CBS moderators Norah O’Donnell and Margaret Brennan faced a pivotal decision ahead of Tuesday’s vice-presidential debate: whether to fact-check the candidates in real time or adopt a hands-off approach. Ultimately, they opted for a middle ground, allowing candidates to challenge each other while occasionally intervening with factual corrections, according to CNN News.
At the outset of the debate, O’Donnell and Brennan stated their role was to provide opportunities for candidates to fact-check each other’s claims.However, they sometimes stepped in to share facts that didn’t directly relate to what the candidates were saying. This approach culminated in the moderators cutting off the microphones of Republican Senator JD Vance and Democratic Governor Tim Walz during a heated exchange about Haitian immigrants in Ohio.
As Vance responded to an immigration question, he referenced Springfield, Ohio, expressing concern for Americans whose lives, he claimed, were “destroyed by Kamala Harris’s open border.” He asserted that the influx of illegal immigrants had overwhelmed local schools, hospitals, and housing markets.
After Vance’s remarks, Walz countered, prompting Brennan to clarify the situation for viewers: “And just to clarify for our viewers, Springfield, Ohio does have a large number of Haitian migrants who have legal status, temporary protected status.”
Vance objected to this fact-check, asserting, “Margaret, the rules were that you were not going to fact-check,” and argued it was crucial to present accurate information about the immigrant process. This led to a chaotic exchange where both candidates spoke over one another until the moderators muted their microphones, with Brennan reminding them, “The audience can’t hear you because your mics are cut.”
Trump took to Truth Social following the debate, accusing Brennan of bias. “Margaret Brennan just ‘fact checked’ JD, incorrectly, on ‘Climate Change’,” he wrote. He also expressed frustration over the perceived unfairness towards Republicans, saying, “the Public sees it for what it is – FAKE NEWS!”
Other commentators including Megyn Kelly condemned CBS’s fact-checking approach, saying, “F you CBS – how DARE YOU,” while Brit Hume said, “The moderators were obnoxious and made it seem like three on one on Vance.”
Despite the controversy, Trump campaign senior adviser Jason Miller acknowledged Vance’s adept handling of the situation, saying, “I thought Sen. Vance masterfully handled that situation and he was able to get his complete answer out and set the record straight.”
The incident reignited discussions about the role of moderators in political debates. Last month, ABC moderators faced backlash from Trump and his supporters after they fact-checked the former president during his debate with vice president Kamala Harris.