Joe Lockhart: ‘Fox News is a Corrupt Enterprise…Not a Journalism Company’

Sunday night’s Fox News town hall featuring Democratic presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg has generated much buzz for the South Bend mayor and also revived the ongoing debate on whether Democratic candidates should appear on the network that only features pro-Trump and conservative primetime programs.

CNN’s New Day featured a panel discussion about this topic Monday morning and former Clinton White House Press Secretary Joe Lockhart did not hold back in taking the same position that Elizabeth Warren took in ostensibly refusing the FNC opportunity, calling Fox News a “hate-for-profit racket.”

Lockhart offered “Fox News is a corrupt enterprise. I think it is not a journalism company.” He continued with “It’s a company that was built by Roger Ailes in order to promote conservative Republican political ideas, and in primetime, they spread the kind of disinformation that actually worked with the Russians to sow dissent in this country.” He finished with “Democrats should avoid going on because — like they should avoid being involved with any other corrupt enterprise.”

Bianna Golodryga, however, followed with the argument that — appearing on Fox News — has real benefits to Democratic presidential candidates eager to reach a new and significant set of viewers. ” Ultimately it doesn’t do Democrats much harm,” she offered, adding, “I think they’re fine if they want to say I’m not going to go on the network but I don’t think it hurts them at the end of the day, those who decide to go on.”

CNN Chief Legal Analyst Jeffrey Toobin was then asked to break the pundit tie of different opinions that came before, and said “It’s a tough call” before stating thatFox News “can use these debates as a vehicle to go to advertisers and say, look, we are not just the racist and bigots in primetime. We are a real news organization.”

He finished with “I’m not sure Democrats want to give them that cover. I think if you’re going to not go on, that’s the best argument.”

Watch above via CNN.