CBS News Sets Boundaries for Vice Presidential Debate After ABC Fact-Checking Controversy

CBS News is preparing to host the third debate between the vice presidential candidates, JD Vance and Tim Walz, next week, and it has made a notable shift in its approach to fact-checking.

The debate, scheduled for Tuesday at 9 p.m. Eastern in a Manhattan studio, will be moderated by outgoing CBS Evening News anchor Norah O’Donnell and Face the Nation host Margaret Brennan.

In a departure from past practices, CBS has stated that it will be the candidates’ responsibility to fact-check each other rather than the moderators.

This decision comes after an ABC debate earlier this month, where moderators corrected former President Donald Trump on multiple inaccuracies while failing to address any misstatements by Vice President Kamala Harris.

During the ABC debate, moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis corrected Trump’s statements on abortion, the 2020 election, crime statistics and reports that immigrants in Ohio were eating pets. MICHAEL LE BRECHT II / ABC NEWS

Trump and his supporters expressed frustration over what they perceived as biased moderation. In contrast, CNN moderators previously refrained from challenging the factual accuracy of statements made during a debate between President Biden and Trump.

On Friday, CBS emphasised that it will facilitate opportunities for Vance and Walz to highlight each other’s inaccuracies during rebuttal segments.

Norah O’ Donnell is one of the modertaors. CBS said the onus will be on Vance and Walz to point out misstatements by the other. CBS via Getty Images

Additionally, CBS News Confirmed, the network’s misinformation unit, will provide real-time fact-checking through live blogs and social media during the debate and during post-debate analysis.

Experts in journalism have voiced concerns about CBS’s approach. Angie Drodnic Holan, director of the international fact-checking network at the Poynter Institute, remarked that while candidates should hold each other accountable, this strategy essentially shifts a critical journalistic duty onto them. She acknowledged moderators’ challenges in fact-checking, as they often risk inciting backlash from candidates.

The upcoming debate will allow both candidates to keep their microphones on while their opponent speaks, promoting a more dynamic and potentially contentious exchange. CBS reserves the right to mute microphones if necessary.

Each candidate will have two minutes for closing statements, with Vance winning a virtual coin toss for the last word.

This debate is particularly significant for CBS News, which has struggled with ratings. O’Donnell’s recent departure announcement adds to the stakes, while Brennan is gaining recognition as a rising talent in the network.

On a related note, it remains to be seen if Trump and Harris will share the stage again before the Nov. 5 election. While Harris accepted an invitation for another debate on Oct. 23, Trump declined. A recent Quinnipiac University poll indicated that voters most likely want to see another face-off between the two candidates.

CBS’s “60 Minutes” is also in discussions to secure back-to-back interviews with Harris and Trump, scheduled to air on Oct. 7, although neither candidate has yet confirmed their participation.

Dan Olczak

"Editor with expertise in politics and crime, also known for travel blogging."

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