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Saturday, March 05, 2016

Nothing to fear but fear itself? A TV happening worth your time? A FOX one-on-one because . . . but then, a two-for.

First, Salon reported, "Friday, Mar 4, 2016 1:55 PM UTC -- Bernie prepares to go into the belly of the beast: Sanders to do Fox News town hall without Clinton," see similar reporting, here. Whether the prospect of an hour of Sanders on prime-time FOX without her there upset the Clinton scheduling conflict is unclear, but then Clinton acquiesced to attend; see, e.g., reporting here and here. Salon had reported:

Baier will moderate the 6 p.m. special [note: timezone ambiguity]in front of an audience in Detroit, Michigan. Baier announced during “Special Report” on Thursday that Sanders had agreed to do the town hall without Hillary Clinton, who Baier said, was invited, but “is unable to attend due to a conflict in her campaign schedule.”

Sanders and Clinton are already scheduled to appear at the CNN debate in Flint on Sunday. The Michigan primary is on Tuesday.

According to Politico, “Fox has been on a mission to get Clinton to appear on its airwaves”:

She was last on the network in 2014 interviewed by Baier and Greta van Susteren. “Fox News Sunday” anchor Chris Wallace challenged Clinton to come on his show last month, posting photos of some of her top aides as part of a bid to get them to answer his phone calls and emails.

[links in original, italics added] Reporting of Clinton's relenting, locally in advance of Michigan voting, The Detroit News:

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton will join Bernie Sanders in a one-hour town hall event Monday hosted by Fox News Channel on the eve of Tuesday’s Michigan primary at Detroit’s Gem Theatre.

Clinton and Sanders will answer questions from Fox News anchor Bret Baier during Baier’s “Special Report” show at 6 p.m. Monday.

Baier had said Thursday that Clinton could not attend the event because of a “scheduling conflict.”

But late Friday, Fox News announced Clinton has agreed to join Sanders at the event in front of an audience of Michigan voters.

Clinton hasn’t appeared on the Fox cable news network in two years since a 2014 joint interview with Baier and Greta Van Susteren to promote her 2014 book.

Fox News will replay the Sanders-Clinton town hall show at 11 p.m. Monday.

[... Again, note the time zone ambiguity] Sanders is planning a rally Saturday night at Macomb Community College’s southern campus in Warren.

Clinton will attend the Michigan Democratic Party’s pre-debate reception Saturday night at the MGM Grand casino and hotel in Detroit.

Former President Bill Clinton will be in Detroit midday to kickoff an event for campaign volunteers at noon at the AFSCME Council 25 labor union’s state headquarters on Lafayette.

[italics added] Differences in pre-election venue selection are clear; and the lack of AFSCME impartiality is also clear. Make of that what you will, but is it a mystery that Bernie seems to be pushing uphill against established forces?

LAST: Not being a FOX viewer, reader help on time ambiguity resolution would be appreciated, via a comment. Alternatively, readers are on their own, timewise - they have notice of the event and venue and channel; so let them pin down timing unless a helpful comment appears.

____________UPDATE_____________
The Hill citing NY Times on the Sanders "town hall" with Fox and Clinton having a scheduling conflict; which, as noted, evaporated to the credit and benefit of both campaigns. An hour of Bernie alone would have had great merit, more so than an hour of Clinton which would have been an endurance contest for viewers, but it now is pinned as a two-for.

Also, The Hill, on the other event ducking, Newt's approval of Trump staying in the hustings instead of punching his ticket at CPAC. It is only a personal impression but it seems idiots concentrate at CPAC so it is to Trump's honor to skip the thing, although it is not as though he's inexperienced at talking to idiots. Either way, bet on talking to idiots; some having upcoming votes that matter, some feeling self important; with the sets having overlapping Venn diagrams.

__________FURTHER UPDATE__________
Noam Chomsky, a short interview, a longer one.