CBS will not fact-check during upcoming vice presidential debate

Sponsored Ad

CBS News has announced that it will not fact-check candidates during the upcoming vice presidential debate between JD Vance and Tim Walz. The debate, scheduled for 9 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday, will be moderated by CBS Evening News anchor Norah O’Donnell and Face the Nation host Margaret Brennan.

Unlike the ABC News presidential debate, where moderators corrected several statements made by Donald Trump, CBS News stated that its moderators will refrain from addressing alleged misinformation during the debate. Instead, the candidates will be responsible for challenging one another’s claims. Microphones will remain on for both candidates throughout the debate, allowing them to interject if needed.

CBS also clarified that while it reserves the right to cut off a microphone if necessary, real-time fact-checking will be available through a live blog, social media updates, and post-debate television analysis. The network aims to avoid accusations of bias, similar to those directed at ABC News after its handling of the Trump-Harris debate on September 10.

The decision comes after criticisms of ABC News for fact-checking certain statements made by Trump during his debate with Kamala Harris but not scrutinizing Harris’s remarks to the same extent.