The moderators from ABC News received mixed reviews. Some viewers praised them, while others labeled their performance a “disgraceful failure.” Critics claimed they interrupted Kamala Harris too frequently, while others argued they unfairly corrected Donald Trump.
This reflects the heated atmosphere of the 2024 campaign season, which was starkly evident during the first debate between Trump and Harris, an event that might be the only one of its kind.
In an example of the challenges of moderating a presidential debate in a country marked by strong political divides, moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis challenged Trump with factual corrections four times throughout the evening, prompting angry responses from Trump and his supporters.
After the debate concluded in Philadelphia, Trump took to his social media platform to declare, “I thought that was my best debate, EVER, especially since it was THREE ON ONE!”
Muir and Davis steered what is likely to be the only debate between the former president and the current vice president, covering topics like economic policy, the Ukraine war, abortion, the January 6 U.S. Capitol insurrection, and changes in Harris’ views since her 2020 presidential campaign.
In total speaking time, Trump spoke for 43 minutes and 3 seconds, while Harris spoke for 37 minutes and 41 seconds, according to The New York Times’ tally.
Reactions to the Debate Coverage
The debate held significant implications, not only for the upcoming election but also because the previous presidential debate in June—between Trump and Joe Biden—was heavily criticized and ultimately led Biden to withdraw from the race and Harris to step in.
Public opinions on ABC’s handling of the debate were deeply polarized, essentially serving as a reflection of viewers’ political leanings. MSNBC commentator Chris Hayes praised the ABC moderators’ performance on X (formerly Twitter), while conservative commentator Ben Shapiro harshly criticized them, saying their response proved they were “complete s—.”
Unlike CNN, which refrained from correcting candidates’ statements during the Trump-Biden debate in June, ABC challenged various claims made by Trump concerning abortion, immigration, the 2020 election, and violent crime.
During an abortion discussion, Trump repeated his assertion that Democrats endorsed infanticide. In response, Davis stated, “There is no state in the country where it is legal to kill a baby after it was born.”
Muir pointed out that Trump had recently conceded he lost the 2020 election, a point Trump dismissed as sarcasm. “I didn’t detect the sarcasm,” Muir replied.
After Trump claimed violent crime had surged under Biden, Muir pointed out that, in reality, violent crime had decreased during that time, which led to a confrontation with Trump. ABC also addressed Trump’s repeated false claim that immigrants were killing and eating pets in Ohio, clarifying that there was no evidence to support this allegation.
However, the ABC moderators did not contest any statements made by Harris throughout the debate.
What to know about the 2024 Election
Angie Drodnic Holan, director of the international fact-checking network at the Poynter Institute, remarked in an interview, “Could they have done more? Yes. Did they do enough? I would say yes. The alternative was none.”
Near the debate’s end, CNN fact-checker Daniel Dale tweeted that “Trump has been staggeringly dishonest and Harris has been overwhelmingly (though not entirely) factual.”
Unanswered Questions from Both Candidates
As typical in debates, many specific questions went unanswered. For instance, when asked about Trump’s claim that the U.S. Justice Department had been weaponized against him, Harris avoided the question. Additionally, she sidestepped inquiries regarding her shifting views on various issues. Muir also asked Trump twice whether he wanted Ukraine to win its conflict against Russia, but Trump did not provide a clear answer.
The visual representation of both candidates during the debate told a different tale. Trump often appeared angry or smirked in response to Harris’ comments while avoiding eye contact. Conversely, Harris looked at Trump multiple times, displaying expressions of incredulity, amusement, and occasionally shaking her head in disbelief.
Criticism about how ABC managed the debate arose even as it was happening. Conservative commentator Megyn Kelly voiced her discontent on X, stating, “These moderators are a disgraceful failure, and this is one of the most biased, unfair debates I have ever seen. Shame on ABC.”
In response to those claiming ABC unfairly favored Harris, Atlantic writer James Surowiecki remarked that the moderators “rigged” the debate by allowing Trump to “hang himself with his own stream of consciousness rambles.”
CNN’s Jake Tapper described Trump’s performance as reminiscent of “a 4Chan post come to life.”
On the other hand, Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum stated after the debate that Harris was “never really held to the fire.” Commentator Brit Hume concurred but also pointed out that Trump simply had a poor performance that night.
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David Bauder writes about media for the AP. You can follow him on X at http://x.com/dbauder.
