"Days before the trip, Mr. Colbert's producers told them the network—nervous about federal regulators—would only post the interview online. The Talarico campaign had a choice: Cancel the trip and crow about the Trump administration trying to muzzle him, or say nothing, film the segment, and hope Mr. Colbert would tell his audience the story of federal interference. They said nothing and filmed."
"Let's just call this what it is. Donald Trump's administration wants to silence anyone who says anything bad about Trump on TV because all Trump does is watch TV. Okay? Colbert said. He's like a toddler with too much screen time. He gets cranky and then drops a load in his diapers."
"The YouTube clip gained more than 9 million viewers. Donations poured in. Internal campaign polling by his opponent showed the ground shift in Mr. Talarico's direction. Later, the report added new attention and contributions flooded in to Talarico's campaign following his YouTube-only interview with Colbert."
James Talarico, a Texas Democrat and Senate candidate, coordinated with Stephen Colbert's team to film an interview that CBS restricted to online-only posting due to concerns about federal regulators and the Trump administration. Rather than canceling, Talarico's campaign proceeded with filming, betting that Colbert would publicly discuss the censorship on air. The strategy succeeded: Colbert criticized the Trump administration for attempting to silence criticism, the YouTube clip garnered over 9 million views, and donations flooded Talarico's campaign. Internal polling from his opponent showed momentum shifting in Talarico's direction. The campaign redirected late contributions toward Spanish-language advertising, demonstrating how the controversy translated into tangible campaign resources and electoral advantage.
Read at www.mediaite.com
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