EXCLUSIVE - Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy will be airing an ad during Wednesday's CNN debate urging viewers to "turn this s--- off," accusing the network of rigging the final televised showdown ahead of next week's Iowa caucuses.
"The mainstream media is trying to rig the Iowa GOP caucus in favor of the corporate candidates who they can control. Don't fall for their trick," Ramaswamy tells voters in the ad airing specifically in Iowa markets. "They don't want you to hear from me about the truth of what really happened on January 6, the truth about the COVID origin, the Hunter Biden laptop story, and everything else they have lied to you about."
"So you can fix that. Take your remote and turn this s--- off," Ramaswamy adds before aiming his own remote directly at the camera as the screen goes black.
CNN announced last week that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley would face off one-on-one as the only qualified candidates who agreed to appear for the debate based on polling. Former President Trump, who also met CNN's requirements, has avoided participating in any of the primary debates this election cycle and will instead be participating in a Fox News town hall airing at the same time as CNN's debate.
Vivek 2024 CEO Ben Yoho slammed CNN, saying it is "the furthest thing from a credible news network."
"CNN lies to its audience over and over again, and in the most Orwellian, deeply cynical way labels basic facts as ‘conspiracy theories’ when arguably no network has done more to promote true conspiracy theories and misinformation such as Russiagate and the Hunter Biden laptop fiasco," Yoho told Fox News Digital in a statement. "Now, the network of Don Lemon and Jim Acosta takes it upon themselves to disrespect Iowa voters and the caucuses by holding a debate and excluding Vivek when his polling clearly qualified for the stage."
Lemon, formerly one of CNN's most recognizable liberal stars, was fired from the network last year following multiple controversies.
When asked for comment, a CNN spokesperson pointed to the debate requirements showing Ramaswamy didn’t qualify and declined to comment further.
In the first GOP debate not regulated by the Republican National Committee, CNN established its own set of requirements for its debate last month. According to CNN, qualifying candidates "must receive at least 10% in three separate national and/or Iowa polls of Republican caucusgoers or primary voters that meet CNN’s standards for reporting."
VIVEK RAMASWAMY SAYS THERE ARE ONLY TWO ‘AMERICA FIRST’ PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES
The RealClearPolitics average of polls shows Ramaswamy averaging 4.2% nationally and 7.5% in Iowa, reaching 10% support in one recent poll by Morning Consult. Fellow GOP rival, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, also did not qualify for Wednesday's debate.
The CNN debate on Wednesday will likely be overshadowed by the Trump town hall airing on Fox News at 9 p.m. ET. The town hall will be moderated by Fox News' Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum.
Ramaswamy has had an icy relationship with legacy news organizations, particularly CNN. Last month, he sparred with CNN anchor Abby Phillip at an Iowa town hall after she attempted to press him on his explosive debate remarks, specifically his claim that Jan. 6 was an "inside job."
As Ramaswamy accused the government of systemically lying in recent years and claimed that federal agents were within the crowd on Jan. 6, he mocked Phillip's interruptions as proof that "the establishment doesn't approve this message."
"I know it's very uncomfortable for you. I know this is an uncomfortable issue for many people, but we have to do the truth here," Ramaswamy told the CNN anchor.
He also had a blunt response to CNN commentator Van Jones, who called the biotech entrepreneur an "American demagogue" over his comments.
"Just shut the f--- up," Ramaswamy said.
