2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumNetworks Didn't Cut From Donald Trump's Speech Once To Air Hillary Clinton
Instead, America got to watch Trump promote his line of steaks.Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton gave a stump speech Tuesday night, but chances are you didn't see it, since none of the major TV networks covered it. They were all glued to GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump's rambling speech/press conference/self-promotional event happening at the same time.
Clinton's speech was pretty boring, to be sure. It didn't have the rowdy feel that's so characteristic of Trump's events. Clinton, speaking in Ohio, talked through policy issues that matter to this crowd: Her vote for the auto bailout. Her vow to go after companies that ship jobs overseas while claiming U.S. tax breaks. Her fight for quality child care.
But if you wanted to see her event, and not stay up past 10 p.m. searching for a replay, the only way to watch was on CSPAN. The cable news networks -- MSNBC, CNN, Fox Business Network and Fox News -- all stuck with Trump talking at length about his financial successes, taking shots at Marco Rubio ("Little Marco" and Ted Cruz ("Lyin Ted" , insulting reporters while taking questions from them, and promoting Trump-branded steaks, wine, magazines, golf courses, vodka and water.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/hillary-clinton-donald-trump-networks_us_56df9346e4b0860f99d72720
Whether it was Hillary or Sanders speaking is not the point. It's a disgrace that the three news networks didn't cut him off when he started rambling about his merchandise. How tacky!!! The guy is an embarrassment. I cringe to think that this buffoon could become president.
Logical
(22,457 posts)Beacool
(30,244 posts)I already offered my congratulations.
Fearless
(18,421 posts)Beacool
(30,244 posts)Most are appalled by him, but are fascinated at the same time.
I have never seen a presidential front runner like Trump. The guy is a total grease ball, uncouth and tacky.
Fearless
(18,421 posts)democrattotheend
(11,605 posts)Hillary is getting a lot more than Bernie, but in general, it is appalling how much more dominated the news has been by the Republican primary and how much more free airtime they have gotten for what I consider to be prime time hate speech.
This is one reason why I do not understand why Clinton supporters have been so eager to have Bernie drop out. Having a contested primary prevents our candidates from getting completely lost in the shuffle. Wrapping up the nomination early and being out of the spotlight while Clinton and Obama duked it out probably hurt John McCain in 2008.
Beacool
(30,244 posts)to Hillary's speech. She did win tonight too and so did Sanders. More time was allotted to Trump than to the Democratic candidates.
Personally, I have never called for Sanders to drop out. There are still plenty of states that haven't voted. I think that she will be the nominee when all is said and done, but Sanders has the right to stay until the end.
democrattotheend
(11,605 posts)Of course, if you said otherwise I could probably dig up all of your posts from 2008 and call you a hypocrite.
FWIW, I am pretty sure I never called for Hillary to drop out in 2008 until after South Dakota. In hindsight, I actually think she helped Obama by staying in until the end. And as a voter in a state that has not voted yet, I feel that it is not just the candidates' right to stay in but my right as a voter to have a say. I felt cheated in 2004 (my first primary season after turning 18) because I spent 8 months campaigning for Howard Dean tirelessly but didn't even get the chance to properly vote for him in the primaries because they were wrapped up so quickly. I am glad Hillary set a precedent of staying in until everyone gets to vote in 2008 and I hope both candidates follow it this year, whoever wins.
If I had to bet my life on it, I would say you are right that she still has a greater than 50% chance of being the nominee, but I never counted Bernie out and now I am really glad I didn't.
HassleCat
(6,409 posts)That "rowdy feel" you mentioned. They know viewers will stay tuned in to see if Trump says anything really crazy. The news is infotainment, and Trump knows how it works, how to play to it.
Beacool
(30,244 posts)Is this what it's going to be like? Our nominee shoved aside so that the masses can watch Trump perform like a circus monkey?
Disgusting.....
democrattotheend
(11,605 posts)Regardless of who you support in the primary, we should all be concerned about the fact that the MSM is becoming the Trump show and ignoring our two fine candidates. What has this country come to?
EffieBlack
(14,249 posts)It's dangerous and frightening.
Dem2
(8,166 posts)They lost nearly an hour of viewing time from me while they had an idiot spewing psychobabble.
He was entitled to a victory speech, but the networks stayed throughout his endless rambling and insults. The epitome of his lack of class was when he started hawking his wares.