Republican and conservative guests and commentators outnumbered Democrats and progressives on FOX News, CNN, and MSNBC during primetime inauguration coverage on January 20, just as they had done earlier in the day from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, as Media Matters for America documented. Appearances made by Republicans and conservatives outnumbered appearances made by Democrats and progressives 25 to 4 on FOX, 7 to 1 on CNN (not including a Republican-skewed panel featuring Ohio voters), and 9 to 5 on MSNBC.
Program Republicans or conservative commentators Democrats or progressive commentators FOX News Special Report with Brit Hume
- Weekly Standard executive editor Fred Barnes (appearing on Special Report “All Star” panel)
The Big Story w/ John Gibson
- Ed Gillespie (former chairman, Republican National Committee)
- Ralph Reed (Southeast regional chairman, Bush-Cheney '04)
- Former Representative J.C. Watts (R-OK)
- Former Bush speechwriter David Frum
- Former Clinton chief of staff Mack McLarty
- Democratic strategist Chris Lehane
FOX Report w/ Shepard Smith The O'Reilly Factor
- Presidential historian and former Republican speechwriter Richard Norton Smith
- FOX News political analyst Dick Morris
- Fox News TV and radio host Tony Snow
- Former Clinton White House counsel Lanny Davis
Hannity & Colmes
- Former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani
- Wall Street Journal columnist Peggy Noonan
- Ralph Reed (Southeast regional chairman, Bush-Cheney '04)
- Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX)
On the Record with Greta Van Susteren
- George P. Bush (nephew of President Bush)
- Governor George Pataki (R-NY)
- Actor and Bush supporter Stephen Baldwin
- Boxing promoter and Bush supporter Don King
- Dennis and Cynthia Grubb (Bush family friends and inaugural ball planners)
- Ohio Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell
- Governor Ernie Fletcher (R-KY)
- Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich
- Musician and Bush supporter Larry Gatlin
- Army Major Chad Calbaresi (Bush supporter)
- Army Captain Burt Carlson (Bush supporter)
- Fox News TV and radio host Tony Snow
- Comedian Joe Piscopo (representing advocacy group The Creative Coalition)
CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports Lou Dobbs Tonight
- Senator Paul Sarbanes (D-MD)
Special Inauguration Coverage
- Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-CA) (videotaped interview)
- Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL)
- Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS)
- Boxing promoter and Bush supporter Don King
Larry King Live
- George P. Bush (nephew of President Bush)
- Pierce Bush (nephew of President Bush)
- Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN)
NewsNight with Aaron Brown MSNBC Inauguration Special
- Dan McGroarty (Former presidential speechwriter for George H.W. Bush)
- Wall Street Journal columnist John Fund
- Former Howard Dean presidential campaign manager Joe Trippi
Hardball with Chris Matthews (7 and 9 pm)
- Senator George Allen (R-VA)
- Former Bush speechwriter David Frum
- Former Representative Susan Molinari (R-NY)
- Representative David Dreier (R-CA)
- Democratic strategist Bob Shrum
Countdown with Keith Olbermann Scarborough Country
- Blogger and commentator Andrew Sullivan*
- Former presidential candidate and MSNBC analyst Pat Buchanan
- MSNBC's Kudlow & Kramer host Lawrence Kudlow (former Reagan administration official)
- Air America radio host Sam Seder
- Air America radio host Janeane Garofalo
- Democratic strategist Hilary Rosen
*As Media Matters previously noted, Sullivan is a conservative who supported Senator John Kerry in the 2004 presidential election as “the lesser of two risks.”