Were ABC's Debate Moderators Fair to Trump?

Following the presidential debate, many voices on the right accused moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis of bias against Donald Trump; voices on the left countered that Trump needed more fact checking than Kamala Harris. AllSides published our own two cents today.

AllSides Weighs In: In a blog post, Allsides writer Clare Ashcraft (Center bias) argued that moderators showed bias by fact checking Trump's statements but not Harris', despite both candidates making false claims. At least one question also showed slant against Trump, and some important topics were omitted including the assassination attempt on Trump and Harris' stance towards Black Lives Matter riots in 2020.

The Right Cries Foul: Fox News (Right) quoted X posts from journalists from outlets including Outkick Media (Lean Right), The Federalist (Right), NewsBusters (Right), and The Daily Caller (Right) who criticized Muir and Davis for "handling the debate for" Harris and creating a "3 on 1" situation. Fox also quoted liberal pundits who praised the moderators' conduct and one conservative pundit who was disappointed in Trump's performance.

The Left Praises Moderators: Politico (Lean Left) wrote that, after the debate ended, "complaints started rolling in... as if on cue," implying the complainers are disingenuous and trying to manipulate public perception. The article said Muir and Davis "sought to set the candidates — and the viewing public — straight on Trump’s unsubstantiated allegations" and noted that "Harris’ claims were less far-fetched," though the moderators "confronted" her on some policy position changes and border policies.