CNBC’s on-air talent tried in the moments before the third televised GOP presidential debate Wednesday evening to fill the airtime with trenchant political analysis, and the press absolutely hated it.
For the press, CNBC’s pre-debate show was inane, insipid and entirely boring. It also didn’t help that the debate didn’t start exactly at 8:00 pm, as advertised, and instead started after about 15 minutes of unscripted CNBC analysis.
Commentary’s John Podhoretz said in a note of desperation, “WHY ARE THEY STILL TALKING THE DEBATERS ARE OUT ON THE STAGE SHUUUUUUUUUT UPPPPPPPPP!”
The Huffington Post’s Jason Linkins said, “Good God please start the debate these guys are worse than Joe Buck and Harold Reynolds.”
“Now in the 14th inning of the pundit palaver,” Politico’s Jack Shafer joked.
And they were far from alone.
The anti-CNBC pre-debate show sentiment ran deep Wednesday evening, as reporters and pundits alike sounded off on social media.
“I imagine non-journalists have already changed the channel,” said the Huffington Post’s Jason Cherkis.
Fellow HufFPo reporter Scott Conroy said, “Hey, [CNBC]. You’re on RIGHT NOW. We can see you!”
The Washington Post’s Chris Cillizza said simply, “STOP. TALKING.”
The New York Times’ Alex Burns said, “CNBC preshow illustrating why you don’t hire tennis players to do color commentary on a football game.”
The Atlantic’s David Graham sounded off, “CNBC literally discussing [CNBC’s] Larry Kudlow’s cufflinks to kill time.”
The Los Angeles’ Times’ David Lauter added, “CNBC: You had one job. It’s 10 minutes past 8. C’mon.”
And on and on the criticism went.
“I like when pundits just say things that boil down to “They need to do a good job.” Thanks!” the Huffington Post’s Elise Foley quipped.
Fortune’s Dan Primack added, “CNBC, which wanted extra time for the debate, isn’t using the time it has.”
“I forget that half of CNBC’s commentators are characters from the first draft of The Fountainhead,” the Washington Post’s Dave Weigel joked, referring to a novel by noted libertarian Ayn Rand.
The Washington Examiner‘s Jim Antle said, “They are not true anchors because they are not keeping the ship from drifting.”
Lastly, Jezebel editor Erin Gloria Ryan added, “That I’ve had to listen to CNBC banter for almost 15 minutes is incredibly rude.”
