The Democratic National Committee stands by its decision not to allow Fox News to host a Democratic primary debate in the 2020 presidential election, a party official told Cheddar on Thursday.

“Our role at the DNC is to make sure we have a fair process and we do not believe Fox News can have a fair debate,” the DNC communications director Xochitl Hinojosa said.

DNC Chairman Tom Perez announced the party’s decision earlier this week following a bombshell report from investigative journalist Jane Mayer in The New Yorker that outlined how Fox News’s coverage has moved far beyond its conservative bent and is now defined by the close relationship between President Trump and network executives. The report also cited sources who suggested that during the 2016 campaign, then-candidate Trump may been tipped off about some of the questions he would be asked during a Fox News-hosted debate.

“Fox has been both his shield and his sword,” Mayer writes. “The White House and Fox interact so seamlessly that it can be hard to determine, during a particular news cycle, which one is following the other’s lead.”

“Recent reporting has made it clear that we cannot rely on Fox to host a fair and neutral debate,” Perez said in a statement.

At the end of 2018, the DNC announced that 12 presidential primary debates will be held over the course of the 2020 election cycle, with six in 2019 and six in 2020.

Fox News urged the DNC to reconsider its decision. Fox reporters “embody the ultimate journalistic integrity and professionalism” and “offer candidates an important opportunity to make their case to the largest TV news audience in America,” the network's senior vice president, Bill Sammon, said in a statement.

Hinojosa added that the DNC’s concerns lie not with the reporters but with the network’s top brass. “If the top executives are in the pocket of Donald Trump, that is not a good thing and something that deeply concerns us. It is too much of a risk,” she said.

President Trump tweeted his thoughts on the decision:

Hinojosa acknowledged that Fox viewers are “an important audience” and people the DNC “needs to reach,” but urged candidates to go directly to them through other press events and campaign stops.

Yet, regarding the debates, “the damage is done,” Hinojosa said. “We have seen with Fox News that they have not been willing to be fair when it comes to their inappropriate behavior with Donald Trump.”

The first debate will be held in June 2019 and be hosted by NBC News, MSNBC, and Telemundo. CNN will host the second debate in July.

To accommodate the large number of primary candidates ー 14 and counting ー the summer debates have the option of taking place over two consecutive nights. The nightly lineups will be determined at random.

“My goal in this framework is to give the grassroots a bigger voice than ever before; to showcase our candidates on an array of media platforms; to present opportunity for vigorous discussion about issues, ideas and solutions; and to reach as many potential voters as possible,” Perez said in a statement.

Share:
More In Politics
Sen. Mark Warner Is Willing to Give Trump Border Security Funds, But for a Price
As the partial government shutdown enters its sixth week, it's up to moderates on both sides of the aisle to compromise on a solution to reopen the government, even if it means giving President Trump a partial victory on border funds, Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) told Cheddar. "Let me be clear, I'm willing to support more border security," the Virginia Democrat told Cheddar's J.D. Durkin on Wednesday. "But we ought to do it without these lives being held in hostage. Let's get the government open, even if it's for a few weeks, to let us negotiate."
Delayed Tax Refunds, Brain Drain Worries: Shutdown's Ripple Effects Grow
It was an urgent warning from a group of professionals not known for a proclivity to scare the public. "In our risk averse industry, we cannot even calculate the level of risk currently at play, nor predict the point at which the entire system will break. It is unprecedented," the statement read in part. It was issued jointly on Wednesday, from the unions representing America's air-traffic controllers, pilots, and flight attendants.
With Trump Consumed by Shutdown, Brazilian President Makes Inroads at Davos
He's known as the "Trump of the Tropics." Brazil's new president, Jair Bolsonaro, may grab headlines for his far-right, populist rhetoric and positions ー he's staunchly anti-gay, anti-abortion, anti-affirmative action, and anti-drug decriminalization ーbut he differs from President Trump in one major respect, which is currently on display at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Kamala Harris May Offer a 'Different Face' for American Voters
Now that Kamala Harris, a freshman Sen. and recent entrant to national politics, has joined the already-crowded 2020 race for president, spectators are eager for clues about her ability to maneuver a high-stakes election. But Sen. Harris has minimal experience on the national stage ー so her track record in California as an Attorney General will be essential evidence to Democratic voters. "Her list of legislative accomplishments is rather thin," said Joe Garofoli, senior political writer at the San Francisco Chronicle.
TSA Officers Cling to Hope and Pennies During the Shutdown
As the government shutdown enters a historic 28th day, one group has emerged as one of the hardest hit by the political conflict: the often-maligned face of airport security, Transportation Security Administration officers. “It’s unfortunate that it had to take something like this for people to respect what we do, but it is what it is right now, unfortunately,” Frank Del Valle told Cheddar.
Load More