GOP front-runner Donald Trump will get a significant amount of free airtime all to himself Wednesday night thanks to MSNBC and Joe Scarborough:
NEWS: Joe & Mika will moderate a town hall with Donald Trump airing in prime time tomorrow at 8pmET @MSNBC
— Jesse Rodriguez (@JesseRodriguez) February 16, 2016
This just-scheduled event will compete directly with CNN’s town halls, which will host all the candidates over two nights on Wednesday (Carson/Cruz/Rubio) and Thursday (Kasich/Trump/Bush) at the same time:
CNN will have all six GOP candidates appear at town halls on Wed and Thurs. Meanwhile, MSNBC’s Joe and Mika hosting one Wed with just Trump.
— Michael Calderone (@mlcalderone) February 16, 2016
MSNBC has invited other candidates on in the future (for anyone who’s left, that is):
From release: "MSNBC is inviting all Republican presidential candidates to participate in similar long-form interviews this primary season."
— Dylan Byers (@DylanByers) February 16, 2016
Cable news has no obligation to provide equal time to candidates, but Trump certainly getting more exposure here: https://t.co/6yoScYR8SX
— Alex Weprin (@alexweprin) February 16, 2016
Although there is some question if the “town hall” and the “long form interviews” are the same thing:
From @Hadas_Gold: While Trump gets a primetime MSNBC town hall, his competitors invited for "long-form interviews" https://t.co/6yoScYR8SX
— Alex Weprin (@alexweprin) February 16, 2016
CNN’s Dylan Byers accused Scarborough last week of being in the tank for Trump. Is this payback?
#ICYMI last week: My piece on how the Scarborough-Trump relationship has become a source of discomfort @ NBC/MSNBC
https://t.co/lGORiyQoEN— Dylan Byers (@DylanByers) February 16, 2016
Both networks even have countdown clocks up to promote the dueling events:
https://twitter.com/NolteNC/status/699660974454923271
https://twitter.com/NolteNC/status/699659656826900480
And Ohio governor John Kasich, FWIW, get his own MSNBC with an interview with Chris Matthews on Wednesday at 7 p.m.:
John Kasich will be interviewed by Chris Matthews at 7, before Trump town hall: https://t.co/6yoScYR8SX
— Alex Weprin (@alexweprin) February 16, 2016
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Related:
Did Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski hang out in Donald Trump’s hotel room last night?
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