How Did CNN's Debate Moderators Do?
Summary from the AllSides News Team
The first presidential debate was moderated by network hosts Jake Tapper and Dana Bash, who faced mostly criticism from the left and mixed reactions from the right.
For Context: Tapper was in the spotlight before the debate as journalists examined his career and an ongoing defamation lawsuit against his show, and raised questions about whether the debate could be moderated neutrally.
How the Left Covered It: Outlets on the left and some in the center tended to argue that the moderators did not do enough to combat lies from Trump. Some outlets cited the lack of fact-checking and follow-up questions. A writer for Associated Press (Lean Left) said the moderators' questions were ignored by the candidates to the point that "it almost didn’t matter that Dana Bash and Jake Tapper were on stage."
How the Right Covered It: Some on the right were critical of the moderators, with a writer for The Federalist (Right) saying that pressing Trump about Jan 6. was "peak CNN." Independents like Glenn Greenwald (Center) and conservative writers like Isaac Schorr (Lean Right bias) complimented the moderators on X; Greenwald predicted that Democrats would blame Biden's performance on CNN's moderators.
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Left
Jake Tapper and Dana Bash’s Debate Performance Was an Embarrassment
President Joe Biden had a rough night Thursday at the debate, but CNN moderators Jake Tapper and Dana Bash also turned in an abysmal performance of their own, according to The New Abnormal co-hosts Andy Levy and Danielle Moodie.
Neither moderator offered much in the way of follow-up questions or any fact checks for either candidate—something that CNN said in advance they were not going to do.
“Do you know what they were? They weren’t moderators. They were fucking mic stands,” Moodie said in a special debate-night episode. “Like doing nothing, doing nothing, offering nothing.”
From the Center
CNN takes heat for lack of fact checks during Trump, Biden debate
CNN is coming under heavy criticism after two of its top anchors failed to offer real-time fact checks of false statements made by former President Trump and President Biden as they moderated Thursday night’s presidential debate.
During the highly anticipated and nationally televised clash, both Trump and Biden made a number of misleading or false statements about topics ranging from crime to immigration to the economy.
Moderators Jake Tapper and Dana Bash on multiple occasions offered follow up questions when a candidate had not used up all of their allotted speaking time...
From the Right
CNN’s Jake Tapper Pressing Trump About Jan. 6 Is Peak CNN
An hours-long riot at the Capitol four years ago doesn’t even rank among the top four issues facing voters as they go to cast their ballots between two presidents this fall.
But the turmoil on Jan. 6, 2021, certainly claimed the lion’s share of coverage on CNN for the next two years, if not four, as the network became the go-to outlet for Democrats to spread conspiracies surrounding the isolated episode of right-wing violence. So naturally, the network where former Rep. Adam Kinzinger ran for a paycheck once it became clear he would never...
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