The Shocking Call to Silence: MSNBC’s Phang Wants Major Media to Blackout GOP Candidates
MSNBC’s Katie Phang attracted strong reactions after denouncing Fox News and CNN for scheduling town halls with Donald Trump and Mike Pence, respectively. Phang’s comments led some to believe she is calling for the mainstream media to stifle potentially-entire Republican presidential candidates.
The leading Republican candidate, Donald Trump, has undoubtedly been a polarizing figure in American politics. However, it’s concerning that Phang, an opinion host on MSNBC, appears to be openly calling for the major media to outright silence all Republican presidential hopefuls. As she addressed former Democratic Congresswoman Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, Phang questioned the intention behind media outlets “providing platforms for potential GOP primary candidates to be able to get out and just sell their wares.”
Disturbingly, Mucarsel-Powell agreed with Phang’s sentiments, going as far as stating that such actions are “extremely dangerous” and risk normalizing insurrections and political violence. Though this might not have been her intention, it begs the question: how does silencing valid candidates showcase democracy?
Furthermore, it should be considered that while Phang was attacking other networks for interacting with Republican candidates, her show was being sponsored by major companies such as Verizon, Samsung, Flonase, Procter & Gamble, and Subway. This fact draws attention to the inherent hypocrisy of Phang’s argument.
In a democratic society, it’s crucial for open discourse and political exchange to occur, even if that exchange involves strong disagreements or disapproval. In this case, silencing Republican contenders only threatens the very freedoms and democratic principles that Phang and Mucarsel-Powell claim they wish to protect. Their call for a media blackout sets a dangerous precedent where the voices of political opponents will be silenced and marginalized, all in the name of “protecting democracy.”
Above all, Phang’s outburst highlights the need for balanced discussion and media representation, so that each individual can make informed decisions based on a variety of accessible viewpoints.
