MSNBC apologized Sunday for leaving Andrew Yang off a polling graphic. The left-leaning outlet has made a habit of omitting Yang from its coverage as he pursues the Democratic presidential nomination.
The weekend show Up left Yang off an image of a 2020 Iowa poll, where he had polled at 3 percent. That figure tied him with Sen. Cory Booker (D., N.J.), Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D., Hawaii), Sen. Kamala Harris (D., Calif.), and billionaire Tom Steyer, who all were included on the graphic.
After being alerted to the mistake, MSNBC tweeted out an apology to Yang with a corrected graphic, the Hill reported.
Why does @MSNBC keep leaving out @AndrewYang on their graphics (actually at 3% here)?
This has happened on a number of occasions, I haven’t seen with any other candidate. It’s not just a slip up. Unacceptable. pic.twitter.com/2vJrYx5DKQ
— ian bremmer (@ianbremmer) November 17, 2019
Earlier on UP, we aired a poll graphic that inadvertently left off @AndrewYang. This was a mistake that we've since corrected on air. We apologize to Mr. Yang. Here's the correct graphic: pic.twitter.com/SDoqsxdiiD
— Velshi on MSNBC (@VelshiMSNBC) November 17, 2019
This latest slip-up is not an isolated incident of media dismissal of Yang, whose signature policy idea is giving all American adults $1,000 a month.
In September, MSNBC referred to him in a graphic as "John Yang" before correcting. At the time, Yang tweeted out other examples of MSNBC graphics leaving him out in favor of lower-polling candidates.
https://twitter.com/AndrewYang/status/1169815763034808320?s=20
https://twitter.com/AndrewYang/status/1169815882379485184?s=20
In October, Yang wrote that he should have been included in an MSNBC graphic of how much cash Democratic candidates had. He had more than $6 million, yet was left off in favor of Booker's $4.2 million.
https://twitter.com/AndrewYang/status/1185656485772251136?s=20
A Yang supporter posted a video in August of other alleged mistreatment by MSNBC, including host Steve Kornacki skipping him while discussing all the other candidates on a debate stage. Another section of the video showed Chris Matthews cutting him off during an interview in July, while Yang discussed his attempt to tackle poverty.
MSNBC and the Washington Post are moderating Wednesday's debate in Atlanta, where Yang will be 1 of 10 Democrats on the stage. While not a top-tier candidate, he has a loyal base of fans—known as the "Yang Gang"—and has met the party's polling and fundraising thresholds to remain on the stage and in the race.
Yang's exclusion is not just limited to MSNBC. His campaign ripped CNN in August for leaving him off a graphic of a Quinnipiac poll of top Democrats. Although Yang was at 3 percent, he was omitted in favor of former Texas congressman Beto O'Rourke, who was at 1 percent at the time and has since quit the race.
https://twitter.com/scottsantens/status/1166697857795153926?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1166697857795153926&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.vox.com%2Fpolicy-and-politics%2F2019%2F8%2F30%2F20840598%2Fandrew-yang-media-blackout-cnn-msnbc-poll
Reached for comment, an MSNBC spokesperson pointed the Washington Free Beacon to the correction and apology for its mistake on Sunday.
Yang's campaign didn't respond to a request for comment, but the candidate himself appeared to tweet his thoughts on the matter Monday. Dressed like chemist-turned-meth-cook Walter White of Breaking Bad fame, Yang wrote, "Say my name"—an iconic quote from the show.
https://twitter.com/AndrewYang/status/1196457025313497088?s=20