Andrew Yang's feud with MSNBC heats up

SCREEN CAPTURE / FOX

Andrew Yang during the last Democratic debate in Atlanta

"MSNBC is trying to suppress and minimize my campaign because there are certain other candidates that they might favor," Yang said told Politico.

At last week’s fifth Democratic primary debate, hosted by MSNBC in Atlanta, Yang was allowed to speak for a total of six minutes and 48 seconds, the least time of any of the candidates on stage and about half the speaking time of Elizabeth Warren.

The moderators asked Yang fewer questions and didn't call on him when he wanted to add his two cents to a discussion. He wasn't even asked a question until 32 minutes into the debate.

The day after the debate he went on CNN to raise his criticism of rival MSNBC. On Saturday, his campaign talked with MSNBC when the network invited Yang to appear on the one of its programs. Yang rejected the offer and said he would not appear on the network until MSNBC offers an on-air apology.

“I’m not the kind of guy who takes offense easily but at this point you have to call it like you see it,” the tech entrepreneur told CNN’s Ana Cabrera.

Yang's supporters demonstrated in front of MSNBC headquaraters in New York City Saturday and #BoycottMSNBC and #LetYangSpeak trended on social media.

“We're just asking for fair and equitable treatment,” the New York-born Yang told Politico. “And after they make that commitment, then I'd be thrilled to go on air with them and talk to voters.”

In addition to the lack of speaking time in the two debates hosted by MSNBC, the network has left out Yang's name in graphics showing polling numbers at least a dozen times. On one of the MSNBC shows in September, he was referred to as "John Yang." The show's host later apologized for that gaff.

MSNBC has not officially responded on the criticism from the candidate and Yang's campaign, however, in graphics used the criticism was raised, Yang's name has been appearing without comment.

SCREEN CAPTURE / MSNBC

A graphic used by MSNBC on Monday, Nov. 26, included Andrew Yang.

An analysis by Business Insider concluded that Yang “has had the least amount of speaking time ... compared to how much we would expect him to speak given his polling numbers.” Yang is polling fifth or sixth according to national and Iowa and New Hampshire surveys.

Although at times, Yang raises his hand to add his comments on an ongoing discussion, he doesn't jump into the fray or interrupt other speakers. His answers are succinct and to the point unlike his rivals who often speak longer than their allotted time limit.

The candidate is hard put to explain the network's behavior towards his campaign. The decision to boycott MSNBC could harm his campaign in the long run even though he makes appearances on CNN and the conservative, Republican-leaning Fox network.

“If you were generous, you could just say that they didn’t understand my campaign at first,” Yang said in an interview. The thing he finds most “off-putting” is that other news organizations that didn’t take him that “seriously” at first eventually “figured out that I’d beaten half a dozen sitting senators and governors and congresspeople and then they started treating me like other candidates.”

“But for whatever reason, MSNBC never made that transition,” he said.

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