Leftists Threaten Boycott of NBC After Trump Town Hall Announced to Replace Tomorrow Night’s Debate

NBC announced today that President Trump will take part in an NBC News town hall event tomorrow night in Miami, replacing the canceled second debate between him and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden.

It was announced last week that Biden will also be holding a town hall event with ABC News Chief Anchor George Stephanopoulos tomorrow night in Philadelphia.

The Trump town hall will be moderated by “TODAY” anchor Savannah Guthrie and was booked after the president produced a Coronavirus test showing he is not contagious.

Huffpost contributor Yashir Ali reported not long after the announcement that he’s “heard from over a dozen NBC, MSNBC, and CNBC sources (talent and staff) and the frustration with and anger toward their employer for scheduling a town hall against Biden is palpable.”

I've heard from over a dozen NBC, MSNBC, and CNBC sources (talent and staff) and the frustration with and anger toward their employer for scheduling a town hall against Biden is palpable.

— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) October 14, 2020

One “resister” who is “hoping for a progressive America” wondered “Who else is boycotting Trump town hall?” He added “No f*cking way I’m watching that and I am pissed at MSNBC.”

WHO ELSE IS BOYCOTTING TRUMP TOWN HALL?

NO F*CKING WAY I'M WATCHING THAT
AND
I AM PISSED AT @MSNBC

— REPUBLICANS STOLE our PPP MONEY DECEIT/ FRAUD (@wildwestleft) October 14, 2020

International award-winning photographer and “resister” Patrice O’Rourke said, “Sorry Rachel Maddow, Lawrence O’Donnell, Chris Hayes, Brian Williams, & Joy Reid. I guess I’ll catch you guys on the other side of the election. I’ll be boycotting MSNBC. #BoycottMSNBC”

Sorry @maddow @Lawrence @chrislhayes @bwilliams & @JoyAnnReid I guess I'll catch you guys on the other side of the election.
I'll be boycotting @MSNBC
#BoycottMSNBC https://t.co/kbCj7aKjzA

— PATRICE O'ROURKE WEARS A MASK! 🌊 (@Patrice_Brost1) October 14, 2020

Writer Lauren Baratz-Logsted responded to NBC’s tweet announcing the town hall by saying, “You, Savannah Guthrie and MSNBC should all be ashamed of yourselves.”

She insisted that if they’d “scheduled it on a different night and/or kept it only to NBC, no one would object.” She claimed that they’re “going for a ratings grab, at cost to the Republic,” and that they “deserve to be ratioed and boycotted for this.”

You, Savannah Guthrie and MSNBC should all be ashamed of yourselves. If you'd scheduled it on a different night and/or kept it only to NBC, no one would object. But you're going for a ratings grab, at cost to the Republic, and you deserve to be ratioed and boycotted for this.

— LaurenBaratzLogsted (@LaurenBaratzL) October 14, 2020

Press critic Jay Rosen tweeted that “Absent any detailed explanation from NBC about why they’re doing this, I am going to openly speculate: The refs have been successfully worked.

Rosen believes that “The execs are hearing and fearing that the “taint” of MSNBC is affecting the NBC News brand. They think this will help correct for that.”

In an additional tweet, he countered Baratz-Logsted, saying “As Eric Boehlert has been noting, Biden and Trump have both done a primetime town hall in recent weeks. Trump got 3.8M viewers, Biden 6.5M. The Trump event came in third that night. ‘America’s Got Talent’ led with 5.7M viewers. So don’t tell me NBC is doing this for the ratings.”

As @EricBoehlert has been noting, Biden and Trump have both done a primetime town hall in recent weeks. Trump got 3.8M viewers, Biden 6.5M. The Trump event came in third that night. "America’s Got Talent" led with 5.7M viewers.

So don't tell me NBC is doing this for the ratings.

— Jay Rosen (@jayrosen_nyu) October 14, 2020