Despite hosting the most highly anticipated and pivotal presidential debate in recent history, CNN failed to draw the expected viewerships, losing out to Fox News, which wasn’t even hosting the debate.
The ratings battle between the two networks should have been in CNN’s favor. However, even after demanding social media companies limit streams and censor conservative news sites, forcing people to watch the debate on CNN, they still lost.
Nielsen Fast National data revealed that Fox News drew 8.8 million viewers, slightly edging out CNN’s 8.7 million, while MSNBC trailed with 3.97 million viewers.
👀 FOX NEWS drew 8.8 MILLION people, whereas CNN drew 8.7 million ….
— Dylan Byers (@DylanByers) June 28, 2024
*If you include CNN Espanol & HLN, CNN combined networks drew 9.04 million…
*MSNBC drew 3.97 million… https://t.co/yy61eFHUMo
The rating embarrassment comes amid Joe Biden‘s performance during the debate, as critics, media talking heads, and Democrats fell into a panic after the president’s cognitive issues were laid bare for all to see.
Doubts about the 81-year-old incumbent’s fitness to serve another four-year term have now caused an itnernal flip out within the party, as many are now calling for Biden to be replaced.
CNN’s John King reported that there was a sense of panic among senior Democrats about Biden’s performance.
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Meanwhile, MSNBC host Joy Reid also admitted there was a universal sense of panic among senior democrats, adding her phone never stopped buzzing.
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HAPPENING NOW: The media is in an all-out panic after the debate.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) June 28, 2024
– A ‘balding’ Joy Reid says her phone didn't stop buzzing during the entire debate.
– Nicolle Wallace says conversations about replacing Biden will start tomorrow.
– Van Jones says he is "in pain" and nearly… pic.twitter.com/oaQCIdYd2x
The hopes that Biden would counteract Donald Trump‘s critiques quickly evaporated as it became apparent that Biden could barely string a sentence together.
“It involves party strategists, involves elected officials, it involves fundraisers, and they’re having conversations about the president’s performance, which they think was dismal, which they think will hurt other people down the party in the ticket, and having conversations about what they should do about it,” John King said right after the debate.
“Some of those conversations include whether we should go to the White House and ask the president to step aside,” King continued.
Now, prominent Democrats are calling for Biden to reconsider his campaign.
While Biden appeared to regain some composure after the debate, his closing statements did little to calm panicked party leaders.
“[Biden] stuck to his official position. I think he could’ve expressed it more strongly,” a source close to the White House told CNN.
“He needs to remind the American public of his record, both on the border and on helping long-term undocumented immigrants.”
“He hasn’t done that yet,” another source added, describing a moment when Biden unexpectedly brought up immigration while discussing abortion as “awkward and not helpful.”
During the debate, Donald Trump, 78, boasted about his cognitive abilities and his recent golf achievements.
“I took two cognitive tests. I aced them, both of them,” Trump said.
“I’m in very good health. I just won two club championships.”
READ: MSNBC Host SNAPS at Guests for Saying ‘Illegal Immigrants:’ ‘We Don’t Use That Term!’ – WATCH
