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ABC’s Biased Debate Moderation Causes Major Headaches for Muir

Posted By LifeZette On In News | 1 Comment

ABC News anchor David Muir might be facing backlash after his performance at last week’s presidential debate, as his network, owned by Disney, upset conservatives.

Muir and co-moderator Linsey Davis [1] fact-checked former President Trump five times during the debate but failed to correct Vice President Kamala Harris. Many conservatives saw this as unfair, with some groups, like Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, demanding a correction after Davis falsely claimed an abortion statistic in a Trump fact-check [2], which the group called “100% inaccurate,” as reported by Fox News [3].

[4]
Image Credit: bella1105 - Shutterstock.com

Following the debate, “World News Tonight” with Muir saw its ratings take a hit. The show averaged 6.7 million viewers on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday after the debate, down from its typical 7.6 million in 2024. This 12% drop is notable, especially compared to slight declines in viewership seen on CBS and NBC’s evening newscasts during the same period. Muir’s broadcast still held the top spot, but it’s unclear if supporters of Trump have begun to tune out.

Trump voiced his frustration with the ABC debate, calling it “one-sided [5]” and criticizing Muir for failing to fact-check Harris. “Everyone’s lost respect for him,” Trump told Fox News last week, adding, “It was one against three.” He believed Harris should have been questioned on several of her claims during the debate.

[6]
Image Credit: © Megan Mendoza/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK [7]
David Muir gives a speech after he is presented with the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism at by Arizona State University the Sheraton hotel on Feb. 8, 2024 in Downtown Phoenix, AZ.

In a revealing interview, Davis admitted her decision to fact-check Trump during the debate was influenced by a previous CNN debate where President Biden wasn’t challenged enough. Davis told the Los Angeles Times, “People were concerned that statements were allowed to just hang and not [be] disputed.”

Meanwhile, ABC News’ Martha Raddatz acknowledged Harris made a false statement when she claimed, “There is not one member of the United States military in active duty in a combat zone.”

Some took to X to express their thoughts:

Kamala tells America there is not one active military troop in any combat zone in the world

Soldiers beg to differ! WATCH pic.twitter.com/5w0WafbUH3 [8]

— Myrna 𝕏 (@GigaBeers) September 14, 2024 [9]

Raddatz clarified “There are currently 900 U.S. military personnel in Syria, 2,500 U.S. troops in Iraq. All have been under regular threat from drones and missiles for months. We also have action in the Red Sea. Also, every single day, the Navy SEALs, Delta Forces special operators can be part of any sort of deadly raid.”

Despite this, Muir and Davis remained silent on correcting Harris during the debate, leaving many conservatives questioning the fairness of ABC’s coverage, particularly in front of an audience of nearly 70 million.