--- title: Marianne Williamson Supporter Explains How to Knock on Doors description: Francis Fisher, the actress who played Rose's mom in 'Titanic,' is having a Twitter moment after offering a CNN staffer an etiquette lesson. canonical: https://time.com/5641952/frances-fisher-marianne-williamson-door-knock-debate/ author: Rachel E. Greenspan article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2019-08-01T21:42:34.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-04-13T07:59:46.577Z og:title: Marianne Williamson Supporter Explains How to Knock on Doors og:description: Williamson's inner circle does include some Hollywood insiders og:url: https://time.com/5641952/frances-fisher-marianne-williamson-door-knock-debate/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt964fb67a47c3f25c/698a00c022fb85e5d0e299f0/marianne-williamson-door-knock.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2416 og:image:height: 1359 og:image:alt: Marianne Williamson Debate Door Knocking og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Marianne Williamson Supporter Explains How to Knock on Doors twitter:description: Williamson's inner circle does include some Hollywood insiders twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt964fb67a47c3f25c/698a00c022fb85e5d0e299f0/marianne-williamson-door-knock.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # A Marianne Williamson Supporter Instructed a CNN Staffer How to Knock on a Door at This Week's Presidential Debate. Then Things Got Weird > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME The Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition The Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors. The Brief brings TIME's perspective to the day's most important stories, helping readers understand not just what is happening, but why it matters. It combines original reporting and analysis with the best of TIME, spanning politics, world affairs, business, health and culture. 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Greenspan](https://time.com/author/rachel-e-greenspan/) ## Rachel E. Greenspan Aug 1, 2019 9:42 PM UTC  Democratic presidential hopeful US author and writer Marianne Williamson speaks during the first round of the second Democratic primary debate of the 2020 presidential campaign season at the Fox Theatre in Detroit, Michigan on July 30, 2019. Democratic presidential hopeful US author and writer Marianne Williamson speaks during the first round of the second Democratic primary debate of the 2020 presidential campaign season at the Fox Theatre in Detroit, Michigan on July 30, 2019. BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI—AFP/Getty Images by [Rachel E. Greenspan](https://time.com/author/rachel-e-greenspan/) ## Rachel E. Greenspan Aug 1, 2019 9:42 PM UTC In what is certainly one of the more confusing [‘punchlines’](https://time.com/5640115/second-democratic-debate-live-night-2/) to pop up on the 2020 campaign trail, a simple “knock, knock” turned into a teaching moment in [Marianne Williamson](https://time.com/5616722/marianne-williamson-2020-democratic-debate/)‘s green room at [Tuesday’s Democratic primary debate](https://time.com/5639682/2020-democratic-debate-detroit/). Journalist (and one of TIME’s [Most Influential People on the Internet](https://time.com/5626827/the-25-most-influential-people-on-the-internet/)) Yashar Ali reported in a tweet Thursday that “one of Marianne Williamson’s guests told a CNN staffer that they weren’t knocking on her door properly” during CNN’s [first night of Presidential debates](https://time.com/5639705/democratic-second-debate-fact-check/). Citing two sources on-scene, Ali wrote that the guest then “proceeded to educate the staffer on the proper way to knock.” > [](https://twitter.com/yashar/status/1156994254390083589) > [](https://twitter.com/yashar/status/1156994255111512065) Shortly after Ali’s tweets, the actress Frances Fisher, a.k.a. Ruth Dewitt Bukater, _Titanic_‘s first class momager (but also known for _Unforgiven,_ _True Crime_ and the forthcoming _Watchmen_ TV series, among other projects) confirmed the incident and her role therein, though challenging the “incendiary” nature of his reporting. Fisher had attended the Detroit debate to support Williamson, her longtime friend, and wanted to make sure she was in the best possible headspace before the main event. > [](https://twitter.com/Frances%5FFisher/status/1157001425504755713) “I kindly explained to the young lady that a light tap on a closed door is something that would be greatly appreciated. Then a louder knock if no one answers,” Fisher explained in follow-up tweets. “The young lady seemed to appreciate the education.” Fisher, once labeled a “devotee” of Williamson’s [by the Washington _Post_](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/magazine/wp/2019/02/19/feature/self-help-author-marianne-williamson-wants-to-be-your-healer-in-chief/?noredirect=on&utm%5Fterm=.0d6f7e0ea6ac), made sure to defend her candidate, whom she’s been supporting politically since a failed run for Congress in 2014. “\[Williamson\] did NOT request this. It was me,” she said. Williamson’s press team did not immediately respond to TIME’s request for comment. Williamson, whose inner circle includes many a Hollywood mainstay, had shared an Instagram at the scene of the crime on Tuesday night. “We all have bigger issues to deal with in America,” Fisher later tweeted, asking Ali to delete his “incendiary” tweets and going to great pains to reply to other users sharing her take with clarifications. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5641952/frances-fisher-marianne-williamson-door-knock-debate/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5641952/frances-fisher-marianne-williamson-door-knock-debate/"},"headline":"A Marianne Williamson Supporter Instructed a CNN Staffer How to Knock on a Door at This Week's Presidential Debate. 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