no one up front in Sanders gear. And the shots of people from the back most of those people were not in tee shirts either.

[TexasTowelie]

46. I already told you where to find it.

Do your own searching. I'm not your research assistant.

[Autumn]

47. Post something as fact with no links to back it up?

I watched the video, your site is "mistaken".

[TexasTowelie]

48. If you don't want to look for the link,

then that is not my concern. The site I referenced is in Pennsylvania where the town hall was held. I don't care what video you watched.

[Autumn]

49. I watched that video, your site is"mistaken" when it says most of the audience were in

Bernie gear. They weren't. I don't bother with sites that I know are misleading. Have a nice evening.

[TexasTowelie]

51. That's convenient.

You have a nice evening too.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

60. The truth hurts I guess!!

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[TexasTowelie]

50. Read.

https://www.pennlive.com/politics/2019/04/bernie-sanders-faces-lively-audience-in-bethlehem-town-hall.html

There was also a live blog at the site that I saw early this morning that said most of the attendees were Sanders supporters. I'm still on my phone and need to eat dinner so you can look for it yourself.

[Autumn]

53. Thanks for the link. But it doesn't say most of the audience were in Sanders gear. nt

[TexasTowelie]

58. The live blog did. the

I don't know if it was taken down. I tried finding it around noon before I had to relinquish the laptop to my brother. My desktop died last month, it was too expensive to fix, and I was fortunate to get my files transferred to another external hard drive. The desktop was about to become a money pit.

[TexasTowelie]

70. Just to let you know that I wasn't lying.

Here is the thread which substantiates my statement:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/128772826

I hope that you will acknowledge the fact that other than getting the incorrect newspaper, my comment had a basis in fact.

[Autumn]

73. You have gone from most of the audience was wearing Sanders gear to they were mostly Sanders

supporters. The video clearly shows that most of the audience was not in Sanders gear. That's the only fact I will acknowledge. There may have been a few in Sanders gear but they were not noticeable

TexasTowelie (61,403 posts)

30. I don't know if or who staged it.

But according to PennLive.com most of the audience was in Sanders gear. If it was first come, first admitted then it would be easy to pack the audience.

I'm on my cell phone or I would provide the link.

As for packing the audience? I don't know about you but I don't go to town halls unless I'm a supporter or curious about the candidate or the candidate represents me. .

[TexasTowelie]

82. Despite my misstatement on what people were wearing,

the key point that I was clumsily making is that the audience was mostly Sanders supporters rather than a more conservative audience that would be expected at a Fox News event. I apologize for moving the goalposts, but debating about the attire of the audience at the town hall is a deflection from the point about the composition of the audience.

I believe that we are now in agreement on the point that the composition of the audience was mostly Bernie supporters. Therefore, it should not come as a surprise that a roomful of his supporters were in agreement with Bernie about M4A. It wasn't a room full of Republicans and independents that were miraculously converted to democratic socialism.

[Autumn]

83. Since you clarified that the information you posted earlier about the town hall was obviously

wrong we are done with this.

[dogman]

32. Yeah, they love him.

Link to tweet

[floppyboo]

17. Really? Is this one debate going to make Fox credible?

Doesn't everyone know it doesn't even have 'news' status? That it is a registered 'entertainment' channel? I could guess that the new viewers might be fooled, but we all know that cable news viewers are only getting older or deader.

[LongtimeAZDem]

24. With Sanders supporters, apparently so.

[Skidmore]

6. They can debate all they want on FOX

and it will remain a blocked channel in our household. Don't complain later when negative ads are run with the freely given sliced and diced footage they reap from this. We weaken ourselves.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

8. Lol. As if they won't slice and dice footage without these town halls.

At least we get mostly unfiltered free advertisement on their network.

[George II]

14. Why give them more ammunition?

[George II]

13. It's one thing for our nominee to woo the "fully ONE THIRD of the electorate" after July 2020....

....but none of the approximately 20 candidates today are our nominee. They should all be addressing Democratic voters who will be responsible for choosing who the nominee will be.

[Instant Liberal]

23. Most Democrats already know who they'll vote for

So do Republicans, which is why getting them to hear a positive message from us is important.

[drray23]

55. Fox news watchers wont vote for a democrat.

They are completely and utterly brainwashed. It's better to focus on the third of Americans who dont vote at all.

[R B Garr]

11. Exactly. And the clips of running down the Democratic

party will especially be trumped up. Except other Democrats probably won’t malign Democrats, which is a stupid thing to do on Fox News.

[Skidmore]

12. This. nt

[floppyboo]

18. which didn't happen on Fox. Sanders constantly represented his views as Democratic.

'other Democrats probably won’t malign Democrats, which is a stupid thing to do on Fox News.'

well ya. doh. and shouldn't be doing it only any platform, including here.

[R B Garr]

19. It's pretty well-known what Sanders has to say about Democrats.

Been listening to it for years. Of course Fox will amplify comments that malign Democrats. That’s what they do. As you said, “doh”.

[bahrbearian]

27. "It's pretty well known what Sanders has said about Corporate Dems."

most Dem voters don't align with Corporate Dems. Doh

[R B Garr]

37. LOL corporate Dems, yet another smear along

with the others. Thanks for the reminder.

That’s funny you claim to speak for most Democrats. I would say most don’t identify with the lame labels.

[Instant Liberal]

22. He does it all the time.

It's one of his big talking points about being an "Independent" rather than a member of the party coat tails he rides. He's a Democrat, he just wants to be able to distance himself from the party platform.

[bahrbearian]

28. Is voting for the Iraq war part of the party Platform Now?

[R B Garr]

38. There never would have been an Iraq war except for

the phony purity tests on Gore from the Nader types.

[bahrbearian]

39. So no Democrats voted for IWR, interesting it was all the Repugs fault?

[R B Garr]

40. LMAO, yes, the Iraq war was started by a Republican!

Your phrasing seemed so disbelieving about that “it was all the Repugs fault”. Yes, Bush / Cheney are Republicans , Gore a Democrat. It never would have happened under Gore.

[bahrbearian]

41. But it did happen and these Dems voted for it...

Sens. Baucus (D-MT), Bayh (D-IN), Biden (D-DE), Breaux (D-LA), Cantwell (D-WA), Carnahan (D-MO), Carper (D-DE), Cleland (D-GA), Clinton (D-NY), Daschle (D-SD), Dodd (D-CT), Dorgan (D-ND), Edwards (D-NC), Feinstein (D-CA), Harkin (D-IA), Hollings (D-SC), Johnson (D-SD), Kerry (D-MA), Kohl (D-WI), Landrieu (D-LA), Lieberman (D-CT), Lincoln (D-AR), Miller (D-GA), Nelson (D-FL), Nelson (D-NE), Reid (D-NV), Rockefeller (D-WV), Schumer (D-NY), and Torricelli (D-NJ).

I guess without Gore these Dems were looking for new leadership.

[R B Garr]

77. The Nader voters were responsible for the Iraq war. There would

have been no Iraq war without the purity tests against Gore. You are trying these purity tests again. It’s surprising you would blame Democrats for what Bush/Cheney did, but maybe it’s not surprising, actually...

[Lazy Daisy]

57. It's not like

Bernie was paid by Fox to give a speech about a Republican candidate days before an election.....and he called the candidate a great guy.

I mean, what kind of Democrat would do that hmmm?

[Snotcicles]

71. Will Benton Harbor be Joe Bidens waterloo. nt

[Hassin Bin Sober]

9. That's Bernie being a leader again.

[Instant Liberal]

20. I wish they would

Probably the only way Trump supporters will hear what they have to say without a Hannity filter.

[elleng]

21. Good.

We MUST pick up their viewership.

[Snotcicles]

72. If you have a good message don't pass up an opportunity to broadcast it.

And Bernie proved he's quite capable of defending it.

[SidDithers]

25. Glad he could boost their ratings...

and help them sell advertising spots to fund Hannity, Carlson and Ingraham.



Sid

[Demsrule86]

43. Yeah...I can't imagine Democrats would do this.

[bernie59]

65. "Glad he could boost their ratings"

I hope so - if more people watch due to Bernie, that can't be bad.

[samnsara]

29. frankly i dont give a rats behind if they go on faux news...

...just dont expect me to watch

[bernie59]

66. Probably no one on DU is the target audience for Fox

but there are plenty of voters who are, and it can only do good for Bernie to be on it, to make his pitch first hand.

[ehrnst]

78. Why were so many of his supporters in the audience, then? (nt)

[workinclasszero]

34. Bernie leads the way

Like usual.

[floppyboo]

36. Again! And effectively!!!

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

61. Abso-fuckin-lutely!! Bernie is a born leader and a true original!!

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[workinclasszero]

62. Yep...leadership

Bernie has it. Has had it for decades!

[Demsrule86]

42. Right let's give Fox ratings. Seriously bad idea.

[bernie59]

67. A boost in Fox ratings to see Bernie?

I don't see a problem with it

[bernie59]

44. Frankly, I think some candidates don't go on Fox due to fear

Bernie and the advantages of a campaign based on deep convictions, and years of experience in debating. With that, there is no fear.

[AlexSFCA]

52. if they are invited, every dem nominee should go on fox

for a chance to be heard by semi-lunatics. With the goal to plant a seed of reason in a few watchers that can be turned around. Even on DU, we have many members whose close relatives are faux news addicts, they don’t hate them. The trick is to not talk shit about trump on fox news if you want any chance of reaching out at all.

[CentralMass]

59. Pardon the attitude but screw Fox. We shouldn't t be helping their rating and they will cherry pick

and weaponize the footage .

[rgbecker]

63. Did you watch the videos?

Sanders called out the hosts' gotcha questions and never fell into their line about any of the issues. He called out their lies and false premises and never let the young lady host interrupt his on-target answers. If the other Dems go on Fox and do as well as Bernie we have nothing to worry about. If they get trapped by the hosts' circular logic and false premises they'll suffer like you suggest.

[CentralMass]

64. No. However to prove a point I just clicked on Fox News for the first time in 7 or 8 year.

The very first article is a hit piece on Bernie. Claiming he has no problem taking advantage of the Orange Anuses tax cut.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-bernie-sanders-joe-biden-democratic-primary
Trump predicts 'Crazy Bernie Sanders,' 'Sleepy Joe Biden' will be 2 Dem 'finalists' in 2020 race

Now i will purge my history and cookies and reinstate my personal ban of all things Fox. They are an insidious threat to the country .

[bernie59]

68. Yep, Bernie held his ground. He's a natural.

I do think that some candidates should probably not go on Fox - it is not the faint-hearted.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

69. I do think Elizabeth and Mayor Pete would do VERY well going on Faux News...

though, I will say Bernie set the bar VERY high with his outstanding performance on Fux the other night.


Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[Autumn]

74. Yes they would do well. Both are very focused on their message and are not easily distracted.

[robbedvoter]

75. because 🔩 our boycott of the Nazis!

Link to tweet

[ehrnst]

79. Will their audience be full of their supporters, too? (nt)

[itsrobert]

81. More likely

filled with Bernie supporters. Fox/GOP is trying to rig it.

[ehrnst]

84. That would not surprise me. (nt)

[itsrobert]

80. Don't do it.

We know what Fox is up to. They will fill the audience with Bernie supporters.