Tuesday night’s CBS News Vice Presidential Debate turned into a heated clash when Republican nominee Senator J.D. Vance faced off against moderators over key issues like immigration and housing costs. What should have been a serious discussion between Vance and Democratic candidate Governor Tim Walz (D-MN) quickly became a battleground over media bias. The CBS moderators, Margaret Brennan and Norah O’Donnell, took it upon themselves to act as fact-checkers in real time.
The Flashpoint of the Debate
The tension peaked when Vance pointed out that rising immigration levels are driving up housing prices. The CBS moderators were quick to challenge him on this point. Brennan interrupted Vance mid-sentence, questioning the accuracy of his data. But Vance stood firm, insisting his claims were backed by “hard data” and even offered to provide sources right there on stage. This led to a chaotic back-and-forth that culminated in the CBS crew cutting off the microphones—because nothing screams “fair debate” quite like silencing one of the participants.
Republican Outrage and Media Bias
This incident sparked outrage among Republicans and Vance supporters, who saw the moderators’ behavior as a clear example of media bias. True to his word, Vance released data supporting his argument the very next day, pushing back against what he—and many viewers—felt was an attempt to undermine his credibility in front of a national audience.
Lara Logan’s Bold Critique
Adding fuel to the fire, former CBS journalist Lara Logan came out swinging against her old employer. Logan, who spent 16 years at CBS as the Chief Foreign Correspondent and a 60 Minutes correspondent, criticized the network for its handling of the debate. She tweeted, “Hard to believe CBS could have fallen so low,” pointing out what she perceived as an intentional effort to shield Kamala Harris from scrutiny while attacking Vance.
Fact-Checking Harris: A Double Standard?
Logan’s outrage didn’t stop at immigration. She also took issue with CBS’s fact-checking of Vance’s claim that Harris was the “border czar.” The moderators labeled this statement as false. However, as Logan and others noted, CBS itself had previously reported on Harris being appointed by Biden to lead immigration efforts at the southern border. So why the sudden lapse in memory? Logan suggested it was all about protecting Harris from the political fallout of the border crisis.
The Media’s Targeting of Conservatives
Logan’s criticism struck a chord with conservatives who believe that mainstream media consistently targets Republican candidates while giving Democrats a free pass. The fallout from this debate only deepens the divide between traditional media outlets and conservative candidates—a pattern we’ve seen in previous debates. As always, these so-called “fact-checkers” seem to appear only when facts don’t align with their preferred narrative.
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