Chris Wallace, who moderated the only debate between President Biden and President Trump in 2020, said Trump lost the presidential election because of his performance in the debate.
Biden and Trump face off in a CNN debate tonight in Atlanta.
“I actually think this was one of the most crucial debates in the history of presidential elections,” Wallace said Wednesday night on CNN’s “The Source with Kaitlan Collins.” “I actually think Donald Trump lost the election because of his performance in that debate. He lost about four or five points and he never regained them.”
Wallace, who worked at Fox News in 2020, is now an anchor for CNN.
Wallace added that the “big question” of Thursday’s debate is: “Has he learned his lesson?”
During the 2020 presidential debates, Trump interrupted Biden and Wallace dozens of times.
“I had somebody count,” Wallace said, “and he interrupted Joe Biden and me 145 times in 90 minutes…If he did that, I think it was a huge mistake and he’s going to pay the price.”
The 2020 presidential debate was a fierce battle, with both candidates calling the other a liar and, at one point, Biden saying, “Can we just shut up?”, adding, “This is unpresidential.”
Trump and Wallace briefly got into an argument during the debate.
“Mr. President, I’m the moderator of this debate. Let me ask my question,” Wallace said.
“I think I’m debating you, not him,” Trump responded.
After the 2020 debate, CNN’s “State of the Union” anchor Jake Tapper, who will be moderating this year’s debate, called it “a mess within a trash heap within a disaster. The worst debate I’ve ever seen. In fact, it wasn’t even a debate. It’s a disgrace.”
Ahead of Thursday’s debate, political strategists are waiting to see what Trump will show, with some saying he needs to show restraint.
At a rally in Philadelphia last week, Trump asked his supporters whether they should be “harsh and mean” or “kind and calm” during the debate.
Trump has also faced increasing tension in recent days with the CNN hosts, who will be moderating this year’s debate.
CNN anchor Casey Hunt interrupted Trump campaign spokeswoman Caroline Leavitt as she repeatedly attacked CNN anchors Jake Tapper and Dana Bash.
“I’d be surprised if he didn’t attack the media, the negotiators and the rules from the stage,” said Jamal Simmons, a former communications director for Vice President Harris and a CNN political commentator.
Trump is leading in the polls, with the former president leading by 1.2 points in a national polling average maintained by The Hill and Decision Desk HQ (DDHQ).
