Thursday’s presidential debate “is not an ideal venue for a live fact-check” of former President Donald Trump, CNN political director David Chalian warned potential viewers on Monday.
CNN’s coverage of Trump often sees network staff attempting to fact-check Trump in real time, or immediately after the live broadcast has ended.
WATCH — CNN’s Van Jones: “If Biden blunders in the debate, it’s game over” and “This is what the election is all about.”
CNN’s Caitlin Collins was widely criticized for her poor fact-checking of Trump at a town hall event last year. The audience cheered Trump’s performance, and Republicans hailed his speech as one of the best ever by a former president.
Chalian believes Trump is “in no doubt when it comes to words.” Said of The New York Times Debate co-moderators Jake Tapper and Dana Bash will use the event to facilitate conversation, and CNN analysts will fact-check the talks immediately after they air.
Chalian said the debate was “not an ideal venue for live fact-checking.”
President Donald J. Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden participate in the final presidential debate on the campus of Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2020. (Javin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
CNN’s aggressive approach was on full display Monday when CNN’s Casey Hunt, a former MSNBC host, abruptly ended an interview with Caroline Leavitt, the Trump campaign’s national press secretary, after Leavitt highlighted CNN’s Jake Tapper’s long history of criticizing Trump.
Tapper will co-moderate the first presidential debate on Thursday. Here are 11 times he attacked Trump with spiteful allegations.
Fake News CNN Blocked translation: After she slammed Jake Tapper for his anti-Trump history, CNN is afraid people will know the truth. pic.twitter.com/Tku7Ew754v
— MAGA War Room (@MAGAIncWarRoom) June 24, 2024
The debate could be one of the biggest moments of the 2024 election. CNN has agreed to allow multiple news networks to simulcast the debate and to leave its watermark on screen during the broadcast.
The debate comes at a critical time for CNN, which is on track to experience its lowest prime-time ratings month since 1991. Times Nielsen ratings said the show averaged fewer than 100,000 viewers per night among adults 25-54.
WATCH — Maher: Biden would have avoided the debate if he had won, but Trump wouldn’t:
Biden campaign officials said President Joe Biden plans to be very active during the event. Biden campaign spokesman Michael Tyler said: I have written In his debate strategy notes, Biden said he would portray Trump as a dictator who would “give tax cuts to the super-rich at the expense of the middle class and disenfranchise women.”
The debate rules favor Biden, but the Biden campaign admit Voters will be looking to see whether Biden can offer convincing answers to the biggest issues of rising costs and endless immigration, according to Reuters focus groups.
Thursday’s 90-minute debate will air at 9 p.m. Eastern time.
Wendell Fsebo is a political reporter for Breitbart News and a former Republican War Room analyst. The Politics of Slave MoralityFollow Wendell “Bat” @WendellHusebø or The truth of society @WendellHusebo.
