Cable News Clips

TexasTowelie

(126,512 posts) Tue Feb 17, 2026, 06:12 PM Tuesday

Pulled Colbert-Talarico interview: CBS responds to backlash - CNN

Stephen Colbert taped a “Late Show” interview with James Talarico, a candidate in the Democratic Senate primary in Texas. But he says CBS lawyers intervened before the interview could air on TV. “We were told in no uncertain terms by our network’s lawyers, who called us directly, that we could not have him on the broadcast,” Colbert told his viewers Monday night.

0:00 Tapper with the story
2:30 CBS' issued statement
4:13 Panel of experts react

4 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Pulled Colbert-Talarico interview: CBS responds to backlash - CNN (Original Post) TexasTowelie Tuesday OP

My impression is snot Tuesday #1

The DNC favors neither WyLoochka Tuesday #3

PS: Kind of interesting that,... snot Tuesday #2

MaddowBlog-'Their plan backfired': Colbert's James Talarico interview generates large online audience LetMyPeopleVote Thursday #4

snot

(11,623 posts)

1. My impression is

Reply to TexasTowelie (Original post)

Tue Feb 17, 2026, 06:39 PM

Tuesday

Last edited Tue Feb 17, 2026, 10:50 PM - Edit history (1)

that Jasmine Crockett is the candidate favored by the DNC; she frequently addresses civil rights issues, but I've never heard her discuss economic issues.

Talarico's concerns seem much closer to those of Bernie Sanders-type Dems – much more focus on economic issues – and my guess would be that he has a MUCH better chance of beating Cornyn (R).

Here's a link to Colbert's interview of Talarico:

WyLoochka

(1,664 posts)

3. The DNC favors neither

Reply to snot (Reply #1)

Tue Feb 17, 2026, 07:39 PM

Tuesday

The DNC hasn't gotten their collective arse together in decades to make any effort at all for a Dem candidate for Senator or Governor in Texas or President.

The DNC and DSCC both throw the towel in on Texas, and will again this time around, on this Senate race, no matter who wins the primary.

Sucks to be an enthusiastic Dem and have a wet blanket dropped down and over from the top every time.

snot

(11,623 posts)

2. PS: Kind of interesting that,...

Reply to TexasTowelie (Original post)

Tue Feb 17, 2026, 07:34 PM

Tuesday

If I understand correctly, the rule apparently requires fairness on talk shows but not on news shows!?

LetMyPeopleVote

(177,573 posts)

4. MaddowBlog-'Their plan backfired': Colbert's James Talarico interview generates large online audience

Reply to TexasTowelie (Original post)

Thu Feb 19, 2026, 01:24 PM

Thursday

Far more people watched the interview on YouTube than probably would have seen it if it had aired on CBS without controversy

Link to tweet

https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/their-plan-backfired-colberts-james-talarico-interview-generates-large-online-audience

On Tuesday afternoon, as public interest in the story grew, CBS issued a written statement insisting that Colbert was not prohibited from airing the Talarico interview. Rather, the network said the CBS lawyers “provided legal guidance,” which included “options for how the equal time for other candidates could be fulfilled.”

Soon after, while the host filmed Tuesday night’s show, Colbert referred to CBS’ statement as “crap” and picked up a copy of the statement in a dog waste bag. “I’m just so surprised that this giant global corporation would not stand up to these bullies,” he added.

The host received some backup from Anna Gomez, a Democratic member of the FCC, who said in a statement, “This is yet another troubling example of corporate capitulation in the face of this Administration’s broader campaign to censor and control speech. The FCC has no lawful authority to pressure broadcasters for political purposes or to create a climate that chills free expression.”

Gomez added, “CBS is fully protected under the First Amendment to determine what interviews it airs, which makes its decision to yield to political pressure all the more disappointing.”

But as the developments unfolded, a related question needed an answer: Would all of this lead more people to take an interest in the interview that wasn’t included in the broadcast? The New Republic summarized:

Instead of including the interview in his CBS show Monday night, which the network’s lawyers had warned against, Colbert posted the interview to YouTube and other social media channels, where it has already garnered millions of views on each platform, much more than a single TV broadcast of the show, which averages 2.3 million viewers.

As of this writing, the YouTube video of the interview has generated more than 5.2 million views.

What’s more, the hullabaloo appears to have given Talarico a boost just two weeks before primary day in Texas. The Democrat raised $2.5 million in the 24 hours after the segment was posted online — the single best day of fundraising for his candidacy thus far.

Reply to this discussion