Fox News isn't getting on the main stage in 2020.
The Democratic National Committee has decided it won't let Fox News be a "media partner" for its 2020 primary debates, DNC Chair Tom Perez told The Washington Post on Wednesday. Perez talked to the network about televising a debate, but ultimately decided its "inappropriate relationship" with President Trump wouldn't allow for a "fair and neutral debate," he said in a statement.
The announcement comes days after Jane Mayer's story of "the revolving door between Fox News and the White House" was published in The New Yorker. Mayer's reporting details how Fox News' messaging shaped the Trump administration's agenda, and vice versa. It also describes the Trump administration's close relationships with current and former Fox News executives and stars, and cited sources who said the network gave Trump questions ahead of his 2016 debate with Hillary Clinton. Perez specifically mentioned Mayer's story in his statement about the decision.
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The DNC has 12 debates to divvy up among networks, and had already given slots to CNN and MSNBC/NBC as of Monday, per The Hollywood Reporter. Conservatives continued to push the DNC to allot a debate to Fox News, while liberals slammed the committee for "even considering" it, The Daily Beast writes. Kathryn Krawczyk
Update 5:00 p.m. EST: Fox News in a statement said: "We hope the DNC will reconsider its decision to bar Chris Wallace, Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum, all of whom embody the ultimate journalistic integrity and professionalism, from moderating a Democratic presidential debate." The network has also denied The New Yorker's reporting that Trump was given debate questions in advance.
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