Presidential hopeful Beto O’Rourke really wants to do a town hall event with Fox News, like some of his Democratic rivals.
“Absolutely,” O’Rourke told reporters Monday in Iowa after he was asked if he would appear on the network. “This campaign is about going to where people are, and you see that physically in where I show up. But it also has to be in those channels or those social media streams where people get their news and their information. That also includes Fox.”
O’Rourke, who said his campaign may have already begun discussions with Fox, has previously been critical of the network for its relationship with the White House.
“You have members of the organization moving into the White House, you have a White House with free rein, almost, over what is broadcast over one of the most widely watched cable networks in the country today,” O’Rourke said last month.
After the Democratic National Committee denied Fox News the opportunity to host a debate, some of the candidates agreed to do town hall events with the network, including Pete Buttigieg on Sunday.
Others have rejected Fox News’ invitations. Sen. Elizabeth Warren recently accused Fox of being a “hate-for-profit racket that gives a megaphone to racists and conspiracists.”
Even so, there has been a push among some Democrats to appear on the network more frequently. The Democratic Policy and Communications Committee held a training session with lawmakers this month to teach them how to “effectively engage anchors, answer tough questions, and develop your own formula for success” during appearances on Fox News, according to an invitation for the session obtained by CNN.