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Don Lemon: 2020 Dems Making the 'Same Mistake' as Hillary by Not Going on Fox

'You should take advantage of the media'

May 21, 2019

CNN host Don Lemon on Monday night asserted that some Democratic presidential candidates are making the "same mistake" two-time failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton made in 2016.

Lemon and his CNN colleague Chris Cuomo were discussing Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg's Fox News town hall from Sunday when Lemon expressed frustration with Democrats who do not have a broad media strategy. Opining that it doesn't make sense for candidates such as Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.) to spurn Fox, Lemon contrasted Clinton's media strategy with President Donald Trump's.

"You know why I fault them for it? Because Hillary Clinton is not in the White House, because that's what she did. She picked and she chose. Donald Trump went on every single news organization. You called him. He figured out a way to come on your show and I think every candidate should do that," Lemon said. "You should take advantage of the media, and take advantage of every single platform to get your message out. "

"I think that that's a mistake that they're making: the same mistake that Hillary Clinton made," he added.

Lemon singled out Warren because of her announcement last week that she would be refusing to participate in a town hall with Fox News, calling it a "hate-for-profit" organization.

"Hate-for-profit works only if there's profit, so Fox News balances a mix of bigotry, racism, and outright lies with enough legit journalism to make the claim to advertisers that it's a reputable news outlet. It's all about dragging in ad money—big ad money," Warren wrote. "Fox News is struggling as more & more advertisers pull out of their hate-filled space. A Democratic town hall gives the Fox News sales team a way to tell potential sponsors it's safe to buy ads on Fox—no harm to their brand or reputation (spoiler: it's not)."

Cuomo said the Democratic presidential candidates won't come on his show either, prompting Lemon to say, "Same here."

Cuomo went on to say he doesn't "fault" them for not coming on, saying he understands the calculations of the 2020 Democrats. He predicted they are afraid their campaign will go down the route of  former Rep. Beto O'Rourke (D., Texas), who lost his momentum with the media in recent weeks as he faces a crowded Democratic primary.