ABC debate moderators spark fury for aggressive fact-checking of Trump, easy treatment of Harris

ABC News sparked intense backlash among critics for its aggressive approach to former President Trump versus its soft treatment of Vice President Kamala Harris during Tuesday's presidential debate. 

The Disney-owned network shocked the nation as its debate moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis repeatedly fact-checked Trump on various topics from crime, abortion to the former president's past comments about the 2020 election. 

"The ABC moderators are fact checking- incorrectly!- and in such a shockingly obviously one-sided way, that Trump enduring the ambush as well as he has is a win," conservative radio host Buck Sexton reacted. "This debate has been a total sham, questions are all attacks on Trump, it’s 3 on 1. Outrageous."

ABC'S LINSEY DAVIS RAISES EYEBROWS WITH ABORTION FACT-CHECK AGAINST TRUMP: ‘COMPLETELY INTERJECTS HERSELF’

"So when Trump doesn’t directly answer the question, ABC points it out. Kamala will NOT directly answer a single question and they let her off the hook," Outkick host Tomi Lahren pointed out.

"These debate questions and moderation is breathtaking. Holy s---. I’m not being hyperbolic. This is incredible. Absolutely outrageous," Ruthless co-host Josh Holmes wrote.

"ABC News moderators trying to make Candy Crowley look like a mute," author Jerry Dunleavy said, referring to the CNN debate moderator who infamously attempted to fact-check Mitt Romney in the 2012 election.

"The framing of every single question has been awful. Every single one," The Federalist editor-in-chief Mollie Hemingway wrote.

Critics took aim at ABC debate moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis for their lopsided treatment of both candidates. (ABC News)

KAMALA HARRIS, DONALD TRUMP FACE OFF IN BATTLEGROUND PENNSYLVANIA FOR FIRST PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE

Some critics specifically called out Muir for his multiple spats with Trump.

"David Muir is criticizing and attacking Trump more than Kamala is," journalist Glenn Greenwald said. "Kamala can relax because the ABC 'moderators' are handling the debate for her."

"David Muir is running a strong campaign for president," author and activist Christopher Rufo quipped.

US Vice President Kamala Harris, right, and former US President Donald Trump during the second presidential debate at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US, on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. (Getty Images)

FOX NEWS TOP TALENT REACT TO ABC PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE

Others took aim at the network broadly. 

"This has been an absolute disaster for ABC's credibility," NewsBusters managing editor Curtis Houck said.

"I’ve been telling you guys for years how much @ABC hates republicans…" former "The View" co-host Meghan McCain said. 

"ABC/Disney has done its best to help VP Harris. It’s astonishing how badly moderated it has been," syndicated radio host Hugh Hewitt wrote. "Trump could have put the election away and didn’t. But she is so awful she still couldn’t win with both moderators so obviously, terribly biased. Neither of them won but ABC/Disney lost half the country."

Screenshot: Fox News simulcast of ABC News Presidential Debate (Screenshot: Fox News simulcast of ABC News Presidential Debate)

The ABC moderators did earn some praise from other members of the liberal media. 

"ABC moderators doing an *excellent* job," MSNBC host Chris Hayes reacted.

"I will say it ABC moderators have exceeded expectations. They are fact checking and confronting. Shows how abysmal CNN was," Washington Post columnist Jennifer Rubin wrote.

"Muir has a talent for delivering confrontational ripostes in a way that seems like Bob Ross talking about adding a little magenta to a sunset," New York Times correspondent Glenn Thrush said.

US Vice President Kamala Harris, right, and former US President Donald Trump shake hands during the second presidential debate at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US, on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. (Getty Images)

Meanwhile, Trump took a lot of flack for constantly "taking the bait" from Harris as well as the debate moderators.

"Ever since the crowd size comment, Kamala's been in his head. Trump's taking the bait and getting riled up. It's that easy," Puck News correspondent Tara Palmeri said.

"Harris keeps dangling bait for Trump and he keeps burning the first 20 seconds of the response on it," Semafor reporter David Weigel wrote.

"Donald Trump is taking every piece of bait - doing what a lot of the commentary was concerned VP Harris was going to do," MSNBC host Symone Sanders-Townsend similarly said.

"Trump is not doing what Harris is doing. Which is dodging/pivoting from his worst sections to his best or trying to derail Kamala Instead, he just keeps litigating each bait that Kamala throws him and ignores his own best issues," Breaking Points co-host Saagar Enjeti posted.

"You and I can scream all we want about the debate moderators, and they are actively trying to help Harris, but Trump agreed to the debate, took every bit of bait, and low information voters are watching this. His lack of discipline helps Harris," conservative radio host Erick Erickson concluded.

Joseph A. Wulfsohn is a media reporter for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and on Twitter: @JosephWulfsohn.