The Trump campaign’s Chris Lachivitia is threatening television networks with legal action if they don’t give Trump equal time since President Biden spoke in the Oval Office.
Posted by Rachvitya, “Every network televising this campaign speech will receive a follow-up letter from our attorneys regarding equal time. @NBCNews @CNN @ABC @CBSNews @FoxNews”
There are some problems with the Trump campaign’s request. Thanks to Ronald Reagan, the Fairness Doctrine no longer exists, so networks have no obligation to provide equal time.
The main problem is that the President of the United States is no longer a presidential candidate, so his speech is irrelevant to the 2024 campaign. Biden spent much of his speech explaining his decision not to run, recalling his accomplishments and discussing what he will do for the remainder of his term.
Donald Trump is not the president, so he does not demand equal time in this situation.
The Trump campaign was outraged that Biden was able to hijack the news cycle on the day Trump’s friend Netanyahu was addressing Congress.
Donald Trump’s time as the clear front-runner in the presidential race lasted about three weeks. Trump was unfazed by the prospect of being shot or his political convention. Vice President Harris has erased any lead Trump ever had.
When a campaign complains and demands air time, they lose.
Donald Trump won’t get equal time, but the demand shows how much this election has changed in a matter of days.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of Society of Professional Journalists and American Political Science Association
