Nancy Pelosi’s meeting with MSNBC host Al Sharpton raises eyebrows

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Nancy Pelosi’s meeting with MSNBC host Al Sharpton raises eyebrows

MSNBC host Rev. Al Sharpton raised eyebrows Wednesday when he met with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, with critics pointing out that conservatives are scolded for similar relationships.

MSNBC host Rev. Al Sharpton raised eyebrows Wednesday when he met with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, with critics pointing out that conservatives are scolded for similar relationships.

Sharpton’s “Politics Nation” is a weekend news program on the leftist network. Mediaite’s Caleb Howe spotted a photo of the meeting on Sharpton’s Twitter feed and pondered why MSNBC isn’t criticized in the same way conservative outlets are when pundits meet with GOP lawmakers.

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“The question raised today was whether MSNBC, through Sharpton, should be subject to the same criticism,” Howe wrote.

Conservative strategist Chris Barron echoed Howe’s thoughts, ripping liberal media watchdogs in the process.

“Conservative hosts sitting down with President Trump gets ripped by the mainstream media hall monitors as ‘state TV’ but MSNBC gets a free pass when one of its host sits down with Nancy Pelosi,” Barron told Fox News. “Why exactly? Because if it weren’t for double standards, the mainstream media wouldn’t have any standards at all.”

"If it weren’t for double standards, the mainstream media wouldn’t have any standards at all.”

— Chris Barron

MSNBC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Media Research Center vice president Dan Gainor told Fox News that “MSNBC isn't treated as state TV because the major media think resisting Trump is great.”

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Sharpton’s recent segments on his MSNBC program include R&B legends The O’Jays complaining that Trump has used their music at rallies, a conversation about hate crimes that have occurred during the Trump administration and claims that Republicans want to suppress voting rights.

“It's all about teams now -- not being neutral referees. Press should get issued blue jerseys with their names on them,” Gainor said.

“It's all about teams now -- not being neutral referees. Press should get issued blue jerseys with their names on them."

— Dan Gainor

DePauw University professor and media critic Jeffrey McCall feels Sharpton is more widely known as a political activist than as an MSNBC host, noting frequent visits to the Obama White House over the years.

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“There is certainly now a blurring between the media world and the political world where political activists have voices on news outlets, even as hosts,” McCall told Fox News. “Sharpton's connections to leading Democrats doesn't create much media firestorm now because it has been going on for years and MSNBC's audience is accepting of a host who is onboard with the ideological push of the channel.”

McCall added that “Sharpton was never brought onto MSNBC to be a balanced journalist in the first place,” so his “continued partisan work is not a surprise and is generally accepted in the media sphere.”

Last month, a plethora of 2020 Democratic presidential hopefuls spoke at Shaprton’s National Action Network Convention.