(NewsNation) — Moderators of the ABC presidential debate faced criticism online from some who stated they did not fact-check Vice President Harris as a lot as they did former President Trump.
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a Republican, stated she nonetheless does not know who Harris is after watching her debate Trump.
“I believe we nonetheless do not know who Kamala Harris is,” Noem instructed NewsNation’s Dan Abrams after the debate. “These moderators not as soon as pushed her, fact-checked her. Even when she misspoke. It was fairly unusual to look at that.”
Abrams pressed Noem and requested if Trump made a “compelling case” to function president of the US. Noem stated Trump “did an important job speaking about his accomplishments” however that she wished each candidates talked about the truth that “our kids are dying,” referencing the fentanyl crisis and opioid epidemic.
“The rationale I communicate for President Trump so typically is he let me do my job,” Noem stated. “He acknowledged that in America, governors get to make selections. That ought to have been one thing they talked about extra tonight.”
NewsNation’s Chris Stirewalt additionally stated he felt as if the moderators, ABC’s David Muir and Linsey Davis, went tougher on Trump, a sentiment echoed by Republicans.
NewsNation’s Chris Cuomo requested Stirewalt to make clear his assertion, asking, “Do you imagine that they had been serving to Harris, or he requires extra fact-checking as a result of he’s fully reckless with the reality frequently greater than anybody he’s ever on stage with?”
“Lots of Republicans tonight are going to take consolation from the truth that it was unfair, that it was rigged, that it was dangerous,” Stirewalt stated.
Abrams added that if the GOP leans on calling out the referees, “That’s when you realize you’re in bother.”
“Trump nonetheless didn’t do what he needed to do,” Abrams stated.
Harris, Trump tied in predebate polls
The discussion board marked the primary face-to-face matchup between Harris and Trump, who had been neck and neck in predebate polls.
The latest polling from the New York Times/Siena College revealed Trump leads Harris by only a level. Three different polls posted inside the previous week — RMG Research/Napolitan News National Survey (+2), Outward Intelligence survey (+4) and Emerson College Polling (+4) — all mirrored Harris main Trump.
Harris maintained a 3.5-point lead nationally throughout all polls, in response to The Hill/Decision Desk HQ’s polling average.
NewsNation’s Anna Kutz and Devan Markham contributed to this report.