Tuesday was a truly unique day in Congress. A segment of the Republican Party called for Kevin McCarthy (CA) to vacate his position of Speaker of the House. And it worked.

Basically, a half dozen Republicans had the ability to do something that had never been done: The removal of a Speaker of the House.

It was so bizarre that a handful of Democrats could have saved the Speaker. They didn’t, and in one heck of an ironic turn, the six extreme Republicans voted with the entire democratic caucus.

I was communicating with several journalists and lobbyists in real-time.

One texted me at around 4:30 PM on Tuesday, “Path is becoming more narrow … but there’s still a path.”

Less than 10 minutes later: “And he’s gone.”

The debate was intense, and for once, the energy, anger, and hyperbole sounded sincere. People were desperate, and you could sense it…hear it.

But as it was happening, the only radio where you could follow it was satellite radio, and that wasn’t even radio – it was TV on radio, as the likes of Fox News and MSNBC carried the proceedings.

Nothing on terrestrial radio – at least all the channels I checked. No one was carrying it. Not one station.

That’s a problem.

We need to find a way — lower headcounts and lower budgets and all — to still be on top of the news in real time. Full stop. It’s not that it was shameful or somehow a disservice to society. That’s a little dramatic on something like this. But it was wrong.

Why not blow out your programming and take the proceedings live? Let’s be nimble, let’s be quick. We do fine on scheduled history: inaugurations, holidays, 9/11 memorials, etc. Why not with breaking national news that actually does impact all of us? The dysfunction of the federal government took another step down on the dysfunction spectrum right in front of us, and it matters to all of us.

Outside of the periodic news updates, it was just another day. It wasn’t, and it shouldn’t be that way. There should be someone in the newsroom with the confidence, news sense, and guts to make the call to pull programming and put up the debate and the vote. You can cut in and out with local updates and ads if you will. But bring the news.

It was more than disappointing not to be able to find it anywhere but “TV on radio”.

Thankfully (I had a long drive), after the vote and all the subsequent pundits chimed in for the TV on radio shows, I switched over to AM talk on multiple stations, and yes — finally! — they were talking about it. It may not be hyper-local, but some stories reverberate everywhere, and it’s okay that there’s no obvious direct through-line to your neighborhood though let’s not forget that your local Congressman voted one way or the other to oust the Speaker of the House. So it does actually resonate locally.

The same could actually be said about the Trump court case in New York. A former President of the United States was glowering in a courtroom and threatening people outside of it, not to mention fomenting enough online that the judge had to place a gag order on the case.

That, on its own, probably merited exclusive coverage as well.

My fundamental question on both is: Why not?

There is no good answer to the contrary.

We are not as nimble and not as quick to paraphrase a nursery rhyme, as we should be – and it certainly feels like we used to be.

The two-week saga of the manhunt for Danilo Cavalcante, the convicted murderer who escaped a Pennsylvania prison on August 31st, came to a conclusion on September 13th, when he was taken into custody that morning. Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC all dedicated major coverage to the event.

During his time on the run, the residents of South Coventry Township, which has a population of approximately 2,600, were gripped with fear as hundreds of law enforcement officials descended upon the area. Cavalcante was identified inside homes, slipped through police search perimeters, altered his appearance, appeared at the doorsteps of people he knew years ago, and stole both a van and a firearm.

Pennsylvania State Police had given daily updates on the search for the escaped convict. Fox News Channel led in live press conference coverage, according to Nielsen Media Research, for each of those days, including the final day (September 13th) when they had announced he was in custody:

Monday, September 11, 2023 (2:03-2:16 p.m.)

• Fox News Channel: (2-3 p.m.) 1.240 million viewers; 157,000 adults 25-54
• MSNBC: (1-3 p.m.) 0.785 million viewers; 97,000 adults 25-54
• CNN: (2-3 p.m.) 0.575 million viewers; 124,000 adults 25-54

Tuesday, September 12, 2023 (9:34-9:48 a.m.)

• Fox News Channel: (9-10 a.m.) 1.324 million viewers; 133,000 adults 25-54
• MSNBC: (9-10 a.m.) 0.978 million viewers; 112,000 adults 25-54
• CNN: (9-10 a.m.) 0.540 million viewers; 103,000 adults 25-54

Wednesday, September 13, 2023 (10:00-10:34 a.m.)

• Fox News Channel: (10-11 a.m.) 1.464 million viewers; 193,000 adults 25-54
• MSNBC: (10-11 a.m.) 0.919 million viewers; 72,000 adults 25-54
• CNN: (10-11 a.m.) 0.762 million viewers; 139,000 adults 25-54

On Thursday, September 14th, in Georgia, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee denied District Attorney Fani Willis’ request to have all 19 defendants, including former President Donald Trump, to be tried together in October in the Georgia election subversion case. Instead, Trump and 16 co-defendants will move forward on their own schedule.

The two remaining co-defendants, pro-Trump lawyer Kenneth Chesebro and former Trump campaign lawyer Sidney Powell sought speedy trials and are scheduled to begin this month.

Fox News Channel also led its cable news competition in coverage of the Georgia hearing:

Thursday, September 14, 2023 (10-11 a.m.)

• Fox News Channel: 1.285 million viewers; 137,000 adults 25-54
• MSNBC: 0.952 million viewers; 135,000 adults 25-54
• CNN: 0.574 million viewers; 126,000 adults 25-54

Thursday, September 14, 2023 (11 a.m.-noon)

• Fox News Channel: 1.301 million viewers; 167,000 adults 25-54
• MSNBC: 0.886 million viewers; 124,000 adults 25-54
• CNN: 0.544 million viewers; 141,000 adults 25-54

Cable news averages for September 11-17, 2023:

Total Day (Sep. 11-17 @ 6 a.m.-5:59 a.m.)

• Fox News Channel: 1.111 million viewers; 138,000 adults 25-54
• MSNBC: 0.805 million viewers; 87,000 adults 25-54
• CNN: 0.433 million viewers; 82,000 adults 25-54
• Newsmax: 0.177 million viewers; 20,000 adults 25-54
• HLN: 0.124 million viewers; 32,000 adults 25-54
• CNBC: 0.120 million viewers; 27,000 adults 25-54
• Fox Business Network: 0.117 million viewers; 14,000 adults 25-54
• The Weather Channel: 0.097 million viewers; 21,000 adults 25-54
• NewsNation: 0.061 million viewers; 12,000 adults 25-54

Prime Time (Sep. 11-16 @ 8-11 p.m.; Sep. 17 @ 7-11 p.m.)

• Fox News Channel: 1.751 million viewers; 191,000 adults 25-54
• MSNBC: 1.259 million viewers; 116,000 adults 25-54
• CNN: 0.483 million viewers; 98,000 adults 25-54
• Newsmax: 0.296 million viewers; 31,000 adults 25-54
• NewsNation: 0.080 million viewers; 19,000 adults 25-54

Top 10 most-watched cable news programs (and the top programs of other outlets with their respective associated ranks) in total viewers

1. The Five (FOXNC, Tue. 9/12/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.851 million viewers

2. The Five (FOXNC, Thu. 9/14/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.746 million viewers

3. The Five (FOXNC, Mon. 9/11/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.709 million viewers

4. The Five (FOXNC, Wed. 9/13/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.648 million viewers

5. The Five (FOXNC, Fri. 9/15/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.585 million viewers

6. Hannity (FOXNC, Wed. 9/13/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.463 million viewers

7. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Wed. 9/13/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.454 million viewers

8. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Thu. 9/14/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.442 million viewers

9. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Tue. 9/12/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.385 million viewers

10. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Mon. 9/11/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.255 million viewers

148. Anderson Cooper 360 (CNN, Wed. 9/13/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.871 million viewers

375. Varney & Company (FBN, Mon. 9/11/2023 10:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.345 million viewers

415. Fast Money Halftime Report (CNBC, Wed. 9/13/2023 12:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.290 million viewers

432. Forensic Files (HLN, Tue. 9/12/2023 10:30 PM, 30 min.) 0.263 million viewers

451. America’s Weekend Headquarters (TWC, Sat. 9/16/2023 9:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.240 million viewers

670. Cuomo (NWSN, Wed. 9/13/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.148 million viewers

Top 10 cable news programs (and the top  programs of other outlets with their respective associated ranks) among adults 25-54:

1. Gutfeld! (FOXNC, Wed. 9/13/2023 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.329 million adults 25-54

2. The Five (FOXNC, Thu. 9/14/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.329 million adults 25-54

3. The Five (FOXNC, Mon. 9/11/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.309 million adults 25-54

4. The Five (FOXNC, Tue. 9/12/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.295 million adults 25-54

5. The Five (FOXNC, Fri. 9/15/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.291 million adults 25-54

6. The Five (FOXNC, Wed. 9/13/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.284 million adults 25-54

7. Hannity (FOXNC, Wed. 9/13/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.279 million adults 25-54

8. Gutfeld! (FOXNC, Tue. 9/12/2023 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.275 million adults 25-54

9. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Thu. 9/14/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.265 million adults 25-54

10. Gutfeld! (FOXNC, Thu. 9/14/2023 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.264 million adults 25-54

15. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Mon. 9/11/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.222 million adults 25-54

41. The Source with Kaitlan Collins (CNN, Wed. 9/13/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.185 million adults 25-54

234. Forensic Files (HLN, Tue. 9/12/2023 10:30 PM, 30 min.) 0.091 million adults 25-54

341. Squawk On The Street (CNBC, Wed. 9/13/2023 9:00 AM, 180 min.) 0.064 million adults 25-54

356. America’s Weekend Headquarters (TWC, Sat. 9/16/2023 8:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.062 million adults 25-54

571. Cuomo (NWSN, Thu. 9/14/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.037 million adults 25-54

603. Mornings with Maria Bartiromo (FBN, Wed. 9/13/2023 8:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.035 million adults 25-54

Source: Live+Same Day data, Nielsen Media Research

It has been a landmark week for the two front runners in the 2024 presidential race and an embarrassing week for those who cover them. Both President Joe Biden and the defeated, twice impeached and four-times indicted Donald Trump made public appearances. The President’s historic, Mr. Trump’s diabolical. 

It’s the week in which Trump went berserk at rallies in Michigan and Iowa with the following non-sensical, dangerously untrue statements that largely went unchecked on major media.

First, let’s talk about the venues where the two candidates spoke. Headlines across the media landscape made it seem both Biden and Trump were supporting the UAW in its strike against automakers. Here is the lede from CBS. “President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump will both be in Michigan this week to show support for UAW autoworkers on the picket line”.  

CBS was not alone, taking the easy way out to portray their totally different Michigan visits as equal. Biden’s history-making appearance on the picket line was not comparable to Trump’s speech at a non-union parts factory packed with Trump supporters who when questioned admitted — despite the signs they were carrying — they were not in the UAW and were not there to support unions, but to support Trump. The UAW president criticized Trump’s previous positions on unions and said he felt it “odd” that Trump would support union workers at a non-union shop. 

Much of that context was missing from media reports on the very different Michigan appearances. 

Elsewhere on Trump’s campaign trail last week he inadvertently said Jeb Bush started the Iraq war, he defeated George Bush in the 2015 primaries, and a week before was convinced he defeated twice-elected Barack Obama in 2016. Clips of these missteps and delusional rants were all over the internet, from X to Threads, but not found in major media from networks to The Washington Post and The New York Times.

But Trump’s obvious confusion is not the only issue. He also showed his mean, unfit for civilized conversation side. He openly mocked the serious injury Nancy Pelosi’s husband Paul suffered at the hands and hammer of a Trump supporter.

“How is her husband doing by the way?” Trump said with a smirk, his MAGA crowd laughing along. One of Trump’s outbursts has been getting rightful attention. His social media attack on combat veteran and retiring Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, which suggested Mark Milley be charged with treason and executed was picked up by a large chunk of the media, as was Milley’s response during his retirement speech. Milley pointedly reminded the nation that he didn’t swear an oath to a “would-be dictator”. 

So, all that leads to the serious question of what the media should do about covering Trump’s disrespectful, crude, and dangerous comments when he is riffing at a rally or online. Some who are tired of hearing it just want him to go away and think the media should ignore his nonsense. A respected friend and colleague of mine opined that the lies, distortions, and insults from Donald Trump are not worth reporting anymore. It’s not news. We have heard it all before. 

I respectfully and profoundly disagree.

The American public must hear what the leading GOP candidate is saying. It can’t be kept in the echo chamber of right-wing propaganda outlets that cater to his hardcore 30 percent of the country. There will be a general election after the Republican primary and moderate members of his party and independents must know what he has been saying.

Light remains the best disinfectant in politics. And it is with all seriousness and not at all lightly or flippantly that I remind those who want to just ignore this treacherous, treasonous politician of the regret millions of Germans suffered when they did not speak up during the rise of Adolph Hitler. 

Donald Trump has threatened his political opponents, the media, and the judicial system. He has engaged in anti-Semitic tropes, misogyny, and anti-immigrant rhetoric. American media cannot ignore him, no matter how tempting.