CNN’s Darcy Says Trump’s Tucker Carlson Stunt Won’t ‘Eat’ Into Fox Debate Ratings — Snub Is ‘Symbolic’
CNN chief media correspondent Oliver Darcy told CNN’s Jim Acosta that ex-President Donald Trump’s absence from the Fox News debate next week will hurt the ratings, but Trump’s counter-programming stunt won’t eat into their audience.
Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum and fellow Fox News anchor Bret Baier went on a bit of a media tour to promote the debate they’re co-moderating next Wednesday on Fox, and perhaps draw Trump out of the woodwork and onto the stage. And The New York Times reported earlier this month that Fox News President Jay Wallace and CEO Suzanne Scott had dinner with Trump at his club in Bedminster, New Jersey to persuade him to participate in the debate.
It appears the charm offensive didn’t work — Trump now says he’s skipping the debate to do Carlson’s Twitter/X show.
On Saturday’s edition of CNN Newsroom With Jim Acosta, Darcy and Acosta agreed Trump’s absence would be a “big blow” to the ratings, but Darcy dismissed the effect of the Carlson stunt as “symbolic”:
ACOSTA: Oliver, of course, we’re talking about the former president. He won’t be at the debate Wednesday. That has to be a big blow to fox. They were on hands and knees just about trying to get Trump to appear at this debate.
OLIVER DARCY: I think, without question, this is going to be a big blow to FOX’s ratings on that night.
You’ll remember the first GOP debate in 2015, the primary debate, that averaged about 24 million viewers. It was a record as the entire Republican field took on Donald Trump.
So without him on that stage, I think you will see much lower numbers for the ratings.
And I think it is really remarkable. You’ve had the FOX executives going to his club, trying to basically plead that he’ll debate.
You’ve had hosts on air trying to encourage him to debate. They’ve been on hand and knees trying to get him at that debate.
In addition, this is a network that has been pushing a lot of Donald Trump propaganda. Not only during his administration, of course/
But in the past few months as he’s been indicted time and time again, you’ve seen the channel’s biggest hosts really peddle dark sinister rhetoric aimed at defending him. and still he is refusing to appear at their debate.
ACOSTA: It is extraordinary that it is not enough for him. And yet he’ll go with Tucker Carlson, the ousted FOX host. How will that play out?
I suppose the viewers have the option to watch him with Tucker Carlson.
DARCY: I’m not sure the Tucker Carlson thing will really be the thing that eats FOX’s ratings, but I think him not appearing will hurt.
It is symbolic. Carlson and Trump really are lashing out at Rupert Murdoch. Donald Trump has been very vocal about it.
And Tucker Carlson is in a very big legal dispute with Murdoch after he was fired from the channel. So it makes sense that Donald Trump would go to Tucker Carlson.
I’m sure that is really just getting under Rupert Murdoch’s skin. Not only will Trump not be on his stage but he’s going to Tucker Carlson’s.
Watch above via CNN Newsroom With Jim Acosta.
