Yang ‘disappointed’ Weather Channel excluded him from climate change special

Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang reportedly said Monday that he is “disappointed” that the Weather Channel didn’t invite him to take part in a bipartisan climate change special set to air next month.

While the Nov. 7 special will feature several other 2020 Democratic hopefuls — including Sens. Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Cory Booker (N.J.) as well as former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D) and South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D) — Yang won’t be among the group participating, the Washington Examiner reports.

President Trump and three GOP challengers — former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld and former Illinois Rep. Joe Walsh — were also invited to take part in the special.

“Andrew Yang has released an extensive and detailed plan to combat climate change and we’re disappointed that the Weather Channel didn’t reach out to let their viewers hear about it, especially given his place in the polls and fundraising,” Zach Graumann, Yang’s campaign manager, told the  Examiner in a statement.{mosads}

He added that Yang “is focused on real solutions for the American people, and as we’ve seen in the past week, whether it’s at the debate or the 10-hour Q&A he conducted on Friday, the American people want to hear what Andrew Yang has to offer. The media needs to learn from the mistakes of 2016 and get it right this cycle.”

In a statement to the Examiner, the Weather Channel said it couldn’t interview Yang “in the interest of time.”

“The Weather Channel decided to choose the top seven Democrats in the polls, in accordance with the [Democratic National Committee] criteria to qualify for the third debate,” the Weather Channel said, adding that at the time of the network’s production deadlines, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro and Yang were not in the top seven among Democratic hopefuls.

“As this is a bipartisan special, the network invited the three Republican challengers and President Trump. We are encouraged that many of the candidates have plans to address our changing climate and hope to have other opportunities for viewers to hear their thinking ahead of Election Day,” the Weather Channel added.

Trump declined to participate in the event, and former Vice President Joe Biden (D), who remains a Democratic front-runner, is unable to participate due to a scheduling issue.

Yang released a climate plan in August that focuses on private sector investment and nuclear power to achieve his goal of a “fully green” economy by 2049. His plan largely differs from those of other Democratic candidates due to its heavy reliance on clean nuclear energy.