The Democratic primary challenger to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Martin Dolan, has demanded equal time from CBS after the incumbent was given air time on “Late Night” with Stephen Colbert. Dolan accused CBS of providing free air time to AOC to promote her reelection bid, and stated that he is entitled to equal air time under FCC rules. During her interview with Colbert, AOC discussed various topics including calling Israel’s response in Gaza “genocide” and claimed credit for Biden’s move to cancel student loan debt. Dolan criticized AOC for avoiding questions about poverty and public health in her district and her support of policies involving undocumented immigrants.
Dolan highlighted AOC’s decision to go on “entertainment TV” to discuss complex political issues as an example of her “left-wing hypocrisy.” He plans to use his equal time on CBS to discuss issues such as outmigration of middle-class taxpayers, AOC’s immigration policies, crime, and NYC’s high marginal tax rate. However, CBS stated that candidate interviews on programs like “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” are exempt from equal opportunity claims by opposing candidates, based on FCC precedent. AOC’s campaign has not provided immediate comment on the situation.
Dolan’s letter to CBS demanded a “fair fight” against AOC in the upcoming primary for the 14th congressional district. He criticized the interview between AOC and Colbert for not asking hard-hitting follow-up questions, and only asking softball questions. Despite Colbert’s question about whether AOC would support Biden’s reelection, Dolan raised concerns about the lack of critical questioning during the interview. He accused AOC of using entertainment TV to provide one-sided views about complex issues, and referred to her as part of “The Squad” of lefty House Democrats.
Despite Dolan’s claims about FCC rules entitling him to equal air time, CBS spokesperson stated that candidate interviews on entertainment shows like “Late Night” with Stephen Colbert are exempt from equal opportunity claims by opposing candidates. This means that Dolan’s demand for equal air time may not be fulfilled by CBS. Dolan criticized AOC’s support for policies involving undocumented immigrants and questioned her decision to avoid questions about poverty and public health issues within her district. He plans to utilize his equal time on CBS to discuss various issues and highlight what he sees as AOC’s “left-wing hypocrisy.”
In his letter to CBS, Dolan emphasized the importance of a fair fight in the upcoming primary and highlighted his concerns about AOC’s interview on “Late Night” with Stephen Colbert. He accused AOC of providing judgmental, one-sided views on complex political issues and criticized her for not addressing certain important issues within her district. Dolan plans to use his equal air time on CBS to discuss a range of issues such as immigration, crime, and the high marginal tax rate in NYC. However, CBS has stated that candidate interviews on entertainment shows are exempt from equal opportunity claims, potentially limiting Dolan’s ability to secure the equal airtime he is demanding.
