Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang is calling out MSNBC for giving him less than seven minutes of talking time in Wednesday’s debate ― lower than any other candidate onstage.
Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang has given thumbs down to MSNBC, saying that it has not treated his campaign as they do other candidates, and he won’t appear on the network until they apologize.
“Was asked to appear on @msnbc this weekend — and told them that I’d be happy to after they apologize on-air, discuss and include our campaign consistent with our polling, and allow surrogates from our campaign as they do other candidates’. They think we need them. We don’t,” Yang tweeted Saturday.
“They’ve omitted me from their graphics 12+ times, called me John Yang on air, and given me a fraction of the speaking time over 2 debates despite my polling higher than other candidates on stage,” he continued. “At some point you have to call it.”
The entrepreneur said Saturday he was asked to appear on the network, but refused to do so unless it offers him an on-air apology and covers his campaign in a manner consistent with polling.
The national polling average shows Yang at 3%, neck and neck with Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar and just above New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker. However, both senators had more than 10 minutes of talking time. Even billionaire philanthropist Tom Steyer, who is polling at less than 1%, received a larger share of time than Yang, clocking in at almost 8 1/2 minutes.
Yang added, “The whole time we have gotten stronger. This is actually bad for MSNBC. It will only get worse after I make the next debates and keep rising in the polls. The people are smarter than MSNBC would like to think.”
A representative for MSNBC did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment.
“Yang has spoken less than a candidate polling at his level would be expected to at every single debate he’s been to so far,” Business Insider reported Saturday based on Morning Consult: The New York Times data.
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