2020 Democratic candidate Pete Buttigieg took direct aim at Fox News hosts Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham during a town hall on their own network Sunday night.
After getting a lot of heat from Democrats for even appearing on Fox News, the South Bend, Indiana mayor spoke with host Chris Wallace during an event in Claremont, New Hampshire.
“A lot of people in my party were critical of me doing this, and I get where that’s coming from, especially when you see what goes on with some of the opinion hosts on this network,” Buttigieg said.
Fox's Kilmeade slams Buttigieg for criticism of Carlson and Ingraham during Fox News town hall https://t.co/0oDK7DtXTE pic.twitter.com/p4vEPb4kIg
— The Hill (@thehill) May 20, 2019
That’s when he unloaded on Fox News’ top hosts.
“I mean when you’ve got Tucker Carlson saying that immigrants make America dirty. When you’ve got Laura Ingraham comparing detention centers with children in cages to summer camps,” Buttigieg added. “There is a reason why anybody has to swallow hard and think twice before participating in this media ecosystem.”
Buttigieg Called Out Carlson and Ingraham
Buttigieg was citing Carlson’s commentary in December when he said illegal immigrants make “our own country poor and dirtier and more divided” and also Ingraham’s comments in June of last year where she said child detention centers were “essentially summer camps.”
Despite this, “Mayor Pete” still thinks his appearance on Fox News was the right thing to do.
“I also believe that even though some of those hosts are not always there in good faith, I think a lot of people tune into this network who do it in good faith,” he told Wallace. “And there are a lot of Americans who my party can’t blame if they are ignoring our message, because they will never hear it if we don’t go on and talk about it.”
Fox News host Brian Kilmeade complains about Buttigieg's digs at Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham: "Don't hop on our channel and continue to put down the other hosts on the channel or the channel." pic.twitter.com/r7JIh5YU70
— TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) May 20, 2019
“We have to find people where they are, not change our values, but update our vocabulary so that we’re truly connecting with Americans coast to coast,” Buttigieg added. “I believe running for office is an act of hope.”
That was Buttigieg’s closing line for the town hall. The audience gave him a standing ovation.
“Wow,” Wallace said.
Does this mean Fox News viewers will vote for Buttigieg over Donald Trump in 2020? That’s doubtful.
The bigger question is: Is Pete Buttigieg at least playing smart politics by going on Fox News when Elizabeth Warren and other 2020 Democrats are refusing to?